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CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM BRIEFING SHEET Submittal Date: Originating Department: Presented By: Agenda Item No.: 0g/07/0g Council Date: City Council Kevin Carruth 26. 08/11/08 RECOMMENDED MOTION: Not an action item. POLICY ISSUE(S): Operational protocols BACgGROUND: Council has requested a discussion to evaluate and possibly modify meeting and legislative protocols. Council asked staff to review three possible changes: 1. Question: Should ordinances go through two readings before adoption and allow for a majority or super majority vote to suspend the rules and allow only one reading (should Council determine that circumsta.nces warrant)? Review: There was not a consensus in the staff review of this item. The positives include allowing more thorough council deliberation and giving more public notice on potential changes to the law. The primary negative is that it could slow action on issues by having readings at two meetings. Additionally, major substantive changes between readings may trigger a new first reading, adding a couple of weeks to the process. 2. Question: Should Council have a meeting workshop before regulax meetings (e.g. immediately prior to the regular meeting or a day or two before)? Review: In light of other regularly scheduled meetings and processes as well as Council Member scheduling, a workshop on any day prior to the regular meeting does not seem feasible. However, having a workshop in the conference room starting at 4:00, 4:30, or 5:00 (assuming a 6:00 council meeting) would allow for questions to be addressed or researched before the regular meeting and help prevent late night sessions. There may be conflicts with Council Member schedules. 3. Question: Should the meeting time and/or days of the month be changed? Review: The lead time required for agenda and packet preparation (7-10 days) precludes compressing the schedule; however, moving the meeting day to the second and fourth Tuesday does not conflict with other regularly scheduled meetings, gives Council Members another day to digest the meeting packet and ask questions, eliminates potential conflicts with Monday holidays, and can be accomplished without shortening the preparation process. There was also a strong consensus on moving the beginning of the meeting and/or pre-meeting workshop to anywhere between 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. so as to prevent late night sessions and reduce meeting fatigue. Starting before 5:00 p.m. may handicap the attendance of Council Members or citizens who have to work until then. City of Paris Revised 2/04/08 . 000283