Leavitt, councilors will continue to pay dues

I was curious to see how the vote would go on a proposed policy to let the public to pick up the tab for councilors to join civic and service organizations.

But I’ll be left wondering, because the issue died Monday night. City Councilor Alishia Topper asked for the item to be pulled from the consent agenda so it could be discussed. The council spent fewer than 10 minutes talking about the policy, which would have allowed the city to pay up to $500 in dues for approved clubs per councilor per year. (That’s a maximum of $3,500 a year.)

A majority of members said they believe their annual council salaries should be used to pay for club dues, as belonging to civic and service organizations comes with the territory of serving in local elected office. Councilor Jack Burkman said he wouldn’t personally ask to be reimbursed but he would support the policy so it would be on the books in the event a councilor felt a need to use it.

But after the discussion ended, nobody made a motion to approve the policy.

Vancouver Mayor Tim Leavitt, who proposed the policy, waited a few seconds then said, “OK, no motion, no second, I guess the item dies for a lack of motion of support.”

I later asked Leavitt, who owes $560 for his 2014 Vancouver Rotary Club dues and meeting assessment fees, if he’s done with the club.

Appears so, he said.