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Home My WebLink AboutCity Council Meeting - Council Workshop - Agenda - 01/03/2006 SUMMARY AGENDA KENT CITY COUNCIL MEETING WASHINGTON Mayor Suzette Cooke Councilmembers Deborah Ranniger, President; Tim Clark, Ron Harmon, Bob O'Brien, Debbie Raplee, Les Thomas, Elizabe4h Watson k JANUARY 3,2006 COUNCIL WORKSHOP AGENDA 5:30 P.M. Item Description Speaker Time 1 Quasi-Judicial Matters,Executive City Attorney Brubaker 45 min Sessions,Open Public Meetings COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA 7:00 P.M. 1. CALL TO ORDER/FLAG SALUTE 2. ROLL CALL 3. CHANGES TO AGENDA A. FROM COUNCIL,ADMINISTRATION,OR STAFF B. FROM THE PUBLIC—Citizens may request that an item be added to the agenda at this time. Please stand of raise your hand to be recognized by the Mayor. 4. PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS A. Passing of the Gavel B. Oath of Office C. Election of Councii President D. HomeStreet Bank Donation to Fire Department E. Employee of the Month 5. PUBLIC HEARINGS None 6. CONSENT CALENDAR A. Minutes of Previous Meeting—Approve B. Payment of Bills—Approve C. 36th Avenue South Street Vacation Ordinance—Adopt D. Highland Park Infrastructure Improvement Bill of Sale—Accept 7. OTHER BUSINESS A. Zoning Code Amendment,Commercial Motor Vehicles in Residential Zoning Districts B. Smith Court Homes Rezone (QUASI-JUDICIAL) 8. BIDS A. Kent Senior Center Upgrades 9. REPORTS FROM STANDING COMMITTEES,STAFF AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES 10. CONTINUED COMMUNICATIONS 11. EXECUTIVE SESSION AND ACTION AFTER EXECUTIVE SESSION A. Property Acquisition 12. 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S a--e v D BASICS OF CITY GOVERNMENT Council Workshop January 3, 2006 Form of Government • Non-Charter Code City —Authority: Any local action not prohibited by constitution or not in conflict with general laws of the state —Power: all powers granted to any other class of city, including future legislative enactments • Mayor-Council form of government —Council: legislative and policy-making powers —Mayor: administrative powers Policymaking Role of Council • Decides matters of city-wide importance —Comprehensive Plan —Budget(and attendant service allocations) —Capital Improvements —Taxes and fees —City salaries —Contract awards —Confirm board and commission members —Real Property purchases and sales —Street franchises, licenses,vacations 1 Administrative Role of Mayor • Council sets policy; Mayor imp/ementspolicy —Spends and transfers funds within established budgets —Hires and fires city staff —Negotiates labor contracts —Enforces contracts —Prosecutes lawsuits —Presides over council meetings —Appoints board and commission members —Reports to council on general health of city —Acts as ceremonial head of city Council President • Elected by council • 2 year term, beginning even-numbered years • Must be elected by 2^d meeting in January • Serves as Mayor Pro Tempore • Duties: —Appoint committee members and chairs —Set agenda in coordination with Mayor —Ensure adequate council facilities and support —Liaison to Mayor's office —Substitute for absent members at committees —Attend regional meetings to represent council's views —Focal point for council,mayor and staff Pro Tempore Positions • Mayor Pro Tem —Council president serves in Mayor's absence —If mayor and council president absent, most senior councilmember serves • President Pro Tern —May be appointed by council president, if absence planned; otherwise, most senior councilmember serves 2 Mayor and Council Relations • Separation of Powers • Mutual respect for separate roles • All are elected; all represent city government • Within council: —Respect differences —Avoid surprises —Address conflict Relations with City Staff • Mayor is their ultimate supervisor • Staff is there to implement council policy, under direction of Mayor • Staff wants to listen, understand,and support you • Staff has expertise;they try hard;they seek to earn and keep your trust • Communicate with staff; seek Mayor's counsel, but avoid direction to staff Meetings • Reaular • Special —Called by mayor,written request of 4 or more councilmembers,or by motion of majority of full council. —24 hour prior written notice must be delivered personally or by mail to •Each cc ncilmember •All media who have filed a request to be notified —Notice must state time,place,and business to be conducted—final action only on listed business • Workshops • Committees —Critical to council decisionmaking structure —Heavy lifting at committee level 3 Open Public Meetings •The legislature finds and declares that ... all public agencies of this state and subdivisions thereof exist to aid in the conduct of the people's business. It is the intent of this chapter that their actions be taken openly and that their deliberations be conducted openly. (and . . ) Open Public Meetings •The people of this state do not yield their sovereignty to the agencies which serve them. The people, in delegating authority, do not give their public servants the right to decide what is good for the `- people to know and what it not good for them to know. The people insist on remaining informed so that they may retain control over the instruments they have created. Open Public Meetings • Which meetings are subject to the Act? —All meetings(except quasi-judicial) • What is a"meeting"under the Act? —Any meeting where"action"is taken • What is"action"under the Act? —The"transaction of official business...including but not limited to receipt of public testimony, deliberations,discussion,considerations,review, evaluations,and final actions" 4 Open Public Meetings •Telephone discussions • Emails • Public Records • Social gatherings Agenda Format • Call to Order/Flag Salute • Roll Call • Changes to Agenda — From Council,Administration or Staff — From Public • Public Communications • Public Hearings • Consent Calendar • Other Business • Bids • Reports from Standing Committees,Staff and Special Committees • Continued Communications • Executive Session&Action After Executive Session • Adjournment Executive Session • Must first describe purpose for session and estimated time it will end • Staff, or others, may be invited to attend; all others excluded • Limited purposes allowed for executive session: —Buy or sell property,when price might be affected —Labor negotiations or personnel matters —Discuss potential litigation with legal counsel 5 Executive Session • Only discuss matters described for discussion during executive session • Discussions are confidential; do not subsequently discuss or disclose • Action cannot be taken during executive session; action can only be taken during the regular meeting Voting • Quorum: Majority of total council(4)or committee(2) • Action: Majority of quorum,except majority of full council needed for: — Ordinance — Grant or revocation of a franchise or license — Resolution for the payment of money • Mayor: May cast tiebrea king vote(except above& �. quasi-judicial matters) • Supermajority,of full council required: — Override mayor's veto(at least 5 votes) — Emergency ordinance(unanimous vote of those members attending the meeting,or 5 votes,whichever is greater) • If mayor vetoes,return to council for reconsideration; council may override by supermajority vote Ordinance, Resolution or Motion? • Ordinance: Most permanent; items of long-term application or significance • Resolution: More temporary in nature; statement of opinion or position on issues • Motion: All else; accepting grants, buying or selling property, awarding contracts, etc. 6 Robert's Rules of Order • Exist to serve council as it conducts business—these are yourrules • General rules -One subject at a time -One person speaks at a time -All members have equal rights to speak,after first being recognized by mayor -Rights of minority must be protected;will of majority must prevail Hierarchy of Motions • Main Motion • Subsidiary Motions —Amend(debatable) —Amend the amendment(debatable) —Limit debate(not debatable) —Call for question,or Close Debate(not debatable) —Refer to Committee(debatable) —Lay on table or Postpone(not debatable) • Always address the motion at hand,then work your way"back down the ladder"to the main motion. Quasi-judicial Meetings • EXEMPT from Open Public Meetings Act • Judicial capacity, rather than legislative • Adjudicating issues involving specific rights among specific individuals -Fact based decision -Applying policy, not making it • Site-specific rezones; conditional use applications,variances, and preliminary plat applications 7 Quasi-judicial Meetings Conflict of Interest (direct) • Impartial Decisionmakers —Personal Interest(financial gain,property ownership, employment,family or social interest) —Prejudgment of Issues("You're just wasting your time!") —Partiality(speak from audience;continue because vote is assured) • "The bias of one member affects the action of the other members" Quasi-judicial Meetings Appearance of Fairness Doctrine • "To guarantee that strict procedural requirements are followed so that land use hearings are not only fair, but also appearto be fair" • Created first as judicial doctrine,then legislated into statutory law • To protect against actual bias, prejudice, improper influence,or favoritism • Also to avoid suspicion, misinterpretation, prejudgment, partiality,and conflicts of interest Recurring Council Issues • Comprehensive Plan • Contracts —Public Works: Lowest responsible bidder and over$50,000 —All others: Council approval over$25,000; Mayor approval over$10,000 • Binding arbitration--labor issues • Unconstitutional gift of public funds • Refer"routine"issues to staff/department heads 8