Process Navigation: Common Council Process Changes

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Process

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Council Agenda

By 2:00 p.m. on the third business day before the meeting, the City Clerk prepares a draft meeting agenda for review by the Common Council President.

Council President approves the agenda by the close of the same business day.

Once approved, City Clerk publishes the agenda to legistar for alders and the public to review.

 - CHAPTER 2 - STANDING RULES FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF THE COMMON COUNCIL

Agendas must be published 24 hours before any committee meetings.

No Changes

Agenda Review Period

Alders and the Public can access the agenda from legistar for review.

Upon review Alders may want to sponsor an agenda item, they can do so by emailing the Common Council staff.

Each item in the agenda has a hyperlink to the legistar file to facilitate access to additional information.

No later than noon (12:00 PM) on the day of the Common Council meeting, an Alder may request the exclusion of any agenda item by notifying Common Council staff in writing.

No Changes

Sample of Agenda Groupings

Topics, agencies, and categories organize the agenda. The grouping controls the meeting flow and facilitates coordination with city staff to ensure meetings are properly staffed.

Here is an example of the agenda Order:

• OPENING REMARKS
• HONORING RESOLUTIONS
• DISCLOSURES AND RECUSALS

• PRESENTATION OF CONSENT AGENDA

• PUBLIC COMMENT AND PUBLIC HEARINGS
• PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS
• BUSINESS PRESENTED BY THE MAYOR
• BUSINESS PRESENTED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE COMMON COUNCIL
• REPORTS OF OFFICERS (AGENCIES, BOARDS, COMMISSIONS)
• ITEMS REFERRED TO THIS MEETING
• INTRODUCTION OF NEW BUSINESS FOR REFERRAL WITHOUT DEBATE
• ANNOUNCEMENTS & INTRODUCTION OF ITEMS FROM THE FLOOR ADJOURNMENT

Reference: The agenda order mimics 2.04 ORDER OF BUSINESS ordinance

No Change

Consent Agenda Document & Exclusion List

It is the expectation for alders to review the agenda prior to the meeting. This allows for informed discussions to have at the meeting, and it helps with securing staffing resources in a more effective way. The agenda items are considered under consent or agreement unless it is asked for exclusion by alder, or it has a registrant to speak.

Prior to the Council meeting, Common Council staff shall create and circulate a consent agenda document calling attention to the following items:

• any public hearing items and recommended actions
• required super-majority votes
• additional recommendations
• exclusions requested by noon on the day of the Council meeting

The consent agenda document is distributed to Alders and the Mayor and made available to the public as a line item in the council agenda.

Reference: Agenda Sample, see "Presentation of Consent Agenda"

A Department Head or their designee of the City agency responsible for the subject matter shall be in attendance and available to respond to questions either as part of the consent agenda or as a separate item.

Reference: 2.05 - INTRODUCTION OF BUSINESS. Bullet (10)

Change: The consent agenda document is now available to the public, see consent agenda line item.

Items Excluded from the agenda by default

• Items that have registrants wishing to speak
• Items which alder(s) have separated out for discussion/debate purposes

Alders can exclude items during the agenda review period as stated above or as part of the "PRESENTATION OF CONSENT AGENDA" during the meeting

Public Comment

Public comments are taken at the beginning of the meeting, after honoring resolutions and the consent agenda is read. There is no longer a separate early public comment period.

Register on that item prior to the completion of the public comment period for that item.

Registrants can speak up to 3 minutes per item (or up to 6 minutes for comments with an interpreter).

Reference: 2.29 - PERSONS' RIGHT TO ADDRESS COMMON COUNCIL

Change to Order of Business

Public Comment exceptions

Public comment will not be collected for:

• consent agenda items after the Council have acted on the consent agenda.
• any matter when first introduced before the Common Council when the matter is scheduled to be referred and reported back at a later meeting.

Reference: 2.29 - PERSONS' RIGHT TO ADDRESS COMMON COUNCIL

• any matter referred or re-referred, and the Council adopts that referral as part of the consent agenda. These items are listed in the consent agenda document with the proper referral instructions.

• any matter where the Council has heard public comment at a previous meeting and the matter has been referred for discussion and action only.

The Council may allow public comment in either instance upon a favorable majority vote of its members.

Changes related to referred items only

How many People take to run a Council Meeting?

• The agenda items reflect multiple committees, boards & agencies' impact on the meeting.
• The clerk's office is tasked with developing the agenda based on their input
• The Council's Leadership and Staff
• The Mayor and her staff
• Every agency head with items on the agenda
• The Attorney's office representative
• 20 alders
• IT Clerks (meeting notices and zoom links, running the meeting, managing media operations, etc.)
• 20 alders (at least 14 for quorum)
• You

To answer my own question, I don't know how many people take to run a meeting.  But I have learned to appreciate the amount of work that goes into regularly. 

I learned a few new things while pulling ordinances to verify this blog. Hope you learn some new things too.  Your participation is an integral part of these processes.  If you have any questions about how to get involved or how to access the meetings please be sure to reach me at district10@cityofmadison.com

No Changes