HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003-063-05/06/2003-ADOPTING REVISED RULES OF PROCEDURE GOVERNING THE CONDUCT OF CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS RESOLUTION 2003-063
OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS
ADOPTING REVISED RULES OF PROCEDURE GOVERNING THE
CONDUCT OF CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS
WHEREAS, the City Council has previously adopted certain rules of procedure governing
the conduct of its meetings; and
WHEREAS,the Council wishes to add a rule of procedure regulating the length of Council
meetings so as to ensure that such meetings are, as a practical matter,always open and accessible to
the general public, and so as to promote sound decision-making that is unhampered by the fatigue
or inattention that can result from extremely late meetings.
NOW,THEREFORE,BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT
COLLINS,that the rules of procedure for conducting City Council meetings,as previously adopted
by the City Council, are hereby revised so as to read as follows:
Section 1. That Section La. of Resolution 97-67 is hereby amended so as to read in its
entirety as follows:
a. Citizen comment, both during the."citizen participation" segment of each
meeting and with regard to agenda items, will generally be limited to a
maximum of five (5)minutes per person. If,in the discretion of the Mayor,
the number of persons wishing to speak during citizen participation would
unduly prolong that portion of the meeting, the Mayor may reduce the time
allowed for individual citizen input.
b. Citizen comment on items not being presented for Council's consideration
on that meeting's agenda will be limited to a total of thirty(30)minutes and
will be received at the beginning of each meeting.
C. The time limits for individual citizen comments regarding agenda items will
be established by the Mayor prior to each such item. In order to determine
the amount of time to be allotted to each speaker, the Mayor will ask for a
show of hands by all persons intending to speak to the item. If the number
of persons indicating an intent to speak to an item is twelve(12)or less,each
speaker will generally be allowed five(5)minutes. If the number of persons
indicating an intent to speak to an item is thirteen(13)or more,each speaker
will generally be limited to three(3)minutes per item. However,the Mayor
may increase or decrease the time limits per speaker as he or she deems
necessary to facilitate the City Council's understanding of the item, or to
allow the Council to consider and act upon the item in a timely fashion. Any
determination of the Mayor with regard to such time limits may be overridden
by a majority vote of the Council.
d. All items on the consent agenda that are removed from the consent agenda,
either by a member of the public or a member of the City Council, will be
considered at the end of the meeting agenda.
e. Council meetings will begin precisely at 6:00 p.m. Proclamations will be
presented prior to the meeting at approximately 5:30 p.m.or such earlier time
as may be necessary in order for the presentation of proclamations to end by
6:00 p.m.
f. No more than two (2) ten-minute breaks will be planned per meeting. All
Councilmembers and staff will return to their seats in the Council Chambers
at the conclusion of each ten-minute break. The Mayor will resume the
meeting at the prescribed time.
g. Every Council meeting will end no later than 10:30 p.m.,except that: (1)any
item of business commenced before 10:30 p.m.may be concluded before the
meeting is adjourned and(2)the City Council may,by majority vote,extend
a meeting until no later than 11:00 p.m. for the purpose of considering
additional items of business. Any matter which has been commenced and is
still pending at the conclusion of the Council meeting, and all matters
scheduled for consideration at the meeting which have not yet been
considered by the Council, will be continued to the next regular Council
meeting and will be placed first on the discussion agenda for such meeting.
Section 2. That the foregoing rules of procedure shall supersede those established in
Resolutions 97-67, 97-110, 97-128 and 2000-6.
Passed and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council held this 6th day of May,A.D.
2003.
Mayor
ATTEST:
City Clerk