After seeing only two other council members present inside the council chamber on Wednesday evening, Kenneth McDaniel, council vice-president, had little choice but to cancel the workshop session of the governing body.

“It appears that we do not have a quorum to conduct the workshop this evening due to a lack of quorum,” said Jane Williams-Warren, the city clerk. “The workshop session is therefore cancelled.”

Mohammed Akhtaruzzaman, 2nd Ward councilman, William McKoy, 3rd Ward councilman, and McDaniel, councilman at-large, waited to begin the meeting from 6:30 p.m. but were unable to begin without the necessary five members of the council.

After waiting about 30-minute Ruby Cotton, 4th Ward councilwoman, came into the meeting, but that still left a shortage of one member.

Council members: Rigo Rodriguez, councilman at-large, began irregularly attending council deliberations following his election, and did not show; Kenneth Morris, councilman at-large, left on vacation; Julio Tavarez, 5th Ward councilman, is on his honeymoon. And Andre Sayegh, 6th Ward councilman, who seldom misses meetings, was absent.

Although the council was able to cancel the workshop session, there was also a special meeting scheduled at 8 p.m. Council members in attendance waited for Anthony Davis, 1st Ward councilman to show to vote on two items that were in the special agenda.

As they waited each one selected items that they would like on next week’s regular meeting. At around 7:45 p.m. Davis walked in and the council was able to save the special meeting.

“It’s shameful,” said David Gilmore, city activist, who was in attendance. Gilmore said the council should have cancelled the meeting prior to the night of the meeting, for it knew several members wouldn’t be able to show.