It’s what’s not on the agenda for the last scheduled meeting of the Greensboro City Council in 2023 that’s the big story.

What’s not on the agenda for the Tuesday, Dec. 19 meeting is a resolution in support of a ceasefire in Gaza.

At the Tuesday, Dec. 4 meeting, the Council Chamber was filled to overflowing with people and, during the public forum, speaker after speaker asked the City Council to pass a resolution in support of a ceasefire in Gaza.

Those in support of the ceasefire were fairly disruptive and Mayor Nancy Vaughan had to ask several times for order in the Council Chamber.  However, the disruptions didn’t reach the point that anyone was banned from attending meetings for three months.

After the speakers, At-large City Councilmember Marikay Abuzuaiter said that she would have a resolution in support of a ceasefire prepared and presented at a future City Council meeting. City Councilmember Hugh Holston said he would support the resolution, but there was also opposition to a resolution voiced by several members of the City Council.

One of the speakers in support of a ceasefire resolution was Isa Abuzuaiter, the husband of Councilmember Abuzuaiter.

When Councilmember Abuzuaiter spoke, she went into some detail about her in-laws in Gaza, about how they had been forced to move and were just trying to survive.

But there is no resolution on the agenda from Councilmember Abuzuaiter or anyone else in support of a ceasefire in Gaza.

Because there is no resolution on the agenda and no agenda items relating to the fighting in Gaza, speakers either for or against a resolution calling for a ceasefire won’t be allowed to speak at the Dec. 19 meeting, according to City Council policy.

The City Council holds one public forum a month on the first meeting of the month where people are invited to come to the podium and speak about the topic of their choosing. It is also called speakers from the floor on non-agenda items.

However, there is no public forum at the second meeting of the month, and while people can speak on any item on the agenda, they are not allowed to speak about items that aren’t on the agenda.