CC Minutes - 06/18/03 WS - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Responding to a question from Ms. Bettman, City Attorney Glenn Klein indicated that the sentence in Section 1.04 stating that the mayor and three members of the council could call a special meeting was directly from the City Charter. Mr. Kelly suggested that proponents of the suggestions for changes write a short paragraph or sentence summarizing the changes and arguments for adopting them, and the council hold an evening process session to discuss them. City Manager Taylor encouraged the council to adopt the changes that it could at this time. Mr. Kelly did not want to overlook any of the items. Mayor Torrey asked Mr. Klein if the council was precluded from taking the approach suggested by Mr. Pap8 if it continued to follow Roberts Rule of Orders. Mr. Klein said that the council would need to make an exception to the rules. The council's ground rules were adopted by motion, and they could be changed by motion at any time. Responding to a follow-up question from Mayor Torrey, Mr. Klein said that the council could consider an item not on the agenda. That was not the same as stating any councilor could make any motion at any time. The chair had the authority to rule motions out of order, although the chair could be overruled by a majority vote of the council. Mayor Torrey asked if that included motions made during the Public Forum. Mr. Klein recommended that the council have a discussion about at what point in a meeting it wanted to consider items not on the agenda and amend its operating agreements accordingly. Speaking to Mayor Torrey's concerns regarding motions following the Public Forum, Ms. Bettman called for the establishment of a fair process that all understood could be negotiated at the whim of the majority. Ms. Bettman asked why the mayor was not included in the provisions of Section 9, Representing City Positions and Personal Positions. She said she would like to see the mayor added. Council, Public, and Government Affairs Manager Mary Walston indicated that the mayor was not included because of ambiguity about whether the mayor was a part of the council. Speaking to Mr. Klein's remarks, Mr. Kelly emphasized the need for the council to avoid operating in an ad hoc manner. Mr. Kelly acknowledged Mayor Torrey's concerns about the impact on agendas of motions that come out of the Public Forum or Items from the Mayor, Council, and City Manager, but he did not want to establish a process that required the council to amend its operating rules before it could get to substantive discussion. He suggested that the council consider establishing a 15-minute agenda item to occur twice monthly at work sessions to address such motions. He thought the council needed to put a process in place. Ms. Taylor reiterated her interest in having flexible end times for the Monday night regular session. Mr. Pap8 said that he did not like what he termed "legislation by ambush," and he believed that councilors should be able to move to table such motions without a vote. He expressed the concern that one councilor could unilaterally change the direction of a meeting for the entire council. Mr. Taylor pointed out that motions on issues not on an agenda squeezed time for other important items before the council. He wanted to be able to confer with the appropriate staff on such motions, who might or might not be present at the meeting the motion was offered, as well as legal counsel. City Manager Taylor further pointed out that citizens attended meetings on the basis of the published agenda. MINUTES--Eugene City Council June 18, 2003 Page 7 Work Session