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Home My WebLink About15.F.5. Council Meeting Procedures CITY OF SHAKOPEE IS'. F: s: Memorandum TO: Shakopee City Council FROM: John Schmitt, Mayor SUBJECT: Council Meeting Procedures . DATE: December 30, 2003 INTRODUCTION: At the January 6th City Council, I would like the Council to re-endorse the operating policies for City Council meetings. BACKGROUND: In recent years, mayors in Shakopee have defined their expectations and proposed operating policies to maintain decorum and a smoothly flowing City Council meeting. The following are the guidelines which were adopted by the City Council last year; I would suggest that they be readopted for use in 2004: 1. "Liaison Reports" should be only for reports relating to other meetings that a Council member has attended. . 2. A "Council Concerns" section ofthe agenda is listed near the end ofthe agenda, and is for issues needing to be brought up by the Council that are unable to be included on the printed Council agenda due to late notification, and which cannot be deferred to a future meeting. Issues of concerns brought to Councilmembers by residents should be forwarded to staff before the meeting so that staff can review and respond in the most timely manner. 3. If an issue presents a potential conflict of interest, the affected Council member should remove himself from the Council table for the discussion and subsequent vote on the issue. Council members should not abstain from a vote simply because they do not wish to take a stand on an issue. 4. Councilmembers need not remove themselves from the Council table to abstain from a vote on something for which there is no discussion needed; i.e., not voting on minutes for which that Councilmember was not in attendance. . . 5. There is a five-minute limit per person/subject for issues that are brought before the Council under the "Concerned Citizens" portion of the agenda. An issue that must be resolved at that meeting and cannot be deferred, should be placed under Item 17. "Other Business" later on the agenda, out of fairness to other individuals who are on the agenda. 6. As long as there people in the audience for agenda items, reasonable accommodations will try to be made to deviate from the set agenda to allow those issues to be heard before Council and get the audience issues resolved. Public Hearings, however, will be heard in the order that they are placed on the agenda. 7. To the greatest extent possible, we will follow parliamentary procedure as outlined in "Robert's Rules of Order". I shall adhere to the following concepts: . Only those having the floor as recognized by the Chair shall speak. . Encourage both audience members and Council members to address . the Chair. . Encourage that motions be descriptive of action sought, i.e. not simply "move the requested action". . Make a strong effort to ensure that motions are made only in the affirmative. . Allow any member to make modifications to a motion, if acceptable to the maker, but only prior to the start of discussion as signaled by the Chair. . The chair will not make a motion. . Disallow discussion on a motion until seconded. . Generally follow that the member who makes a motion will be given the first opportunity to speak in discussion. . Generally recognize any member who has not spoken on a question over one who has. . Rule against explanation of vote by members during voting. . Declare a unanimous vote if a motion receives any votes on one side and none on the other. . Generally report by the Chair results of all votes indicating those members in the majority. . 8. "Other Business" and "Mayor Report" items will be included as a regular part of every agenda. 9. Any audience member or Councilmember may ask to have an item removed from the consent agenda. 10. Prior to adoption of the consent agenda, I will ask for any additions or deletions from the consent agenda. A synopsis of each item proposed to be adopted as the consent agenda will be read prior to a vote being taken. 11. In order to move the meeting along, cumbersome, lengthy, and numerous amendments to a motion will be discouraged. 12. I will make every effort to be protective of staff, Council, and citizens from personal or unnecessary derogatory attacks. . RECOMMENDATION: I believe adherence to the above policies and procedures will be of benefit in the operation of City Council meetings. For that reason I recommend that Council adopt these guidelines. ACTION REQUIRED: If the Council concurs, it should, by motion, endorse the above policies. John Schmitt Mayor JS:th . .