Evansville City Council resolutions now need 3 sponsors after code updated Monday

EVANSVILLE —  Any Evansville City Council member who wants a resolution considered for passage will now need the backing of two additional councilors. 

An ordinance updating city code passed 7-2 Monday evening following discussion among the public and council of both the potential silencing of minority party views and a call for stronger bipartisanship. Councilmen Justin Elpers, R-Fifth Ward, and Jonathan Weaver, R-At Large, were the dissenting votes. 

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Elpers has presented resolutions over the past few months which have drawn heated public comment including a resolution stating "E is for Everyone, Even the Preborn" and another opposing COVID-19 vaccine mandates. 

Monday's ordinance, sponsored by council president Ron Beane, R-At Large, was amended prior to final vote after councilwoman Missy Mosby, D-Second Ward, proposed a change to its original wording. The original ordinance stated no proposed resolution or general ordinance would be considered by the council unless introduced by three members of the body. Mosby said it would not be fair for ordinances to be included.

“In several years we could have a council that maybe only has one Democrat or one Republican,” she said. “It’s going to be very hard for that minority party to ever get two other sponsors to help sponsor an ordinance.” 

Mosby had no issue with the resolution portion remaining intact as resolutions are typically non-binding items that show support or intent on an issue from the council. An ordinance is law. 

The council accepted the amendment in a 7-2 vote prior to public comment, changing the language to state no proposed resolution shall be considered unless introduced by three members of council and no proposed ordinance shall be considered unless sponsored by a member of council. Elpers and Weaver were the dissenting votes. 

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Five residents spoke during public comment and all asked the council not to pass the ordinance. 

Second Ward resident Therese Finn asked the council to vote no and said it’s important to hear different points of view, no matter what. 

“I don’t know how any council person would want to make a decision without hearing different thoughts,” she said. 

Council member Justin Elpers said he disagreed with the proposed ordinance and called it an attempt to silence the minority view on council. 

“This room is a room to discuss ideas, all kinds of ideas,” he said. “If council votes on this and agrees to it then you’re crushing the potential of new ideas. You’re limiting the public discourse.” 

Elpers said he was also worried about a snowball effect. He said the council could decide it is tired of public comment and vote to change the three-minute time limit or take away the platform completely. 

Beane said the ordinance was not an attempt to silence anyone. 

Attempts to bring something before the council with only two people supporting it are not a good use of council time, he said. 

“If you’re bringing it to the council floor, and you only have two votes, then you’re not bringing it trying to do something,” Beane said. “You’re bringing it trying to make a statement.” 

Democratic Third Ward Councilman Zac Heronemous said the proposed change to require three sponsors is a trigger in his mind for more bipartisanship. 

“You can, as a councilor, sponsor something you wholly disagree with to allow a conversation to come forward," he said. "That’s where as a body working collectively together we can accomplish anything, even bringing forth things that might not be popular.” 

All ordinances and resolutions require the approval of the law department -- currently attorney Joshua Claybourn -- to be presented to council. They must be submitted to the city clerk’s office by noon the Tuesday before the council meeting where it can be  given a first reading. 

Sarah Loesch can be contacted at sloesch@gannett.com with story ideas and questions.