Daily Herald editorial

It’s too bad the majority of the City Council decided that, after just four attempts, Coffee with the Council was a bad idea. Austin residents should let their city representative know the decision was the wrong one.

Council members Brian McAlister, Jeff Austin and Steve King, along with Mayor Tom Stiehm voting in place of absent Roger Boughton to break a tie, all voted to suspend Coffee through the end of the year. McAlister questioned the events’ productivity and expressed concerns about council candidates using them for self-promotion. But he and the others who voted against it should have considered Council member Judy Enright’s suggestion of setting guidelines for the Coffee events — such as a round table approach to give all residents equal time for discourse — before they pulled the plug.

While the first handful of Coffees didn’t draw huge crowds, the council should have given it more of a chance; most new ideas need some time to catch on. It’s hard for elected officials to get honest input from constituents, and Coffee was a good way to remedy that. Last year’s budget discussions, during which residents’ questions and comments about city taxes were received with minimal interest, demonstrated how much this group needs to work on its ability to communicate. The Coffees, more casual and less pressured than regular council meetings, seemed like a possible solution. With this week’s vote, the council is back to the drawing board when it comes to hearing from residents.

Council members Marian Clennon and Judy Enright voted along with Enright to keep the Coffee, and they should be commended for doing so. The other members and Mayor Stiehm should know they made the wrong choice.