HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/11/1988, 5 - STREAMLINING COUNCIL MEETINGS TONG AGENDA
DATE =11 -85 ITEM #
STREAMLINING COUNCIL MEETINGS
Preamble
It is recognized that the primary reason for City Council meetings is to
consider and adopt City legialation and to deliberate community policy
choices
The City Council should:
1 . Make well-considered decisions which serve the best interests of the
community
2. Encourage and consider public comments
3. Conduct the public's business expeditiously and effectively
4. End meetings at a reasonable hour to accommodate the public, Council
and staff members.
5. Find the best balance among the above objectives
Some Observations
1 . Majority of people present are there for one item, and are hopeful
that the meeting will proceed expeditiously to their item
2. The best decisions and the best public participation are between 7 and
10 p.m. , and show some decline after tiredness and frustration set in
3. Most people work for a living; public meetings lasting after 10 p.m.
or so are an inconvenience to them
4. On major and more complex policy issues, it is generally best to
initially discuss the topic at a study session before scheduling it
for decision making
5. Body language and personal demeanor can alter and impact the meeting
process
6. Courtesy and consideration do not take more time, but do facilitate
the meeting process
k Denotes action by Lead Person
Respond by:
Cjbuncil
[}CAO
Mity Atty.
Z Clerk-orig.
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EXTERNAL PUBLIC FACTORS
1 . Public Testimony: Public testimony should be taken only on public
hearing items - if public comment is solicited on Business Items, ask
for a representative to speak on behalf of the public.
2. Speaker Slips: Require that all persons desiring to speak on any item
fill out a speaker slip prior to the item.
3. Advertised Public Hearings: Schedule only required legal items as
public hearings. Everything else should be Business or Consent with
greater emphasis on Consent .
4. Consent Aaenda: Expand consent agenda. Place more items on Consent
and fewer as Business Items. Discuss pulled consent items immediately
if they can be handled briefly. Mayor to limit discussion to 5
minutes. CAO to remind Council to cut off discussion, if necessary.
Require a majority action of Council to continue the item (see #7,
Internal Council Practice) .
5. Agenda Items: Continue to look for ways to avoid an item being put on
the agenda. Communicate information outside 'the meeting. Delegate
more final authority to advisory bodies and the CAO thereby negating
the necessity to bring to Council . Appeal to Council is always
available.
6. Businengs
ss/Study Meeti : Hold regular meetings separate from a
monthly or bi-monthly business meeting to take care of discussional
business meetings or study items.
7. Mid-agenda Break: Continue to have the CAO reassess the agenda status
and determine whether some item(s) should be continued for a future
meeting. Continued items generally would be placed at the beginning
of the next available meeting.
8. Appeals Process: Reassess the number of appeals being handled at each
meeting (average of 1 per regular mtg. - 24 yearly) . Question: 1 )
Should all issues be appealable to the City Council? 2) Should the
City maintain a NO FEE for appeals? Only final decision should be
appealed.
9. 3-Minute Timer: Allow a beeper or larger lights to flash for all
comment over 3 minutes - including public, Council , and staff.
10. Staff Reporting: Staff should highlight agenda reports. Reports are
available to Council and public ever so much earlier. Expect that the
report has been read and need not be restated at the meeting.
12. No late agenda items: Agenda items that don't meet deadlines should
be pulled from agenda.
13. Length of the agenda: The agenda should be realistically assessed and
limited to the time allocated.
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INTERNAL COUNCIL PRACTICE
1 . The Mayor should ask for comments generally but shouldn ' t ask for comments
from individual Councilmembers. Councilmembers are encouraged to vote as
soon as they are ready without explaining their reasoning.
2. The Councilmembers should read agenda reports and ask questions prior to
the meeting.
3. The Councilmembers should limit their queStiuiis during public comment .
4 . The Mayor should consistently limit testimony to the specified times and
topics .
5. Councilmembers and staff should limit their comments to 3 minutes .
6. Councilmembers should avoid engaging in dialogue with citizens offering
testimony.
T . Councilmembers should ask questions rather than continue consent items ;
questions on the Consent agenda should be addressed prior to the meeting.
8. The Mayor should exercise tighter control of the meeting: the City Council
should assist him in his attempts to maintain control .
9. The City Council should hold to established closing time.
10. The Councilmembers should return from breaks in 10 minutes.
11 . Staff should limit its comments - number and length.
12 . The Council should be consistent in its treatment of appeals .
13. Meetings will start on time. Councilmembers are encouraged to arrive early
to read late correspondence or otherwise prepare for the meeting.
14. Council meetings can be scheduled when three members can make the date.
15. Councilmembers should not ask for reconsideration of an item within 6
months unless significant circumstances have changed.
16. Councilmembers should address their comments to one another and not the
audience.
17. Questions from public testimony generally should be held to the end of the
public hearing and summarized by the Mayor for response from staff.
18. The Mayor should ask for consensus or voice vote (as appropriate) to speed
voting.
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19. The .Mayor may, determine a consensus when a majority of the .Council has
agreed to a proposition.
20. Communication should be limited to new information at no more than .3
minutes per item or 15 'minutes total .
21 . Councilmembers are encouraged to ask questions r,ega,rding correspondence
outside the meeting_
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