City Council Meeting Date: June 4, 2024
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Lynette Peterson, City Clerk
Ben Martig, City Administrator
Title
Consider Amendments to Council Policies to included Amendments to Council Rules of Business and Appendices and Board/Commission Rules of Business and Appendices.
Body
Action Requested:
The Northfield City Council approves a resolution to approve the amendments to the attached City Council Rules of Business and related Appendices and the Board/Commission Rules of Business and related Appendices going into effect June 4, 2024.
Summary Report:
The attached amendments are proposed based on input from the public related to: a) the City Charter provision related to public comment (the charter references the ability for public input integrated within regular meetings); and b) request for listening sessions to be recorded and livestreamed. The proposed changes from the May 7th amendment are shown to incorporate these provisions. Listening Sessions will be item #2 on the meeting agenda after Call to Order/Roll Call. A short break will take place between the listening sessions and the rest of the meeting to allow the Council to return to the dais to conduct the rest of the business on the agenda.
These changes were being made also with the June 4th meeting and the attached rules change would codify this more permanently.
Appendix C Public Participation Guide has been amended to reflect the Rules of Business changes. Appendix E has also been amended to include the Listening Sessions as a part of the regular scheduled meeting and to include it will be livestreamed.
Appendix C Public Participation Guide has also been amended in the Board/Commission Rules of Business and Appendices to mirror Appendix C in the Council Rules of Business and Appendices.
In summary, the changes from the past public comment to listening session is as follows:
• the listening session is limited to 20 minutes at each regular meeting;
• the listening session is conducted on the floor not from the dais;
• there is the potential for added speaking time beyond 2 minutes may be allowed depending on others present;
• staff may be referred to answer questions during the listening session either in the room or at a location convenient in the meeting room of city hall;
• comments related to other items on the regular agenda should be covered at those specific agenda items rather than at the listening session.
Past Background for May 7th amendments
The City Council annually reviews the City Council Rules of Business and related Appendices and the Board/Commission Rules of Business and Appendices and incorporates any amendments as necessary. The Council reviewed and approved initial amendments at the February 6, 2024 Council meeting. After discussion regarding certain sections of the rules of business, Council had discussion that it was preferred to amend the Council and Board and Commission Rules of Business to make certain sections as stand-alone Council policies. These policies have been standard practices in the Rules of Business. The Council approved these changes at their May 7, 2024 meeting to go into effect on June 1, 2024.
In an effort to create a more resident friendly approach to the public comment period, the City Council made changes to the current public input portion of the City Council meetings with the May 7 revision. The Council agreed to transition to a listening session prior to regular meetings that will allow residents to interact with the Council as opposed to just speak to them.
A full set of the Rules of Business for the City Council and for Boards/Commission are attached as a redline version including the Appendixes. The City Council may discuss other areas of the rules for clarification, questions or amendments to propose.
Alternative Options:
The Council could leave the Rules of Business as is and not amend and the current Rules of Business would remain in place.
Financial Impacts:
Not applicable.
Tentative Timelines:
N/A