City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: NOVEMBER 22, 2017
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
FROM: MARK B. JINKS, CITY MANAGER /s/
DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Consideration of Revised Order of Business of Council Meetings
BODY
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ISSUE: Consideration of amendments to the order of business of City Council meetings.
RECOMMENDATION: Adopt the revised attached resolution which (1) moves Oral Reports from the City Manager to earlier in the City Council meeting docket, and (2) formalizes a previous Council action moving Oral Reports from City Council on Boards and Commissions and Committees to earlier on the Council docket, as well as scheduling Executive Session just after Roll Call, as well as just before adjournment (if required).
BACKGROUND: At the request of City Council, City staff has drafted a revised approach to conducting Council Legislative Meetings. The primary purpose of this proposed process revision is to enable the City Manager to highlight actions, accomplishments or issues of the City government earlier in the Council meeting when there is likely a larger audience of persons attending the meeting or watching the meeting on cable television or via the internet.
On May 17, 2014 Council voted to revise the Order of Business for Council meetings. The vote included distinguishing Reports and Recommendations from Boards, Commissions, and Committees from Oral Reports. At a later date, Council agreed to move these reports to the beginning of the meeting, following proclamations. However, the May 17, 2014 resolution apparently was not officially revised to reflect this change, so it is included as part of this proposed revision. Also, at some point Council moved Executive Session to after Roll Call, as well as just before adjournment (if required).
DISCUSSION: The substantial change that is proposed in the attached resolution moves the Oral Reports from the City Manager from last item before adjournment to near the beginning of the Council meeting. In the proposed revised Order of Business, Oral Reports from the City Manager follows Oral Reports of City Council on Boards, Commissions and Committees at both the first and second Legislative Meetings.
The proposed changed allows the City Manager to provide important oral updates to Council that highlight actions, accomplishments or issues of the City government. Given that viewership of Council meetings likely starts larger than when it finishes, much of what is stated during the City Manager’s oral updates is not disseminated to the community as much as it would if it occurred earlier in the meeting.
The attached resolution, proposes the following order of business for the legislative meetings:
1. At the first legislative meeting (business) the order of business shall be as follows:
(a) Calling the Roll
(b) Executive Session (if required)
(b) (c) Moment of Silence and Pledge of Allegiance
(c) Executive Session (if required)
(d) Reading and Acting Upon the Minutes
(e) Recognition of Youth
(f) Proclamations
(g) Oral Reports from City Council on Boards, Commissions and Committees
(h) Oral Reports from the City Manager
(g) (i) Consent Calendar
1. Resignations and Uncontested Appointments
2. Reports and Recommendations of the City Manager
3. Ordinances for Introduction and First Reading
(h) (j) Roll-Call Consent Calendar
1. Ordinances and Resolutions
(i) (k) Contested Board Appointments
(l) Reports of Boards, Commissions and Committees
(k) (l) Oral Reports and Oral Presentations by Members of City Council
(l) (m) Oral Reports from the City Manager Executive Session (if required)
(m) (n) Adjournment
2. At the second legislative meeting (policy decisions/debate) the order of business shall be as follows:
(a) Calling the Roll
(b) Executive Session (if required)
(b)(c) Moment of Silence and Pledge of Allegiance
(c) Executive Session (if required)
(d) Reading and Acting Upon the Minutes
(e) Oral Reports from City Council on Boards, Commissions and Committees
(f) Oral Reports from the City Manager
(e) (g) Consent Calendar
1. Reports and Recommendations of the City Manager
(f) (h) Roll-Call Consent Calendar
1. Ordinances and Resolutions
(g) (i) Work Session
(h)(j) Reports and Recommendations of the City Manager for Discussion (Policy Items for Council Direction to Staff)
(i)(k) Oral Reports and Oral Presentations by Members of City Council
(j) Orals Reports from the City Manager
(l) Executive Session (if required)
(l)(m) Adjournment
If approved by Council, these changes will be implemented at the beginning of the next legislative meeting in December.
FISCAL IMPACT: There is no cost associated with these adjustments.
ATTACHMENT: Proposed Resolution
STAFF:
Gloria Sitton, City Clerk
Hillary Orr, Special Assistant to the City Manager