Something else interesting at last night’s City Council meeting was the debate between council members Robbie Perkins and Mike Barber over the possible appointment of Bill Knight to the city’s budget committee.

For those who need a refresher, Knight ran unsuccessfully for an at-large City Council seat in the last election on a platform of fiscal responsibility and getting to the bottom of the controversy surrounding former police chief David Wray, an issue he addresses in his most recent post. Since the election, Knight has remained vocal on city issues through his blog and letters to the editor in the N&R.

The debate came up when Perkins mentioned that there was yet no charge for the budget committee with budget negotiations right around the corner. Barber mentioned that Knight has been in touch with fiance and budget directors, to which Perkins replied that Knight had not been appointed to do anything by the council and thus there was no reason for him to be in contact with anybody. Furthermore, Perkins added, Knight is a “nice fellow,” but his agenda is totally against City Manager Mitchell Johnson and “some of the other things this council’s been standing on.”

Barber replied that he wasn’t sure that Perkins’ statement was appropriate, and that he would do what it takes to appropriately nominate Knight for the budget committee.