City Council Meeting Date: September 9, 2025
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Lynette Peterson, City Clerk
Title
Consider Amendments to Board and Commission Rules of Business and Appendices.
Body
Action Requested:
The Northfield City Council approves a resolution to approve the amendments to the attached Board and Commission Rules of Business and related Appendices going into effect September 10, 2025.
Summary Report:
The City Council conducts an annual review of the Board and Commission Rules of Business and related Appendices, making amendments as needed. Throughout the year staff notes changes to incorporate at the annual review to bring the Rules of Business up to date. Occasionally, updates that are time sensitive are brought forward for Council approval outside the annual update. A redline version of the updates is attached. The following changes/amendments are proposed:
1. Updates to the language around remote participation. The state has recently updated statute and the location a member is joining the meeting from no longer needs to be “open and accessible”, meaning the location the member is joining the meeting from does not need to be posted. Previously, due to the notice requirements, Council choose not to allow board and commission members to attend meetings remotely. With this change to state statute, the Council discussed remote participation at the August 19, 2025 City Council meeting and provided direction that members of the Economic Development (EDA), Heritage Preservation Commission (HPC), Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA), and Planning Commission/Zoning Board of Appeals (PC/ZBA) should be allowed to attend remotely. Wording in the attached Board and Commission Rules of Business has been updated to align with the Council Rules of Business changes that were approved by the Council on August 4, 2025.
2. Updates to Appendix B: Rules of Decorum. The presiding officer does now not have to provide a verbal warning to any person, attendee, or participant who is out of order if they have previously been warned about their actions at any City meeting within the past six months. This change aligns with the Council Rules of Business changes that were approved by the Council on August 4, 2025.
Alternative Options:
The Council could leave the Board and Commission Rules of Business as is and not amend and the current Rules of Business would remain in place.
Financial Impacts:
Not applicable.
Tentative Timelines:
• September 10, 2025 - The updated Board and Commission Rules of Business go into effect.