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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09/17/2024 - Work Study - Additional Doc-Council Procedure-DebateGig Harbor 6.4 Communications with Staff The city administrator is the primary point of contact between city council and staff. Councilmembers may contact department directors to inquire about issues and/or seek information. Department directors are responsible to notify the city administrator of this conversation for administrative purposes. Staff time is a valuable resource for the city. Councilmembers should be considerate of staff members' time. If a councilmember is requiring too much staff attention, the mayor may take measures to reduce the amount of time staff spends responding to the councilmember's requests. Similarly, the city attorney is available to address questions and concerns raised by councilmembers. The city attorney will treat conversations with councilmembers with discretion and maintain confidentiality, unless the city attorney determines it is in the best interest of the city to share the details of the conversation with the mayor or city administrator. Councilmembers should not share the content of any conversation with the city attorney with anyone else, with the exception of other councilmembers and senior staff, as that communication may be protected as attorney -client privileged communication. Councilmembers may not direct staff in any manner. Suggestions for staff direction must be directed to the mayor or city administrator. Ideas and proposals that may impact the city's budget or staff time should first be brought up with the city administrator. Whenever possible, councilmembers will contact the staff member noted on the agenda bill or study session memorandum in advance of council meetings with key questions. This will allow staff to be prepared at the meeting and lead to enhanced council/staff relationships. The city council should respect the professional advice from staff. Governance of the city relies on the cooperative efforts of elected officials who set policy and the city staff who implement and administer the council's policies. Therefore, every effort should be made to be cooperative and show mutual respect for the contributions made by each other for the good of the community. Councilmembers shall treat all staff as professionals. Clear, honest communication that respects the abilities, experience, and dignity of each individual is expected. Poor behavior toward staff is not acceptable. Councilmembers shall never demean or personally attack an employee regarding the employee's job performance in public. All employee performance issues shall be forwarded to the city administrator through private correspondence or conversation. Bremerton Rule 6 — Debates 1. Interruption: No member, including the Council President, shall interrupt or argue with any other member while such member has the floor. 2. Courtesy: All speakers, including Council Members, during comments, discussion or debate of any issue, shall address their comments to the Council President with courtesy and proper deportment. Comments shall not contain personalities, derogatory remarks or insinuations toward any member of the Council, Staff and Public, but shall be confined to facts that are germane and relevant to the issue. 3. Transgression: Upon transgression of these rules, the Council President shall call such person to order, in which case that person shall be silent except to continue in order. If the Council President transgresses these rules, or fails to call a transgressor to order, any other member of the Council, under a point of order, call the transgressor to order. 4. Challenge to Ruling: Any member of the Council shall have the right to challenge any action or ruling of the Council President, or member, as the case may be, in which case the decision of the majority of the members of the Council present, including the Council President, shall govern. Seattle IV. PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURES If these General Rules and Procedures are silent on a matter of parliamentary procedure, the 11th Edition of Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the Council in all cases to which it is applicable. A. Rules of Debate. When any CM wishes to speak, the CM shall address the Chair. 1. When recognized, the CM shall, in a courteous manner, confine comments to the question under debate. 2. The CM who sponsors a Bill, Resolution, Clerk File, Appointment, or motion has the privilege of speaking first and last upon it. 3. No CM shall impugn the motives of any other CM, or speak more than twice except for explanation during the consideration of any one question. Bainbridge Island 5.6 Respect and Decorum It is the duty of the Presiding Officer and Councilmembers to maintain dignity and respect for their offices, City staff, and the public. While the Council is in session, the Councilmembers shall preserve civility, order and decorum. No member of the public shall, by conversation or otherwise, delay, disrupt, or interrupt the proceedings of the Council, nor engage in any of the prohibited behavior described below. Councilmembers and the public shall obey the proper orders of the Presiding Officer of the meeting. 5.6.1 Orderly Behavior and Civility in Remarks Any person disrupting the business of the Council, either while addressing the Council or attending the proceedings, shall be asked to leave, or be removed from the meeting. Continued disruptions may result in a point of order by the Presiding Officer or a Councilmember pursuant to the Council's parliamentary rules, or a recess, forced removal, or adjournment as described elsewhere in this manual. Disruptive behavior includes, but is not limited to, the following: (a) Speaking without being recognized by the Presiding Officer. (b) Continuing to speak after the allotted time has expired. (c) Speaking on an item at a time not designated for discussion by the public of that item, such as speaking on a quasi-judicial item at a time other than during a public hearing or closed record proceeding on the matter. (d) Throwing objects. (e) Speaking on an issue that is not a public topic, in violation of Section 9.12.2. (f) Speaking in favor of or in opposition to a ballot proposition or a candidate for public office, provided, that public comment is allowed when the City Council is considering taking a collective position in favor of or in opposition to a ballot proposition as authorized in RCW 42.17A.555. (g) Impersonating a City Councilmember or a member of the City staff. (h) Shouting or otherwise engaging in loud or boisterous behavior. (i) Continuing to make repetitive remarks after being requested not to do so by the Presiding Officer or a majority of the City Council. (j) Attempting to engage the audience rather than the Council, e.g., asking audience members to stand, clap, boo or otherwise express collective support or opposition to any matter. (k) Booing, hissing, or otherwise disrupting the comments of another speaker. City of Bainbridge (I) Using racial slurs or other slurs directed at the color, creed, religion, ancestry, gender, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, or mental, physical, or sensory disability of any individual or group, under circumstances where such words constitute "fighting words" under constitutional law. (m) Refusing to modify conduct after being advised by the Presiding Officer that the conduct is disrupting the meeting or disobeying any other lawful order of the Presiding Officer or a majority of the City Council. Tacoma RULE 3 - REMARKS AND DEBATES A. Speaking to Motion. No member of the Council shall speak more than twice on the same motion except by consent of the majority of the Council Members present at the time the motion is before the Council. After the motion is put and before the next item is read, a member shall be able to speak briefly to the previous motion. B. Interruption. No member of the Council shall interrupt or argue with any other member while such member has the floor. C. Courtesy. Members of the Council, in the discussion, comments, or debate of any matter or issue, shall be courteous in their language and deportment and shall not engage in contemptuous or disorderly behavior, or discuss or comment on personalities, or indulge in derogatory remarks or insinuations in respect to any other member of the Council, or any member of the staff or the public, but shall at all times confine their remarks to those facts which are germane and relevant, as determined by the presiding officer, to the question or matter under discussion. D. Transgression. The Council has power under state law to impose punishment on its members, short of removal of office, for violation of state law or Council rules If a member of the Council shall transgress these rules, the presiding officer shall call such member to order, in which case such member shall be silent except to explain or continue in order. If the presiding officer shall transgress these rules or fail to call such member to order, any other member of the Council may, under a point of order, call the presiding officer or such other member to order, in which case the presiding officer or such member, as the case may be, shall be silent except to explain or continue in order. Additional consequences may include a verbal admonition, written reprimand, censure, expulsion from the meeting at which the conduct is occurring, removal of the Council Member from the Council committee chair positions or committee memberships, or removal of intergovernmental duties. Expulsion for such behavior in the Council's presence shall require the affirmative vote of a majority of the Council, specifying in the order of expulsion the cause thereof. E. Challenge to Ruling. Any member of the Council shall have the right to challenge any action or ruling of the presiding officer, or member, as the case may be, in which case the decision of the majority of the members of the Council present, including the presiding officer, shall govern.