City Council Meeting Date: August 19, 2025
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Lynette Peterson, City Clerk
Title
Discuss Amendments to Board and Commission Rules of Business and Appendices Related to Remote Participation.
Body
Action Requested:
The Northfield City Council discusses amendments to the Board and Commission Rules of Business and related Appendices related to remote participation of members.
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. Occasionally, updates that are time sensitive are brought forward for Council approval outside the annual update. A redline version of updates is attached. The following changes/amendments are proposed:
• 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 was made with the August 4th Council approved changes to the Council Rules of Business and these changes are just aligning the two documents.
In addition, staff is asking Council to review and discuss the below changes/amendments:
• Updates to the language around remote participation. In early 2022, the Council made the decision that board and commission members cannot participate in meetings remotely. This decision was largely due to the state statute requirements around posting the location of members and requiring that their location be open to the public, should someone wish to join them at that location. However, state statute was recently updated and the location a member is joining the meeting from no longer needs to be “open and accessible”, meaning the location does not need to be posted. The current Board and Commission Rules of Business do not allow remote participation due to the notice requirements. With the changes, this will need to be updated. Since it is being updated, staff felt it was appropriate for the Council to review the overall policy. Staff have identified the following three options for Council consideration:
1. Continue with policy of no remote participation of board and commission members. If this is Council’s choice the Board and Commission Rules of Business will be updated related to the reasoning of why members cannot participate remotely.
2. Allow remote access for members of the HRA/EDA/PC/HPC due to the powers they are granted and the timelines they may have to meet. If this option is selected, staff recommends limiting how often a member can participate remotely and how many members can participate remotely per meeting.
3. Allow remote access for all board and commission members. Staff does not recommend this option due to the increased technical support it would require. However, if this option is selected, staff recommends limiting how often a member can participate remotely and how many members can participate remotely per meeting.
Per Council feedback, staff will make necessary changes to the Board and Commission Rules of Business and bring back for Council approval on the September 9th consent agenda.
Alternative Options:
The Council could leave the Board and Commission Rules of Business as is and not amend and the current version of the document would remain in place.
Financial Impacts:
Not applicable.
Tentative Timelines:
• August 19, 2025 Board and Commission Rules of Business discussion
• September 9, 2025 Board and Commission Rules of Business amendments