Every carpenter knows the rule: Measure twice, cut once.

Carpenters know something about wasted effort and materials, concerns that seem completely beyond the grasp of the Marshville Town Council.

For the fourth time in a month, the council has voted, adjourned, reconvened, and then reconsidered its previous decision.

• Affirming Police Chief Mike Gaddy’s decision to fire Officer Stuart Chaffin, then reconvening a few days later to re-hire Chaffin.

• Suspending Lt. Matt Tarlton and Officer Darryl Gerald over racy photos taken while they were at a party, off duty, then reinstating them after the officers served 10 days of their 30-day suspensions, but agreeing not to pay them for time off during their suspensions.

• Then, a few days later, meeting and voting to award pay for the time the officers were suspended.

This kind of dithering is usually reserved for game show contestants and Brett Favre.

Marshville’s elected leaders will meet Monday night and take a vote over whether to dismantle a subcommittee they formed seven days before.

The subcommittee was supposed to review a dozen applicants for the town administrator’s job, and offer a short list of qualified applicants to the council.

Gail Kiker — the council member so offended by the photo of the two police officers clutching bananas between their (clothed) thighs while a young woman sprayed them with whipped cream — asked the council to reconsider its plan.

Mrs. Kiker has decided that she prefers to interview the 10 or so candidates who remain in the hunt.

Clearly, this is a woman who has the luxury of time ... just not when it comes to preparing for meetings in the first place.

Mrs. Kiker argues that this is a perfectly reasonable way of doing business.

“You have a right to go back and think about things,” she said, and that’s true.

Mrs. Kiker should be aware that she has a right to second thoughts, but she has a responsibility to think hard in the first place, before she offers a motion or casts a vote.

The rest of the council deserves an equal portion of eye-rolling condescension. While it is a virtue to admit that you are wrong or made a decision in haste, it’s scary when an elected body rolls back so many decisions. How hasty are they, really?

Does anyone read the agenda packets before council meetings?

If this nonsense continues, voters will be justified if they think twice about who’s on the council ... and then make some cuts.