SLIPPERY ROCK — Borough council Tuesday night canceled its project meeting set for next Tuesday, but not without some drama.

Councilman Itzi Meztli initially objected to canceling the meeting. He also said that council should meet next week to adopt Robert’s Rules of Order and figure out how to be more open and transparent.

He said that he has been on council for two and a half years and has yet to figure out a way to get an item on meeting agendas. He said that part of a meeting should be dedicated to setting agendas for the next meeting.

Meztli compared the way council does business to North Korea, saying that the council president, the borough solicitor and the borough administrator control the agenda.

“This is not democratic,” Meztli said.

Councilman Ken Harris said that the borough used to have only two meetings per month, a regular meeting on the first Tuesday of the month and a workshop meeting on the third Tuesday.

Council realized there was a need for long-term planning so it decided to hold nonvoting project meetings on the second Tuesday of the month to discuss these issues. However, Harris said if there is no long-range planning taking place, there is no need for a project meeting.

Harris said that part of the meetings on the third Tuesday should be dedicated to planning the agenda for the following month’s meeting.

Council Vice President Ron Steele said that there is no need to adopt Robert’s Rules of Order since they are already used for the most part.

“It’s out there,” Steele said.

He said that borough administrator Lucinda Lipko has the agenda mostly set by the Tuesday a week before the meeting, but he said that could be pushed to Thursday to give more time to add items.

Councilman Bob Bowser said he agreed with Meztli and Harris that part of the meeting on the third Tuesday of the month should be dedicated to setting the agenda for next month’s regular meeting.

With this, Meztli decided that he would vote to cancel next Tuesday’s meeting along with other council members.