Resolution No. 98-48 CITY OF TIGARD,OREGON
RESOLUTION NO.98--0 0
A RESOLUTION REVISING THE POLICY OF THE CITY COUNCIL REGARDING
COUNCIL GROUNDRULES CONCERNING CONDUCT OF CITY MEETINGS;
INTERRELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN CITY COUNCILORS,CITY MANAGER&STAFF;
COMMUNICATIONS AMONG COUNCILORS;COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE
COMMUNITY/GENEkAL PUBLIC;PLUS COMMUNICATION PROCEDURES IN
GENERAL(SUPERSEDING RESOLUTION NOS.95-53,94-35,81-114A,77-91,AND
75-30)
WHEREAS,the Tigard City Council reviewed Council Groundrules,including Council
agenda and meeting process on June 2 and August 25,1998;and
WHEREAS,the Council updated the procedures of operations and the manner in which
it is to conduct business;and
WHEREAS,it is the desire of the City Council to supersede previous resolutions in the
record as noted in the Resolution Title above.
NOW,THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Tigard City Council that:
Section 1: The City Council hereby adopts the Council Groundrules described in
Exhibit"A"attached hereto.
(fin
PASSED: This day of 1 98.
Mayor-CWy of Tigard
AT
T
EST-
City Recorder-City of Tigard
EXHIBIT "A"
CITY COUNCIL GROUNDRULES AND AGENDA PROCESS
The following information is intended to assist with preparation for and the conduct of
City Council meetings. The City Charter,Article IV,Section 13,contains regulations that
govern Council meetings. The Groundrules describe the process followed by Council in
scheduling and conducting meetings.
Council/Mayor Roles
• The Mayor,or in the absence of the Mayor,the Council President,shall be the
Presiding Officer at all meetings. The Presiding Officer shall conduct all meetings,
preserve order,enforce the rules of the Council and determine the order and length
of discussion on any matter before the Council,subject to these rules. The Presiding
Officer may move,second,debate and vote and shall not be deprived of any of the
rights and privileges of a Councilor. The Presiding Officer shall sign all ordinances,
resolutions,contracts and other documents,except where authority to sign certain
contracts and other documents has been delegated to the City Manager and all
documents shall be attested to by the City Recorder. The Mayor shall appoint the
committees provided by the Rules of Council.
• In all other actions,decisions and other matters relating to the conduct of business of
Ask the City,the Mayor or President shz;l have no more or less authority than any other
Council member. For the purposes of this written procedure any reference to the
Council(unless otherwise specifically noted to the contrary)wiii include the Mayor,
President and Council members.
Conduct of City Meetings
• Council will meet at least once a month. Regularly scheduled meetings shall be on
the second,third,and fourth Tuesdays of each month.
• The Council meetings on the second and fourth Tuesdays are'Business"meetings;
the Council meetings on the third Tuesday of the month are"Workshop"meetings
unless otherwise designated by the City Council.
• Unless specifically noted otherwise,the meetings of Council shall begin at 6:30 p.m.
at the established place of meeting. On the second and fourth Tuesdays the
meetings will begin with a Study Session following by the Business meeting. On the
third Tuesday,the Workshop meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m.
• Roll CaIINc"-ig Order: The roll shall be called in alphabetical order by last name. At
each succeeding meeting at which a roll call vote is taken,the council person who
voted last during the previous meeting,shall vote first and the Council person who
voted first during the preceding meeting shall vote second and so on in a rotating
fashion. It is the intent that the voting order remain fixed for each meeting and that a
different Council person shall vote last during each separate meeting for the duration
of the meeting.
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o The Chair,or other members if the Chair fails to remember,shall call for a Point of
Order at or around 10 p.m.to review remaining items cn the agenda with the Council.
The Council may reset or reschedule those items,which it feels may not be reached
prior to the regulir time of adjournment.
• The Council's goal is to adjourn prior to 11 p.m.unless extended by majority consent
of all Council member then present. If not continued by majority consent,then the
meeting shall be adjourned to either the next scheduled meeting or the meeting shall
be continued to a special meeting on another date.
• Definitions-Meeting Types, Study Sessions and Executive Sessions:
> BUSINESS MEETINGS: Business meetings are regular meetings where
Council may deliberate toward a final decision on an agenda item
including consideration of ordinances,resolutions&conducting public
hearings. Business meetings are open to the public. The first business
meeting on each month is usually televised.
Business meetings are generally scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m.with a
study session preceding the Business Meeting at 6:30 p.m. Study
Sessions are a workshop-type of meeting(see definition below)which
also provide an opportunity for the Council to review the business meeting
agenda and to ask questions for clarification on issues or on process.
Study Sessions are open to the public.
All Council meetings are open to the public with the exception of
Executive Sessions. Executive Sessions cart be called under certain
circumstances and topics are limited to those defined by ORS 192.660.
- The"Visitor's Agenda"is a regular feature on the Council Business
meetings. This item will be placed near the beginning of the
Council Agenda to give citizens and visitors a chance to introduce
a topic to the City Council. Council may decide to refer an issue to
staff and!or schedule the topic for a later Council meeting.
> WORKSHOPS MEETING: Workshop meetings are regular meetings
where Council reviews and discusses agenda topics with no intent of
deliberating toward a final decision during the meeting. Workshop
meetings are not scheduled to be televised but are open to the public.
Workshop agenda items are generally topics which Council is receiving
preliminary information and providing direction for further analysis and
staff information gathering for a later business meeting. Workshop topics
may also include discussions with standing boards and committees,as
well as other governmental units.
Appropriate topics for Workshop meetings include:
— Introduce a Topic: Staff will bring up new items to determine
whether Council wants to entertain further discussion and whether
to schedule the topic as an item on a future agenda.
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Educational Meetings: Council will review research information
presented by staff,consultants,or task forces-usually as a
process check;i.e.is the issue on the right"track"?
Meet with individuals from City boards and committees or other
jurisdictions to discuss items of common interest(examples: other
Councils,the School District,and other officials).
Administrative Updates: Iterns such as calendar information,
scheduling preferences,process checks.
> STUDY SESSIONS: Study Sessions precede or follow a Business
Meeting or Workshop Meeting. As stated above,they are conducted in a
Workshop-type setting to provide an opportunity for Council to review the
Business Meeting Agenda and to ask questions for clarification on issues
or on process. Information is also shared on items that are time sensitive.
During Study Sessions,any Council member may call for a Point of Order
whenever he or she wishes to stop the"discussion"because he or she
feels that it is more appropriate for the City Council to discuss the matter
during the Council meeting. If a Point of Order is raised,the City Council
will discuss the Point of Order and determine whether the"discussion"
should continue on to be held during the Council meeting. The decision
on whether to continue the"discussion"or not shall be determined by the
majority vote of the Council members present. If Council discusses a
Council Agenda Topic in a Study Session prior to a Council meeting,
either the Presiding Officer or City Manager will briefly state at the
introduction of the Agenda Topic,the fact that Council discussed the topic
AM in the Study Session and mention the key points of the discussion.
> EXECUTIVE SESSIONS: Meetings conducted by the Council,City
Manager,and appropriate staff in a setting closed to the public for
deliberation on certain matters. Executive Sessions may be held during a
regular,special or emergency meeting after the presiding officer has
identified the authorization of ORS for holding the Executive Session.
Among the permitted topics are employment of a public officer,
deliberations with the persons designated by the Council to carry on labor
negotiations,deliberations with persons designated to negotiate real
property transactions,and to consult with legal counsel regarding current
litigation or litigation likely to be filed.
Policy Regarding interrelationships Between the City Council and Its AQ o�eid
Commissions. Boards or Committees (hereinafter referred to as'Boards")
• The Council shall follow the Procedure for Recruitment and Appointmentc to Boards
and Committees established in Resolution No.95-60.
• Appointments to any committees not covered by Resolution No.95-60 shall be made
following the procedure provided within the Resolution or Ordinance,which created
the committee.
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• Appointments to intergovernmental committees shall be made by Council Action.
• Appointments of Council members to internal City committees as the Council Liaison
shall be made by the City Council.
• It is Council policy to make known to the public,by notice in the Cityscape,of the
occurrence of vacancies on City boards for the purpose of informing persons who
may be interested in appointment.
• Council will entertain regular representation by persons outside the City on those
boards,which provide for such non-city membership.
• The Mayor and one Council member will serve on the Mayor's Appointment Advisory
Committee for the purpose of interviewing and recommending potential board
members. Council members will serve on this Committee with the Mayor on a
rotated basis for a term of six months. Terms shall begin January 1 and July 1.
Communications Between City Councilors,City Manager and Staff
• Councilors are encouraged to maintain open communications with the City Manager,
both as a group and individually in one-on-one sessions.
• Councilors are encouraged to direct inquiries through the City Manager,giving as
much information as possible to ensure a thorough response.
• In the absence of the City Manager,Councilors are encouraged to contact the
Assistant to the City Manager. In the absence of both the City Manager and the
Assistant to the City Manager, Councilors are encouraged to contact the Department
Head, realizing that the Department Head will discuss any such inquiries with the City
Manager.
• Contacts below the Department Head are discouraged due to the possible disruption
of work,confusion on priorities,and limited scope of response.
Council Agendas and packet Information
• The City Manager will schedule agenda items while attempting to maintain balanced
agendas to allow for discussion of topics while meeting the established 11 p.m.
adjournment time.
• The City Manager will schedule items allowing time for staff research and the agenda
cycle deadlines.
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• The agenda cycle calls for submittal of items 10 days in advance of a Council
meeting. Add-ons are to be minimized,and handouts distributed at the start of
meetings,except Executive Sessions.
• Counciiors and staff will prepare in advance of public meetings and issues should be
presented fully in packets.
• Council is supportive of the•nle staff should play in offering professional
recommendations. Staff is aware of Council's right to make final decisions after
considering the staff recommendation,public input,the record and Council
deliberation on the matter.
Communications Amono Councilors
• Councilors are encouraged to suggest agenda topics at the bench or to contact the
City Manager about scheduling an item into the Tentative Agenda.
• Add-on Agenda items should be brought up at the start of the meeting and generally
considered only if continuing to a later agenda is not appropriate.
• Requests for legislative action of Council may be initiated by an individual Council
member during a Council meeting. The City Manager will respond to the request
consistent with resources and priorities,or refer the question of scheduling to Council
as a whole.
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Communications with Community/General Public
• Councilors and the General Public are reminded of the Agenda cycle and cut-off
dates. Administrative staff is available to explain how public issues are handled and
hour citizen input may be accomplished.
• "Official"communication should come through City Hall and be provided by the City
Manager. Direct submittal or inquiries to the Council or individual Councilors should
be referred to the City Manager or Councilors may ask the City Manager to look into
an issue.
• Official"press releases"are encouraged,both to assure accurate reporting and to
advise Council and Staff of the official position communicated to the press. Press
releases are through the City Manager's Office.
General
• Councilors are always Councilors in the eyes of the Administration,never simply
private citizens. Thus, Councilors are always treated by Administration as Council
Members.
• Information that"affects"the Council should go to Council. The City Manager is to
decide on"gray areas," but too much information is preferable to too little.
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Budget cuts or increases are policy decisions. Budgets will not be cut"place meal"
or"across the board,"but rather should be made in service or program areas,giving
Staff full opportunity to provide data clearly defining the anticipated Impact of the
action.
It is the policy of the Council that if Cou icilors are contacted regarding labor relations
during labor negotiations or conflict resolution proceedings,then Councilors have no
comment.
• Councilors and the t.ity Manager agree to report and discuss any contact,which
might affect labor relations with the entire Council in Executive Session.
• The Council Groundrules will be submitted for review by Council each year either in
the July or August Workshop Meeting. The Groundrules can be reviewed and
revised at any other time in the year when a specific issue or issues are identified
requiring action prior to the established review period.
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