Controlling Body
When creating and updating resolutions and ordinances in Legistar, the Controlling Body field plays a special role. This field determines where a file appears on the Common Council agenda. Making the wrong selection for this field means that the file will appear in the wrong location on the Council agenda.
The appropriate selection for the Controlling Body field depends upon whether the file is being introduced, returning to Council for final action, or is being recommended for adoption under suspension of MGO 2.055 (i.e., introduced and adopted within the same meeting).
Quick Summary
- New files for introduction should have a Controlling Body set to Common Council
- Files returning to Council for final action should have a Controlling Body that matches the lead referral
- Files for introduction and adoptions should have a Controlling Body that matches the Acting Body
Refer to the information provided below for a more thorough explanation of each situation.
New files for introduction (status of Council New Business)
TIP: When creating new files for introduction at Council, set the controlling body to Common Council.
This selection ensures the file is correctly listed under Introduction of New Business for Referral without Debate on the Council agenda.
In the above example, the file is being referred for introduction and belongs in the Introduction of New Business for Referral without Debate section of the Council agenda. In this example:
- The Status is set to Council New Business
- The Controlling Body is correctly set to COMMON COUNCIL, which ensures the file is listed in the new business section of the agenda
NOTE: The only referral in this example is Common Council, and so when the file returns, the Controlling Body will remain COMMON COUNCIL.
Returning files
- For files which are returning to Council for action, set the controlling body to the lead referral.
If you are unsure which BCC is the lead referral, you can locate this information in two different spots within most Legistar files:
- History tab: the referral listed first in the CC Note field when the file is referred for introduction is the lead referral; if only Common Council is listed, then Common Council is the controlling body.
- Details tab: the BCC listed in the Lead Referral field is the controlling body.
NOTE: If the details tab has nothing listed in the Lead Referral field, then use the first referral listed in the CC Note field of the history tab. (If in doubt you can always email the person who created the file - listed as Entered by in the details tab - or the general mailbox for the BCC.)
In the above example, the file is returning to Council for action and belongs in Report of Officers section of the Council agenda. In this example:
- The lead referral is listed as Plan Commission in the CC Note field
- The Controlling Body is correctly set to PLAN COMMISSION, which ensures the file is listed under the Report of Plan Commission section of the Council agenda
Files being adopted under suspension of MGO 2.055
Files which are on the agenda for adoption under suspension of MGO 2.055 are being introduced and adopted within the same meeting. These types of files appear under Reports of Officers, and so the controlling body should be the department or BCC which is creating the file, listed as the Acting Body.
In the above example, the file is being recommended to Council for adoption under suspension of MGO 2.055, and belongs in the Report of Officers section of the Council agenda. In this example:
- There are no referrals listed in the CC Note field because the file is being introduced and adopted in the same meeting
- The Controlling Body matches the Acting Body
- The file will appear under Report of Department of Planning and Community and Economic Development