Cape Coral City Council, sitting as the Cape Coral Community Redevelopment Agency commission, had a lengthy discussion Wednesday on whether to move forward with CRA business or wait for newly elected council members to come on board.

After discussion back and forth, the board moved forward with its agenda as presented, with John Gunter and Richard Carr voting against the motion. Jessica Cosden was excused from the meeting.

Bill Steinke was reappointed as the chair of the CRA, and Keith Long was appointed as the vice chair.

The discussion began after Gunter asked for a special meeting on Nov. 21 to elect the new chair and vice chair.

The new City Council will be sworn in on Nov. 20.

This motion did not receive support.

Gunter contended there were no time-sensitive issues on Wednesday’s agenda. He said he would have moved the meeting to next week and gave the new council and commissioners an opportunity to weigh in on the items. He said he voted “yes” on agenda items because if he is on the prevailing side, he can bring the items back at the next meeting to give the new CRA board an opportunity to have discussion on the items if they so choose.

“They should have at least had the opportunity since they were recently elected,” Gunter said.

Once the first motion failed, Carr asked to continue the entire meeting to Thursday, Nov. 21, which again did not receive full support.

Steinke asked if the newly seated City Council would have the ability to ratify the chair or vice chair at the Dec. 4 City Council meeting.

“Whatever selection made today, would it still have to be ratified by the sitting council,” he asked. “If that council choses to make any changes they could.”

The answer was yes.

Carr and Tom Hayden believed they should continue the entire meeting.

“The extensive number of approvals associated with special events, I think it is important they participate in that as well,” Carr said of the five new board to be sworn in. “I am not one to put things off, but the election has occurred, and the public has spoken.”

Robert Welsh, who was not reelected, said he did not see the reason to move the appointment of vice chair, and chair, as he thought they could choose from three existing commissioners — Long, Steinke and Gunter.

“I am not going to support changing the agenda,” Welsh said. “Get it done. December, when the new group is here, let them do what they want to do. I don’t want to pass the bucket down the table. I don’t want to carve out one or two items.”

The board also approved the 2025 CRA schedule of meetings. Those approved dates include Wednesday, Jan. 15, March 12, May 14, July 30, Sept. 10 and Nov. 12, at 9 a.m.