COUNCIL COMMUNICATION
TO: Honorable Mayor and Council
FROM: Kelly Garry, City Attorney
SUBJECT:Title
Discussion and Possible Action to Introduce Ordinance 23-1307 Amending City Code Chapter 2.04, Sections 2.04.080 and 2.04.280, to Revise Regular Meeting Times and How Council Members Request Items for Further Research or to Be Placed on an Agenda (Kelly Garry)
Body
FUNDING SOURCE:
N/A
PURPOSE:
To discuss the Council request process and City Council meeting time, and possibly introduce an ordinance amending City Code Section 2.04.280, Council Requests, and Section 2.04.080, Regular Meetings.
BACKGROUND:
At the February 1, 2023, City Council Planning Session, City Council requested to discuss how City Council members can request items for further research or to be placed on a City Council agenda and also moving the regular meetings to earlier in the day.
Under the current City Code, a Council member may request that an item be researched further or placed on the agenda for consideration, discussion, or legal action by either making a motion and receiving a second during the Future Discussion Items portion of the City Council meeting or by submitting a written request to the Mayor.
It was requested that the option of making requests during the Future Discussion Items portion of the City Council meeting be removed and the opportunity to discuss revising the current process.
Also, requested was the opportunity to move the regular meeting time for City Council meetings. The current regular meeting time is 6:00 p.m. as set forth in City Code Section 2.04.080. If the time is changed, it would be necessary to revise this section of the City Code.
Staff prepared an ordinance amending City Code Sections 2.04.080 and 2.04.280 in the event the City Council wishes to proceed with a code amendment. Also, below are examples of code provisions from other cities and towns regarding Council requests.
1) Council members must fill out an Agenda Item Request Form and have it sponsored by the Mayor or two other council members or the town manager.
2) A City Councilmember by written request to the Mayor at least two weeks prior to the date of the Council meeting may submit an item to be discussed. The Mayor will work with the Councilmember and City Manager to obtain the information to be placed on the agenda.
3) A written request by three or more City Councilmembers filed with the City Manager and City Clerk shall be placed on the agenda for discuss.
4) City Council Members may request an item be placed on an agenda by submitting a written request to the Mayor, City Manager, or City Clerk with the support of two additional Council Members. The Mayor may request an item be placed on the agenda by submitting the appropriate documentation to the City Clerk.
5) Any Councilmember may add an item to a scheduled Council Meeting agenda with a majority vote of the Council whether the item shall be added to an agenda of a future Meeting. Four or more members may request to have an item added to a scheduled Council Meeting agenda.
6) Items may be placed on the Agenda for Town Council discussion and possible action by i) the Mayor action through the Town Manager, ii) two Members of Council acting through the Town Manager, or iii) the Town Manager.
7) Items may be placed on the agenda by 1) the mayor, city manager, or city attorney, no less than 24 hours before the meeting; 2) a motion and second of any council member made during a future agenda item at a public meeting; or 3) upon a written request signed by two council members and submitted to the city clerk no less than five business days prior to the proposed meeting date.
8) Councilmembers may add items to the meeting upon request of two councilmembers provided to the City Manager to forward to the Mayor for review. If approved, the Mayor will notify the City Manager of the Agenda Item. In addition, an agenda item may be added at the request of the Mayor.
COMMUNITY IMPACT:
Clear and up-to-date City Code provisions promote efficient and effective operations.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None.
ATTACHMENTS:
Ordinance No. 23-1307 (tracked)
SUGGESTED MOTION:Recommended Action
I move to introduce Ordinance No. 23-1307 amending City Code Chapter 2.04, Sections 2.04.080 and 2.04.280.