• Main Decision: The City Council voted to suspend all sales of cemetery lots at Greenwood Cemetery until after the next council meeting, with the City Assessor and Collector instructed to stop selling or offering lots for sale immediately.
• Close Vote: The resolution passed narrowly 8-7, indicating significant disagreement among aldermen about whether the cemetery lot sales should be paused.
• Procedural Amendment: An alderman successfully amended the resolution to add a time limit ("until after the next meeting") rather than implementing a permanent ban, giving the council another opportunity to reconsider the policy soon.
• Attendance Issues: Several aldermen were absent due to illness, and the meeting required multiple procedural votes just to get enough members present to conduct business.
Full Transcript
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The Minutes of a Called Meeting of the City Council. Austin, Oct. 1, 1887. Hon. J.W. Robertson, Mayor, presiding.
Roll Call. Present Aldermen Brush, Cummings, Fisher, Graham, Jones, Platt, Phillips, Walker, Warren, Wollmer - 10. Absent- Aldermen Alexander, Anderson, Caldwell, Campbell, Metz, Odell, Schneider, Schuber, To consend Wortham - 10.
Call of Council. Alderman Walker moved a call of the Council, which was duly seconded and adopted.
Excused. Alderman Cummings moved to excuse Alderman Anderson, Alexander, and Schuber on account of Sickness. Adopted.
Ald. Wortham. Alderman Wortham Came in.
Suspend Call. Alderman Phillips moved to Suspend the Call. Adopted.
Adjourn. Alderman Wortham moved to adjourn. Lost yeas 5; Nays, 6.
The The following Call was then read: Austin Tex. Oct. 1, 1887.
Call. Hon. J.W. Robertson, Mayor: "We, the undersigned Aldermen, hereby request that you Call a special meeting of the City Council to Consider the question of the Sale of lots in Greenwood Cemetery, today, October, 1, at 4 p.m. C.E. Fisher, J.W. Phillips, R. Platt, J.E. Jones, Geo. A. Brush, J.W. Graham, T.J. Campbell, J.P. Schneider, C.S. Metz. The Call is made as requested above. J.W. Robertson, Mayor.
Ald. Odell. Alderman Odell Came in.
Greenwood Alderman Fisher introduced the following: "A resolution Cemetery. Suspending the Sale of lots in Greenwood Cemetery. Be it Resolved by the City Council of the City of Austin, That the City Assessor and Collector be and he is hereby instructed not to sell or offer for Sale any lot or lots in Greenwood Cemetery. This resolution shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage."
Ald. Came in. Aldermen Metz, Schneider and Caldwell Came in.
Amendment. Alderman Graham moved to amend the Resolution
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after the word "Cemetery", by adding "until after the next meeting of the City Council." Aldermand Fisher accepted the amendment. Adjourn. Alderman Mackin moved to adjourn. first : years, 6; Nays, 4. Cemetery. The resolution was then adopted by the following Vote: Yeas Aldermen Rausch, Fisher, Dreland, Jones, Metz, Hall, Phillips, Schneider - 8. Nays Aldermen Caldwell, Cummings, Odell, Mackin, Warren, Wellman, Northam - 7.
Adjourned. Milton Morris City Clerk.