LOOONNNG Meetings – Lee’s lack of speed

Lee’s endless orations, blustery diatribes, well-practiced bullying, self-aggrandizing speeches, lengthy narratives… they go on… and on… and on…. again costing tax-payers overtime pay, tired employees, etc.

Here is another area we researched to illustrate for you – the difference in meeting lengths before and after Lee’s arrival in 12/2020. In 2021, with some exception for joint vacation rental workshops, your Councilmembers and City employees spent over 3x as many hours in meetings with him (123 vs 40 hours) with nearly 2x the average meeting time (4:23 vs 2:32 hours). To help, the Council has had to adopt new Rules of Order several times, including prompt meeting ends at 10pm (5/3/21) and time limit to speak on items (3/7/22).

This does NOT count time spent in Closed Sessions. Example: The February 8, 2021 meeting started with a 2-hour closed session at 4pm, immediately into open session at 6:10pm, ending at 12:56am, back into closed session until a little past 2am. 3 Additional hours not counted below. Nor does this count anything other than City Council meetings, no other committees, Boards or other official duties.

Watch for yourself and tally Lee’s individual time: https://bigbearlake.12milesout.com.

Year20152016201720182019202020212022
Total Meeting Time*22:0820:1317:2613:3619:2840:40123:0855:11
Average Meeting Length*1:341:261:201:081:372:324:232:45
Longest Regular Meeting2:392:182:132:362:494:306:464:29
Time Notated in Hours : Minutes
* Closed Sessions NOT included

Meeting Costs were estimated on 5/17/2021 for both meeting time and meeting preparation, documented here. Each hour of a regular open session meeting = $1,800. The preparation for each meeting (depending on agenda size) ranges from $19,300 to $31,300. For comparison:

2019: 20 Hours Total x $1,800 Per Hour = $36,000. 12 Meetings x $19,300 minimum = $231,600.

Total Meeting Expense in 2019: $36,000 + $231,600 = $267,600 min.

2021: 123 Hours Total x $1,800 Per Hour = $221,400. 28 Meetings x $19,300 minimum = $540,400.

Total Meeting Expense in 2021: $221,400 + $540,400 = $761,800 min!

2015Hours
Jan 1201:35:09
Jan 2601:55:31
Feb 900:52:42
Mar 900:56:54
Apr 2702:04:46
May 1102:27:56
Jun 801:41:35
Jun 2201:02:25
Jul 1302:37:27
Aug 2400:55:54
Aug 2400:26:23
Sep 2802:30:10
Oct 2602:39:05
Dec 1400:22:24
22:08:21Total Hours in 2015
2016Hours
Jan 1102:18:34
Jan 2501:03:20
Feb 801:04:49
Feb 2201:43:24
Mar 1401:56:37
Apr 2501:51:18
May 900:40:03
Jun 1301:18:40
Jun 2702:48:58
Jul 1102:05:37
Aug 2201:13:50
Sep 2600:40:04
Oct 2401:04:27
Dec 1200:23:34
20:13:15Total Hours in 2016
2017Hours
Jan 901:21:55
Feb 1300:56:38
Feb 1302:13:35
Feb 2701:06:37
April 2402:48:16
May 801:02:22
Jun 1200:59:36
Jun 2601:10:34
Jul 1000:12:54
Aug 2801:10:46
Sep 2501:23:32
Nov 1302:05:01
Dec 1100:54:37
17:26:23Total Hours in 2017
2018Hours
Jan 801:15:49
Jan 2201:09:03
Feb 260:44:41
Apr 2300:40:19
May 1401:08:13
Jun 1100:46:25
Jun 2502:36:33
Jul 900:38:24
Aug 2701:01:13
Sep 2401:23:23
Oct 2201:09:55
Dec 1001:02:21
13:36:19Total Hours in 2018
2019Hours
Jan 2802:49:52
Feb 1101:13:47
Feb 2501:52:17
Apr 2201:31
May 1301:06:14
Jun 1002:18:06
Jul 80:39:27
Aug 2602:17:03
Sep 2301:32:07
Oct 2802:17:11
Nov 2501:35:15
Dec 900:15:48
19:28:07Total Hours in 2019
2020Hours
Jan 1301:21:45
Jan 2801:07:38
Feb 2401:40:36Frank Rush’s 1st Meeting
Mar 901:38:22Start of COVID
Apr 1603:20:34
Apr 2703:10:15
May 1103:30:33
May 2101:24:19
Jun 802:23:28
Jun 1602:39:26
Jul 1301:47:33
Aug 1002:02:26
Sep 1402:04:40
Oct 1204:30:47
Nov 903:40:51
Dec 1404:17:44Lee’s 1st Meeting
40:40:57Total Hours in 2020
2021Hours
Jan 115:35:05
Feb 86:46:04
Feb 222:17:27Special TBID Workshop for Lee
Mar 85:04:56
Mar 123:57:44With Planning Comm
Mar 224:02:04Budget
Mar 225:53:36Budget
Apr 55:24:08
Apr 155:07:48With Planning Comm
Apr 192:15:56
Apr 202:08:22With Planning Comm
May 34:57:34
May 173:27:06New Rule adopted 5/3 – 10pm End
May 245:35:59With DWP Comm
May 255:16:20With Planning Comm
Jun 74:14:28
Jun 215:08:17
Jul 194:59:47
Jul 265:15:53Interviews for Mayor Repl
Aug 26:05:28
Aug 97:06:21Interviews for PC & DWP
Aug 162:58:51
Sep 204:14:05
Oct 42:08:49Lee Absent
Oct 182:37:19
Nov 14:20:09
Nov 152:29:15
Dec 63:39:12
123:08:03Total Hours in 2021
2022 Hours
Jan 114:00:31
Feb 73:57:53
Feb 251:44:56Lee Absent (Unexcused) / Rush’s Last Mtg
Mar 73:36:45
Mar 110:40:44New Rule adopted 3/7 – Time Limits
Apr 41:57:48
Apr 183:25:54
May 22:15:33
May 163:57:46
Jun 63:45:46Lee Absent (Excused)
Jun 2004:14Lee Absent; Resulted in No Quorum/Mtg
Jun 2913:17Lee Absent (Unexcused)
Jul 184:18:06
Aug 14:29:05
Aug 111:13:34
Aug 152:58:44
Sep 193:55:32
Oct 31:44:31
Oct 173:09:00
Nov 71:55:57Lee Absent (Unexcused)
Dec 121:46:16Lee’s Final Officially Seated Meeting
Absent (Unexcused)
55:11:52Total Hours in 2022