HomeMy WebLinkAbout170524wsMINUTES – Eugene City Council May 24, 2017 Page 1
Work Session
M I N U T E S
Eugene City Council Work Session
Harris Hall, 125 East 8th Avenue
Eugene, Oregon 97401
May 24, 2017
12:00 p.m.
Councilors Present: Mike Clark, Greg Evans, Chris Pryor, Emily Semple, Claire Syrett (via phone),
Betty Taylor, Alan Zelenka
Mayor Vinis opened the May 24, 2017, Work Session of the Eugene City Council.
A. WORKSESSION: City Council Process Session ‐ Motions
Mia Cariaga from the Eugene City Manager's Office, offered Council a refresher on the current process
for motions.
Council Discussion
Too many times, new motions come up with no chance for councilors to study and research the
motion before voting.
Best practices dictate that any motion is the result of a conversation, instead of the motion first,
then the discussion.
More work sessions would be required to generate motions from conversations, although Council
time is limited.
Robust conversations are not always necessary to put forth a motion; Councilors can always vote
No, or vote to table.
Mayor has the power to rule any motion out of order.
Council's Operating Agreements are not binding law.
Many Eugene citizens would prefer to have foreknowledge of Council motions.
Sometimes, even if a Councilor has little to no foreknowledge of a motion, that Councilor's
constituents might still expect a Yes vote.
MOTION AND VOTE: Councilor Clark moved, seconded by Councilor , to direct the City Manager to come
back with a resolution amending the Operating Agreements to state items, resolutions, motions, or
reports. PASSED 6:1, with Councilor Pryor voting against.
The meeting adjourned at 1:22 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Beth Forrest
City Recorder
(Recorded by Rodney Cimburke, LCOG)