TO: Mayor and City Council
THROUGH: Steve Powers, City Manager
FROM: Dan Atchison, City Attorney
SUBJECT:
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Proposed amendments to Council Rule 6 - Communications, changing the time communications must be submitted on the date of a meeting in order for copies to be provided to Council at the meeting.
Ward(s): All Wards
Councilor(s): All Councilors
Neighborhood(s): All Neighborhoods
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ISSUE:
Shall the Council adopt Resolution 2018-75 to amend Council Rule 6(a) to change the time communications must be submitted to the City Recorder from 5:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on the day of the meeting in order for copies to be provided to Council at the meeting.
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt Resolution 2018-75 to amend Council Rule 6(a) to change the time communications must be submitted to the City Recorder from 5:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on the day of the meeting in order for copies to be provided to Council at the meeting.
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SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND:
*This item is submitted as an information report at this meeting, and Council will have an opportunity to vote on the proposed rule change at its next meeting. Council Rule 24b requires proposed amendments to the rules to be introduced into the record at a Council meeting not less than 10 days prior to Council action on the proposed amendment.
In January 2017 Council changed the start time of council meetings from 6:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. That change shortened the time the City Recorder has to compile and prepare any testimony submitted for meetings, and it has become increasingly difficult for staff to prepare multiple copies of the testimony (which may be a large volume), and upload that information into online Council agenda prior to the start of a council meeting.
The current rule provides that testimony submitted as late as 5:00 p.m. on the night of a meeting will be provided to Council in written format through an “additions packet.” The proposed amendments will change that time to 3:30 p.m. The extra time will allow staff to prepare the written testimony packets for each member of council, and upload the materials online. Materials provided after 3:30 p.m. will still be provided to Council electronically through the S-Council email and will be uploaded to Council’s online agenda the next business day.
FACTS AND FINDINGS:
Resolution 2018-75 amends the Council Rule 6(a) as follows:
Rule 6: Communications
(a)To be included in the agenda packet, communications to the Mayor and Council concerning matters on the agenda must be submitted to the City Recorder no later than 5:00 p.m. on the Wednesday prior to the date of the Council meeting where the matter will be considered. To be included as an addition to the agenda, such communications must be submitted to the City Recorder no later than 5:003:30 p.m. on the date of the meeting. Testimony submitted to the City Recorder or City staff after 3:30 p.m. on the date of the meeting will be distributed to Council in electronic format only. After 5:00 p.m. on the date of the meeting, communications must be submitted to the City RecorderCity staff at the Council meeting to be included in the record, except as prohibited by law. Any Councilor may, by motion, have a communication concerning a matter on the agenda that does not meet the timelines in this subsection included in the record. Not less than fifteen copies shall be provided by the person submitting a communication at a Council meeting. The copies should be submitted to the City RecorderCity staff for distribution at the beginning of the meeting, and will be distributed to the Council members prior to the first period for public comment. If the communication is not submitted to the City RecorderCity staff, it shall not be included in the record for the proceeding.
Ruth Ann Stellmacher
City Recorder
Attachments:
1. Resolution 2018-75