When the Pensacola City Council discussed the DIB Economic Development Incentive Plan at its April 26 regular meeting. Councilwoman Maren DeWeese began the discussion with a substitute motion. DeWeese had voted against the original motion on the floor during the Committee of the Whole. Was it proper for DeWeese to make a substitute motion since she wasn’t on the prevailing side of the recommendation from the Committee of the Whole?
I don’t know the answer. However, it would seem that the original motion that passed the COW would have to be defeated first before the minority can substitute it with another motion. Otherwise, the COW votes are meaningless if those who failed to defeat the original motion at the COW and merely derail it at the regular meeting with substitute motions.
In this case, the substitution motion failed and the original motion passed 80 minutes later by a greater margin than it did at the COW.
I think that only the prevailing members –those who voted for it at the COW– can offer a substitute motion. Does someone know the answer? Please provide a reference.
Thank you.
