Council members in Falls City have been chronically absent from regular city meetings in 2006, but the town’s mayor is confident city business is moving along at a reasonable pace, anyway.

The five council members have recorded a total of 11 absences in 11 months this year — more than two per council member. That total doesn’t include two city meetings that had their regular dates canceled.

Brent Houdmann has been absent once in 2006, Steven Swierc has been absent twice, Gery Jendrusch has been absent three times, Ralph Bollman has been absent five times, and Jeff Johnson has been absent once.

The town’s April meeting was canceled on account of the area track meet falling on the same date.

At the regular June meeting, there were not enough council members available for a quorum needed to conduct city business because two council members were out of the state coaching a local baseball all-star team at a national tournament.

Both the April and June regular meeting dates were rescheduled for the following Wednesday. The second Wednesday of each month is the town’s regular meeting date.

During several meetings this year, action on city business has been postponed until more council members can be available to attend and take action. So far, the October 11 meeting is the only 2006 regular meeting where every council member attended.

"A lot of times when I think there’s a lot of money involved or there’s a major decision, I think the whole council needs to be there," Malone said, adding though that city business "is moving along just fine."

She said all the council members are working men and most have unpredictable schedules.

"A lot of it just has to do with the jobs council members have. Steven and Jeff are both basically sales reps. Sometimes they get called and their job requires them to be out of town overnight. Ralph is a truck driver. Sometimes with truck driving … he just can’t help it," she said. "It’s just the facts of their livelihood."

Houdmann is the only council member with job that has regular hours, Malone said.

Falls City’s last meeting November 8 was canceled mid-meeting when Mayor Vi Malone left and the remaining three council members later became unsure of whether they had a legal quorum.

Malone said after the meeting that council did indeed have a quorum when she left November 8 and that she would not have left had the situation been otherwise.

jjansky@thecountywide.com