Original Author: Darden, Ron
Date of Material: 09/19/2011
Subjects(s):
City council--Procedure
City council
Meetings--Planning and management
City Council Agenda Formats
Four sample city council agendas and one study session agenda are included.
Following are agenda council formats. I recommend no. IV. The council should approve the agenda format, unless they allow the mayor to set the agenda format.
Ron
City Council Agenda
I. Date_______
1. Call to order.
2. Roll call.
3. Prayer.
4. Pledge of Allegiance.
5. Mayor’s Report.
6. Council Remarks.
7. Old Business.
8. New Business.
9. Adjournment
Note: The council meeting is a business meeting and you do not have to permit comments from citizens. I do not recommend that you follow this format, give citizens an opportunity to participate.
II. Date______
1. Call to Order
2. Roll Call
3. Prayer
4. Pledge of allegiance
5. Citizen comments about agenda items only
6. Mayor’s Report
7. Council Remarks
8. Old Business. (citizens may comment on agenda item as recognized by the chair)
9. New Business. (citizens may comment on agenda item as recognized by the chair)
10. Citizen comments in general (complaints-advised to review complaint with staff before bring the complaint to the city council)
11. Adjournment
Note: Using this format, the mayor summarizes the agenda and asks if any citizens wish to comment on only items on the agenda, they may do so at that time. During the meeting when items of old business and new business come up for discussion, the mayor may allow citizen comments only on those items. At the end of the meeting, citizens are allowed to make comments on anything they wish to.
III. Date______
1. Call to Order
2. Roll Call
3. Prayer
4. Citizen comments
5. Mayor’s Report
6. Council Remarks
7. Old Business. (citizens allowed to comment on agenda item)
8. New Business. (citizens allowed to comment on agenda item)
9. Citizen comments
10. Adjournment
Note: When citizens comment up front on the agenda, they often get into items that are to follow on the agenda and you might as well throw the agenda away. It is preferable to allow citizens to comment when an item comes up for discussion and at the end of the meeting.
IV. Date_______
1. Call to order.
2. Roll call.
3. Prayer.
4. Pledge of Allegiance.
5. Mayor’s Report.
6. Council Remarks.
7. Old Business. (citizen comments may be allowed on specific items being reviewed)
8. New Business. (citizen comments may be allowed on specific items being reviewed)
9. Citizen Comments
10.Adjournment
Note: This format allows for significant citizen participation, but preserves the agenda as a business meeting. I recommend this format. Most citizens contact council members prior to and after meetings about special concerns anyway.
Study Session Agenda
I. Mayor summarizes the meeting format. Informal discussion between the council and staff with limited participation of citizens. Informal setting, casual dress.
II. No deliberative statements. (open discussion)
III. Items:
1. Recommendation of city engineer to construct a new wastewater facility.
2. Review of the annual audit.
3. Recommendation of the police chief to decrease the speed limit on Highway 31.
4. Recommendation of the fire chief to purchase new equipment.
5. Review of the proposed budget.
6. Recommendation from the city administrator to revise personnel policies.
7. Recommendation from the city administrator to refinance outstanding debt.
8. Recommendation from Alderman Jones to install red light cameras.
9. Recommendation from Alderman to rezone property located within the city.
10. Recommendation of the mayor for a strategic planning retreat.
11. Request from the Senior Citizens director.
IV. Adjournment (after a maximum of 1.5 hours)
Main Document(s):
City Council Agenda formats.pdf