Resolution No. 01-47 CITY OF TIGARD,OREGON
RESOLUTION NO.01-A4rj
A .RESOLUTION REVISING THE POLICY OF THE CITY COUNCIL REGARDING COUNCIL
GROUNDRULES AND AGENDA PROCESS(SUPERSEDING RESOLUTION NO.00-52)
WHEREAS,the Tigard City Council periodically reviews Council Groundrules;and
WHEREAS,the City Council,on July 10,2001,directed that changes be made to"Exhibit A"of the City
Council Groundrules and Agenda Process;and .
WHEREAS, it is the desire of the City Council to make the changes discussed, which will supersede
Resolution No.00-52.
NOW,THEREFORE,BE IT RESOLVED by the Tigard City Council that:
SECTION 1: The City Council hereby revises the Council Groundrules as described in Exhibit "A'
attached.
PASSED: This day of 2001.
Ma or, ity of 'ig
City Recorder-City of Tigard
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RESOLUTION NO.01-.'YZ
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EXHIBIT "A"
Resolution No. 017!!i�
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 the City,the Mayor or President shall 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)will 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 ctherwise 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 Cal[Noting 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
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voted first during the preceding meeting shall vote second and so on in a rotating
fashion. it is the Intent that the voting order remaln fixed for each meeting and that a
different Council person shall vote last during each separate meeting for the duration
of the meeting.
• Charter Section 19 provides that'the concurrence of a majority of the members of
the Council present and voting,when a quorum of the Council is present,at a
Council meeting shall be necessary to decide any question before the Council.' A
Council member who abstains or passes shall be considered present for determining
whether a quorum exists,but shall not be counted as voting. Therefore,abstentions
and'passes'shall not be counted in the total vote and only votes in favor of or
against a measure shall be counted in determining whether a measure receives a
majority.
• The Chair,or other members if the Chair fails to remember,shall call for a Point of
Order at or around 9:30 p.m.to review remaining items on the agenda with the
Council. The Council may reset or reschedule those items,which it feels may not be
reached prior to the regular time of adjournment.
• The Council's goal is to adjourn prior to 10 p.m.unless extended by majority
consent of all Council members 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 regularly
scheduled business meetings are 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 can 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.
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> WORKSHOP 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 currently scheduled to be televised but are open to the
public.
Workshop agenda items are generally topics which Council is receiving
preliminary information on and providing direction for further staff analysis
and 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.
— 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: Items 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 or be held during the Council
meeting. The decision on whether to continue the"discussion"or not
shall be determined by the majority consensus of the Council members
present. If Council discusses a Council Agenda Topic in a Study Session
prior to that 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 in the Study Session and mention the key
points of the discussion.
> EXECUTIVE SESSIONS:Meetings conducted by the Council,City
Manager,and appropriate staff for deliberation on certain matters in a
setting closed to the public. Executive Sessions may be held during a
regular,special or emergency meeting after the Presiding Officer has
identified the ORS authorization for holding the Executive Session.
Among the permitted topics are employment of a public officer,
deliberations with the persons designated by the Council to cavy on labor
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negotiations,deliberations with persons designated to negotiate eal
property transactions,and to consult with legal counsel regarding current
litigation or litigation likely to be filed.
Policy Regarding Interrelationshios Between the City Council and Its Appointed
Commissions,Boards or Committees hereinafter referred to as"Boards")
0 The Council shall follow the Procedure for Recruitment and Appointments to Boards
and Committees established in Resolution No.95-60.
0 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.
® 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.
0 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.
o Council will entertain regular representation by persons outside the City on those
boards,which provide for such non-city membership.
0 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 Cily Councilors.City Manager and Staff
0 Councilors are encouraged to maintain open communications with the City Manager,
both as a group and individually in one-on-one sessions.
0 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.
0 Contacts below the Department Head are discouraged due to the possible disruption
of work,confusion on priorities,and limited scope of response.
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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 10 p.m.
adjournment time.
• The City Manager will schedule items allowing time for staff research and the
agenda cycle deadlines.
• The agenda cycle calfs for submittal of items 10 days in advance of a Council
meeting. Add-ons are to be minimized,as well as handouts distributed at the start
of meetings,except Executive Sessions.
• Councilors and staff will prepare in advance of public meetings and issues should be
presented fully in packets.
• Council is supportive of the role 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 Among 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.
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
how 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.
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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.
• Budget cuts or increases are policy decisions. Budgets will not be cut"piece 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 Councilors are contacted regarding labor
relations during labor negotiations or conflict resolution proceedings,then Councilors
have no comment.
• Councilors and the City 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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