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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1895RESOLUTION NO. / //":J: i) A RESOLUTION of the City Council of the City of Kent, Washington, relating to rules and procedures for the city council, city council meetings, and council committee meetings. RECITALS A. The city council, pursuant to Resolution No. 1562, established rules and procedures for the city council, city council meetings, and meetings of council committees. B. On November 5, 2002, the city council, pursuant to Resolution No. 1633, passed amendments to the existing rules and procedures that added council president duties and responsibilities. C. On August 17, 2010, the city council, pursuant to Resolution 1833, passed additional amendments to the rules and procedures. D. The city council desires to update and revise those rules and procedures. NOW THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF KENT, WASHINGTON, DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS: 1 City Council Rules and Procedures Repeal & Adopt RESOLUTION SECTION l. -Reoea!er. Resolution No. 1833, relating to rules and procedures for the city council, city council meetings, and council committee meetings is hereby repealed in its entirety. SECTION 2. -App/icabi!itv. 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. I. COUNCIL PRESIDENT-MAYOR PRO TEMPORE SECTION 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 on or before the second regular meeting of that month. The council president shall serve a two-year term. SECTION 4. -Mavor 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 absent from the city or is unable for any reason to discharge the mayor's duties. The assumed duties shall include, but not be limited to, acting as signatory to documents requiring 2 City Council Rules and Procedures Repeal & Adopt 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 Responsibilities. 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 consensus; 3 City Council Rules and Procedures Repeal & Adopt 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 retreats or other meetings for annual review and update of council visions and goals for the city, and on other occasions 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 council members' 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 Emergencv 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 4 City Council Rules and Procedures Repeal & Adopt emergency, the mayor or council president may provide for a meeting site 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.l2.060, a councilmember shall forfeit office 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 council member 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. 5 City Council Rules and Procedures Repeal & Adopt SECTION 12. -Majority 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 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. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Call to order/Flag Salute Roll Call Changes to the Agenda Public Communications Public Hearings Public Comments Consent Calendar Other Business 6 City Council Rules and Procedures Repeal & Adopt 9. Bids 10. Reports from Standing Committees, Staff and Special Committees 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 fifth and sixth 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. If comment is offered under the sixth 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 sixth 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, if imposed before the speaker has begun, by the city council. No questions shall be asked of a council member 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, repeated shouting and angry outbursts, cursing, direct or implied threats of 7 City Council Rules and Procedures Repeal & Adopt 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. SECTION 17. -Added Agenda Items. 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. 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. 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 8 City Council Rules and Procedures Repeal & Adopt 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 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. -Parliamentarv 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 9 City Council Rules and Procedures Repeal & Adopt 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. -Susoendinq 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, it shall require a vote of majority plus one of the members present to suspend the rules. III. COUNCIL COMMITTEES 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 meeting where he or she is elected, 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 10 City Council Rules and Procedures Repeal & Adopt development and other items in coordination with the operations 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. 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. 11 City Council Rules and Procedures Repeal & Adopt 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. 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 12 City Council Rules and Procedures Repeal & Adopt 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. SECTION 33. -Corrections bv 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. SECTION 34. -Effective Date. This resolution shall take effect and be in force immediately upon its passage 13 City Council Rules and Procedures Repeal & Adopt PASSED at a regular open public meeting by the City Council of the / .r:'' /'l, -·----' City of Kent, Washington, this / '/--day of ~, f //;C.. Y , 2014. CONCURRED in by the Mayor of the City of Kent this _7--, / ~._J ,0/ .~ 4 ' 2014. ATTEST:" ,. ,~-~ . ,_,;· /;;~~;s(j~f<;/j~?~::;:. //;/)!/ c /RONALD Mo.(?RE, GITY CLERK ,// _.,-/ .::: APPROVED AS TO FORM: . ING Cfry ATTORNEY -----~~ I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of Resolution No. /tf?'~'i passed by the City Council of the City of Kent, Washington, the /K d f [-,. u 2010 .,/ .;_j ay o .. _ / ,c:/r-----, • "'_,::~;_·;/' // ,/;'~~')e~~:rtc~<~: ~~;;~;;,_~? .. /::trmt-~ ///RONALD MQ®i<.E, _QITY CLERK P:\Ch•il\Resolution\CuunciiRulesamlProceo.!ures 2014 A111eudmenl.docx: / .. -;// ,/ ,/ -. 14 City Council Rules and Procedures Repeal & Adopt