Theoretically, the decision-making process is emboldened in the Articles of the Charter of the City of Berkeley. Practically, however it is enmeshed with political divisiveness and an at- odds-governance. An initial step in making it a more efficient and effective system in responding to the substantive issues of Berkeley, is to insist on a collaborative consensus approach to governance that gives each side a face-saving participatory role. These changes would include imposing Robert Rules of Order time limit on filibustering; the assignment of more items to the consent calendar and stricter rules on tabling items for further discussion; and prioritizing of agenda items by city staff with greater emphasis on substance rather than volume. Meaning, there should be a clustering of related items such as economic development, budget, capital improvements assigned on particular sessions. Providing the agenda is amass with critical and essential items to cover, an occasional fourth session may be in order with a mandatory ten o'clock adjournment.
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