HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Read Before Packet - 3/19/2024 - Updated Power Point From March 18, 2024 Special Council Meeting – City Council Meeting Rules Of Procedure UpdatesHeadline Copy Goes Here
Interim City Clerk
Heather Walls
Assistant City Manager
Rupa Venkatesh
City Council
Meeting Rules of
Procedure Updates
03-18-24
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Purpose
To ensure that Council is able to effectively
execute the business of the city as a legislative
policy-making body and also hear from the public.
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Research from other cities
City Allow for general
comment?
Is there an allotment of time for general
comment?
Other
Aurora Yes 60 minutes total, 3 minutes each May be modified without notice
Boulder Yes 40 minutes - 20 people for 2 minutes each Random selection if more than 20
people sign up
Broomfield Yes 90 minutes; first 15 have 3 minutes, next 10 have 2 minutes;
remainder 1 minute
Residents may be given priority. May
alternate between opposing groups.
Additional modifications as needed
Denver Yes 30 minutes total, 3 minutes each Youth pilot program; new people
prioritized first
Laramie, WY Yes 30 minutes
Longmont Yes No - 3 minutes each. First call (beginning of meeting) and last call
(end of meeting)
First call restricted to Longmont
residents and employees.
Loveland Yes 60 minutes total; 3 minutes each Up to 10 minutes to speak if
speaking for at least 5 others
Northglenn Yes No Comments about agenda items are
heard at the beginning; general at
the end
Pueblo Yes 30 minutes; 5 minutes each, maximum of 6 speakers Must draw for spots if more than 6
sign up
Thornton Yes 60 minutes; 3 minutes each
Weld County No – email only
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Public Comment Proposed Changes
Potential Options for Public Comment
1.A total of one hour will be allotted for Public Comment, unless Council by majority vote extends the time.
Additional public comment on general comment will resume after completion of the Consent and Discussion
items, if time allows.
2.The Mayor will allot a specified amount of time for Public Comment no less than [X time] in length and may
allow for resumption of Public Comment after completion of the Consent and Discussion items, if time allows.
Other Options?
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Options to continue meeting in the event of a disruption
In the event of a disruption, the proposed changes would allow Council to complete their business by:
1. Adjourning the meeting to a different location; and/or
2. Shifting all public attendance to remote; or
3. Shifting to a fully remote meeting (after the Ordinance is in effect).
What constitutes a disruption or emergency?
Examples could include a weather-related event, pandemic, inhabitable building conditions, disruption that does
not allow for Council to conduct its business.
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Code provisions about the conduct of meetings
1.Allows Council to fully participate remotely in and vote remotely in a Council meeting, if the meeting has been
declared a fully remote meeting due to actual or expected disruption;
a.Recommend to add to definition in Sec. 2-26 to clarify that using remote technology does not include meeting by
email or text messages
2.Adds express Code language to support the Rules of Procedure;
3.Sec. 2.26 definition of meeting to include “except as provided by applicable Colorado open meetings law”
4.Sec. 2-30 of the current City Code states “The agenda shall include all items requiring City Council action.” It
makes no reference to allow for public comment on non agenda related items.
Published ordinance was to add “and may, but shall not be required to, include time for public comment on items not
related to the meeting agenda.”The intent was for this update to be permissive to allow for Council to allow time for
public comment on non agenda related items.
•Option to remove “but shall not be required”
•Option to remove the addition because Rules of Procedure allow for all public comment
5. Recommend for Sec. 2-30: “The City Manager may include 'his or her'recommendation on items to be considered.”
•Update to inclusive language - change to 'their'
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What is not changing
•General public comment is not limited. Consideration of the order of public
comment.
•Public comment on agenda related items.
•Council is still subject to Colorado Open Meetings rules which includes the
prohibition of more than two Councilmembers to have a substantive dialogue in
private about city related matters.
Note: This is not modeled after recent state legislation (SB24-157) that exempts the
General Assembly from the state’s open meetings law.
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Next Steps
March 18 – Resolution to adopt updated Rules of Procedure. These will go into effect immediately.
March 18 – First Reading of Ordinance related to Code Provisions
April 2 – Second Reading of Ordinance related to Code Provisions
April 12 – Ordinance goes into effect