HomeMy WebLinkAbout1959RESOLUTION NO. _l_q_5_C\ __
A RESOLUTION of the City Council of the
City of Kent, Washington, repealing resolution No.
1895 and enacting a new resolution relating to
rules and procedures for the city council, city
council meetings, and council committee meetings.
RECITALS
A. By Resolution No. 1562, the Kent city council established its
original rules and procedures for the city council, city council meetings,
and meetings of council committees.
B. From time to time, the council rules and procedures are
reviewed and amended. The council rules and procedures were last
amended on July 15, 2015 by Resolution No. 1895.
C. This resolution updates and revises the Kent city council rules
and procedures by repealing the existing rules and procedures and
enacting new revised rules and procedures.
NOW THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF KENT,
WASHINGTON, DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
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RESOLUTION
SECTION 1. -Resolution No. 1895 Repealed. Resolution No.
1895, relating to the rules and procedures for the city council, city
council meetings, and council committee meetings is hereby repealed in
its entirety.
SECTION 2. -New Rules and Procedures Adopted. The following
rules and procedures are hereby adopted and shall govern the city
council and all meetings of the city council and its committees unless
suspended by the city council. Failure to fully conform to these rules
and procedures will not render any action by the city council or any of its
committees invalid nor shall these rules and procedures be deemed to
provide any citizen rights that he or she does not already have by operation
of law.
I. COUNCIL PRESIDENT -MAYOR PRO TEMPORE
SECUQN 3. -Term. The city council shall elect from its members a
president of the council during the month of January in the even numbered
years or as soon thereafter as possible. The council president shall serve a
two-year term.
SECTION 4. -Mayor Pro Tempore. The council president shall
serve as mayor pro tempore and shall preside at all meetings of the council
when the mayor is not present. Although presiding as mayor pro tempore,
the council president shall retain all powers and rights inherent to a
councilmember and to the council president, including, without limitation,
voting powers. The mayor pro tempore shall act as mayor and assume the
authority and perform the mayor's duties whenever there is a vacancy in
the Office of the Mayor or the mayor is unable for any reason to
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discharge his or her duties. The assumed duties shall include, but not
be limited to, acting as signatory to documents requiring execution by
the mayor, issuing proclamations and declarations, and extending official
recognition of groups and events.
SECTION 5. -President Pro Tempore. The council president may
appoint a president pro tempore when the president is absent. The
president pro tempore shall have the same authority and duties as the
council president. If the president pro tempore has not been appointed or
is otherwise absent or unavailable, the longest serving councilmember,
either by consecutive or non-consecutive terms, shall be deemed the
acting president pro tempore. If two or more councilmembers qualify to be
president pro tempore, then the City Clerk or her or his designee shall
select, by lottery and in the presence of two witnesses, one name from the
names of the group of eligible councilmembers, and the councilmember
whose name is selected shall fill the vacant president pro tempore position.
SECTION 6. -Duties and Responsi b i lities. The council president
shall perform the following duties and responsibilities:
1. Administer the council budget, including oversight and
approval of expenditures;
2 . Set the council's agenda, in coordination with the mayor and
city clerk's office;
3 . Refer proposed ordinances and resolutions to the appropriate
council committee;
4 . Call for a workshop, a special meeting, an emergency
meeting, or a meeting of the council committee of the whole,
as needed;
5. In cooperation with the mayor, ensure adequate council
facilities, equipment and support, with council consent;
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6. Direct correspondence on behalf of the council as appropriate,
with consent of council;
7. Act as council liaison to the mayor's office on policy issue
consideration, including elements of timing;
8. Nominate or appoint the membership of each established
committee or board and the committee or board chairpersons
in accordance with this resolution and applicable ordinances;
9. Substitute for an absent councilmember or designate another
councilmember to substitute on any of the council's
committees or boards;
10. Coordinate and schedule annual retreats or other meetings for
review and update of council visions and goals for the
cityor to address other council matters;
11. Gather information on regional issues and attend regional
meetings, as appropriate and applicable, to represent the
council's views, or in the alternative, designate other
councilmembers to represent the city and the council on
specific regional issues or meetings;
12. Serve as a council focal point for council, mayor, and staff;
and
13. Discern councilmembers' areas of interest and/or expertise.
II. COUNCIL MEETINGS
SECTION 7. -Regular Meetings. The council's regular meetings will
occur at the time, date and place established in Chapter 2.01 of the Kent
City Code.
SECTION B. -Special and Emergency Meetings. Special meetings
shall be held as provided by law at the times designated by council. If, by
reason of fire, flood, earthquake or other emergency there is a need for
expedited action of the council to meet the needs imposed by the
emergency, the mayor or council president may provide for a meeting site
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other than the regular meeting site and the meeting notice requirements
established by law or in this resolution may be suspended.
SECTION 9. -Presiding Officer at Meetings. The mayor shall be the
presiding officer for all meetings of the council. If the mayor is not
present, the council president shall be the presiding officer. In the absence
of the mayor and council president, the president pro tempore shall be the
presiding officer.
SECTION 10. -Forfeiture of Office. Pursuant to RCW 35A.12.060, a
councilmember's position shall become vacant if he or she fails to attend
three consecutive regular meetings of the council without being excused
by the council.
SECTION 11. -Quorum. At all meetings of the council, a majority
of the full council membership, or not less than four councilmembers, shall
constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. In the event a council
member will not be physically present at an emergency meeting of the
council, the council president may permit the attendance of the
councilmember by way of telephone or video, and the councilmember shall
be considered in attendance for the purpose of determining a quorum;
provided, the councilmember shall not be permitted to attend a public
hearing by telephone or video. The councilmember attending by telephone
or video must be able to hear the deliberations and discussions of council
as well as any public comments, must have available at the time of the
telephone or video attendance the materials which are part of and
constitute the meeting agenda packet, and must be permitted to provide
input and vote on matters as if he or she was in attendance.
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SECTION 12. -Ma;oritv Vote. Action by the city council requires
the affirmative vote of a majority of members attending a meeting, except
where otherwise required by law.
SECTION 13. -Executive Sessions. The city council may hold
executive sessions during a regular or special meeting to consider matters
as permitted pursuant to applicable law. No official action shall be taken
during any executive session. No member of the city council, employee of
the city or any person present during an executive session shall disclose to
any other person the content or substance of discussion which took place
during the executive session, unless a majority of the council authorizes
that disclosure. Executive sessions, to the extent permitted by law, shall
be limited to members of the city council, the mayor and staff, and
other persons that the city council invites.
SECTION 14. -Agendas. Only items that have been previously
discussed by council committee shall be put on the agenda for a council
meeting, unless approved by the council president or president pro
tempore. Unless altered by the council president or by a majority of the
councilmembers present, the order of business of all meetings of the
council shall be as follows:
1. Call to Order/Flag Salute
2. Roll Call
3. Agenda Approval
4 . Public Communications
5. Reports from Council and Staff
6 . Public Hearings
7 . Public Comments
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8. Consent Calendar
9. Other Business
10. Bids
11. Executive Session and Action After Executive Session
12. Adjournment
SECTION 15. -Public Comment. No person shall address the
council without the permission of the presiding officer except during the
sixth and seventh orders of business set forth in Section 14 above.
When addressing the council, each person shall proceed to the speaker's
podium unless otherwise directed by the presiding officer, and state his
or her name and address for the record; provided, the presiding officer
may waive the requirement that an address be provided in individual
cases. If comment is offered under the seventh order of business, the
speaker will also state the subject of his or her comment. Remarks will
be limited to the time allocated by the presiding officer for each
speaker. All remarks shall be pertinent to the stated subject matter
and shall be addressed to the presiding officer and the council as a
whole and not to any member individually. The seventh order of business
is intended to allow persons to speak on issues of concern to that person
that relate to the business of the city, but it is not an open public forum,
and is subject to restrictions imposed in this resolution, by law, or by the
city council. No questions shall be asked of a councilmember or member
of the city staff without the permission of the presiding officer.
SECTION 16. -Public Demeanor. No one shall use any
impertinent, degrading or slanderous language directed to the presiding
officer, councilmembers, mayor, staff or other member of the public, and
no one shall otherwise engage in disruptive behavior. Disruptive behavior
includes, for example, addressing matters restricted from public comment,
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repeated shouting and angry outbursts, cursing, direct or implied threats of
violence, etc. After receiving verbal notice from the presiding officer, the
presiding officer may direct that a speaker return to his or her seat or may
remove any person for disruptive behavior at council or council committee
meetings. Pursuant to RCW 42.30.050, in the event a meeting is
interrupted by a group of persons so as to render the orderly conduct of
the meeting unfeasible, and order cannot be restored by the removal of the
individuals who are interrupting the meeting, the council may, by majority
vote, order the meeting room cleared and continue in session or may
adjourn the meeting and reconvene at another location selected by
majority vote of the council. If the meeting room is cleared, final
disposition may be taken only on matters appearing on the agenda.
Representatives of the press or other news media, except those
participating in the disturbance, shall be allowed to attend any session held
pursuant to this section.
SECTION 17. -Added Agenda Items. At a regular meeting, a
member of the council or the mayor may ask that an item be considered
by the city council, even if it is not identified on the formal agenda,
by raising the issue during changes to the agenda. That item shall
then be considered with the approval of the council. No items may be
added to the agenda of a special meeting after notice of the special
meeting is issued.
SECTION 18. -Mayor Participation. The mayor may address the
council on any matter or participate in the debate of any question,
provided the mayor shall first call upon the council president or any other
councilmember designated by the council president to take the chair during
the mayor's participation.
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SECTION 19. -Councilmember Conduct. While the council is in
session, whether at a council or council committee meeting, all its
members must preserve order, decency and decorum at all times and no
member shall, by conversation or otherwise, delay or interrupt the
proceedings or the peace of the meeting, nor disturb any member while
speaking, or refuse to obey the order of the presiding officer. The
members of the city council may reprimand another councilmember for
disorderly conduct and, upon written charges entered upon by motion, may
expel a member from the council meeting by a vote of a majority plus one
of the membership of the council in attendance at that meeting.
SECTION 20. -Voting. Discussion by council members shall relate
to the subject matter at hand and shall be relevant and pertinent. Every
councilmember, unless disqualified by reason of a conflict of interest or as
otherwise provided by law or excused by the council, shall cast his or her
vote upon any matter put to vote by the legislative body. Any
councilmember who abstains from voting shall be deemed to have not
voted on that item. At the request of the presiding officer or of any
member, any question shall be noted upon by a roll call and the individual
voting results shall be recorded by the city clerk in the minutes.
SECTION 21. -Summoned to Meetings. Every city official or
employee who shall fail to report to the council at times and in a manner
requested by the council, shall be summoned in accordance with the
direction of the council.
SECTION 22. -Ordinances, Resolutions and Contracts -
Presentation. Unless otherwise approved by the council president, no
ordinance, resolution, contract document or other matter shall be
presented to the council unless ordered by a majority of the council,
referred by a council committee, requested by the mayor, or submitted by
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the city attorney. Whenever practical, ordinances, resolutions, contract
documents and other matters shall be approved as to form by the city
attorney and shall be examined and approved by the department head or
his or her duly authorized representative having jurisdiction over the
subject matter of the ordinance, resolution, contract document, or other
matter.
SECTION 23. -Parliamentary Rules. The city attorney shall act as
parliamentarian and advise the presiding officer on inquiries concerning
parliamentary procedure. The presiding officer shall rule on issues of
parliamentary procedure, unless overruled by a majority of the
councilmembers present. Robert's Rules of Order shall govern the
deliberations of the council except when in conflict with any section herein.
A council vote or other action taken which is not in compliance with
Robert's Rules of Order or other procedures and to which no objection is
taken shall be deemed action taken following a suspension of the
parliamentary rules even if no formal suspension of the rules occurs first.
SECTION 24. -Suspending the Rules. When the suspension of a
rule is requested, and no objection is offered, the presiding officer shall
announce that the rules are suspended and the council may proceed
accordingly. When there is an objection to suspending the rules, a vote
of majority plus one of the members present shall be required to suspend
the rules.
III. COUNCILCOMMITTEES
SECTION 25. -Committees Established. The council establishes
the following five standing committees, each of which shall consist of three
councilmembers, one of whom shall act as committee chair. The council
president, by the conclusion of the second regular meeting after the
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meeting where he or she is elected president, shall appoint committee
members and committee chairs for approximately two-year terms,
reserving the right to remove committee members and committee chairs
and to reappoint new councilmembers to fill those positions. Subject to
appropriate notice, each committee chair, by written or verbal order, may
establish or amend the time for regular meetings of that committee.
1. Operations Committee. The operations committee generally
shall consider all matters related to the general fiscal and financial
conditions and operations of the city. This committee shall also consider all
policy matters related to personnel, including, but not limited to, salary
ranges and step schedules, position classification, merit system
development and other items in coordination with the human
resources department and other departments as appropriate. This is
not to be construed as a limitation or infringement upon the executive
powers of the mayor.
2. Parks and Human Services Committee. The parks and human
services committee generally shall consider all matters related to planning
and implementation of city facilities, parks and recreation programs and
activities in the city, and human services programs and activities in the
city, including coordination of programs and activities with affected school
districts.
3. Economic and Community Development Committee. The
economic and community development committee generally shall consider
all matters related to community growth and development including, but
not limited to economic development, permit issuance for land use and
construction development, and planning of the physical, economic,
aesthetic, and social development of the city.
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4. Public Works Committee. The public works committee
generally shall consider all matters related to planning, design,
construction, improvement, extension, maintenance and operation of
transportation and street systems, transit, water, sewer, storm, solid waste
and other utilities, franchises, and other related matters.
5. Public Safety Committee. The public safety committee
generally shall consider all matters related to police and fire safety,
including, but not limited to, law enforcement, emergency response
services, fire inspection, fire investigation and general dispatch services.
SECTION 26. -Duties and Responsibilities. The council
committees shall consider all matters referred to them whether within or
outside of a specific committee's general focus area. All proposed
ordinances or resolutions and other matters for council consideration shall
first be discussed by, or referred to, the appropriate council committee,
unless otherwise designated by the council president; provided,
however, the council shall not be denied the right to refer the subject to a
committee or workshop for further consideration. Matters not otherwise
designated shall be assigned for consideration to a council meeting,
workshop or to the appropriate council committee by the council
president, in consultation with the mayor. Each committee chair shall
report to the council the findings and/or recommendations of the
committee.
SECTION 27. -Quorum. No committee shall act in the absence of
a quorum. At the request of the committee chair or the council president,
any other councilmember may sit on any committee when necessary to
constitute a quorum or to fill a vacancy.
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SECTION 28. -Council consideration after committee. Items
considered by a committee and unanimously approved for council
consideration by the committee members in attendance at the meeting
shall be placed on the council meeting consent calendar unless otherwise
directed by a majority of the members of the committee in attendance at
the meeting.
SECTION 29. Committee of the Whole. Council workshop
meetings constitute regular meetings of the full council. Typically,
workshop topics do not require council action; however because they are
regular meetings, the council may take action, including final action, at a
workshop. Public input is permitted at council workshops at the discretion
of the city council.
SECTION 30. -Committee Reorganization. The city council, upon a
vote of the majority of its membership, may reorganize and rearrange the
membership of standing committees, including the discontinuance of any
standing or special committee and the reassignment of its duties and
functions to another committee or committees, together with the
establishment of special, temporary and ad hoc committees.
SECTION 31. -Savings. If any section, subsection, paragraph,
sentence, clause or phrase of this resolution is declared unconstitutional or
invalid for any reason, such decision shall not affect the validity of the
remaining portions of this resolution.
SECTION 32. -Ratification. Any act consistent with the authority
and prior to the effective date of this resolution is hereby ratified and
affirmed.
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SECTION 33. - Corrections by City Clerk or Code Reviser, Upon
approval of the City Attorney, the City Clerk and the code reviser are
authorized to make necessary corrections to this resolution, including the
correction of clerical errors; references to other local, state or federal laws,
codes, rules, or regulations; or resolution numbering and
section/subsection numbering.
SECT3'ON 34. - Effective Date. This resolution shall take effect and
be in force immediately upon its passage
PASSED at a regular open public meeting by the City Council of the
City of Kent, Washington, this 06��day of , 2018.
_ CONCURRED in by the Mayor of the City of Kent this Co day of
2018.
lk
DANA RALPH, MAYOR
ATTEST:
-V� UU-" 0 - �/a
KIMBERLEY MOTO, CITY
APPROVE�D AS TO7e-",
JJJ
L 1
THU "Wt-FfITZPATRICK, CI ATTORNEY
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