The September 26, 2023, Newberry CSD meeting was another long and boring one. It's no wonder that these meetings are poorly attended by Newberry Springs residents. Even I often leave early to feed my dogs a late dinner.

    The CSD Board is finally considering implementing some of the recommendations of the 2012-2013 Grand Jury Report of the Newberry Community Services District. Yes, a whole decade later!

    One consideration would limit the babbling by incorporating the Grand Jury's recommendation of using Robert's Rules of Order. The CSD board's September agenda item read:

    Revise Policy 5070 to Incorporate Robert's Rules of Order - Discussion/PossibleAction - Director Unger
    Robert's Rules of Order is America's foremost guide to parliamentary procedure. The CSD needs to demonstrate to the public that it intends to conduct orderly and productive meetings.

    Remarkably, when the item came up for discussion, the board members didn't seem to know what this basic standard of parliamentary procedure was. The board tabled the item until the October meeting so that the board members could read up on Robert's Rules.

    This is simply amazing. Robert's Rules of Order rules from board rooms to just about every legislative body in the United States. It is incredible that the Newberry CSD board members are so clueless as to how they should be conducting their meetings.

    The CSD has been operating in such a disarray for decades that it may be impossible for the board members to strictly operate under the discipline of Robert's Rules.

    Bad habits are hard to break.