Good things at the start | IN OUR OPINION

Published 9:52 am Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Stand up and be counted. Well, at least raise your hand.

As the newly formed Bainbridge Island City Council met for just the second time after two new members joined at the start of this year, we’ve noticed some noteworthy changes.

At this week’s meeting, Councilman Ron Peltier repeatedly asked for roll call votes, which eventually drew something of a gentle rebuke from Mayor Val Tollefson.

In the past, council members typically mumbled their yeas or nays when asked to vote on agenda items, which left the audience many times unsure who voted “yes” or “no” when a split decision was tendered by the council.

This week, Peltier’s call for roll call votes made it clear — with council members’ hands held high — who was voting which way.

But after one more request for a roll call vote Tuesday, Tollefson told Peltier that if he wanted to know how his fellow council members had voted on an issue, he need only check the minutes of the meeting to see how the votes had fallen.

While that’s true, it also means that the audience in the room — and those watching at home — may not be able to tell in the moment who voted for what. And also true, waiting for the city to post official minutes of meetings is sometimes an exercise that can stretch for weeks. At this week’s meeting, for example, the council approved minutes from more than a month ago.

In our view, asking for roll call votes is a good idea until council members develop the vocal strength to speak up well enough to be heard when the vote is called.

Another positive change: Mayor Tollefson’s ability to run a tight meeting.

Several times in the past two meetings, council members — as well as citizens speaking during public comment — have wandered far afield from the issue at hand until Tollefson reined them in. Still, he has yeoman’s work in front of him to continue to keep the council and others focused and keep meetings on track.

Another good sign: Making a decision and moving on.

At this week’s meeting, Councilwoman Sarah Blossom tried to get the council to revisit its decision on the much beleaguered topic of the new city logo. Councilman Kol Medina, however, said the decision had been made and it was time to move on.

So far, it appears that the mix of old with the new on the council has not created any reluctance from new members from speaking up or suggesting new ideas (such as a moratorium), and that’s another good thing.