10-09-07 CCM - Laserfiche WebLink

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City Council Date: 10/9/07 WORKSHOP Item: 1 ITEM: Discuss topics related to public inquiry, public questions on the agenda planning commission appointments SUBMITTED BY: Susan Hoyt at City Council request Sharon Lumby, City Clerk The city council adopted an order of business and ground rules in June, 2007. The city council is working diligently to fine tune some aspects of the city council meetings in particular to clarify the purpose of the public inquiry portion of the city council meeting. Purpose of public inquiries and public comment/questions on agenda items BACKGROUND This is the city council's discussion. However, there area few public policy things to keep in mind as background for this discussion. A. Access to elected officials. o Access outside of meetinas Access to elected officials outside of public meetings is not restricted except by how you make information about contacting you available and by your control and response to those who access you. For example, one interested citizen can call you many, many times and talk about any topic. This is perfectly acceptable if it is acceptable to you. it is where individuals can inform you of their special circumstances, viewpoint etc, using the amount of time and tone that you, as an individual elected official on your own time, accept from citizen contacts. o Access to elected official in public meetinas The overriding principle about democratic government, as it is practiced at public meetings, is that every member of the public is treated the same way by the city council and that every member of the public has the same expectations on them from the city council, no matter if they are a visitor, a new resident or a long time resident, who has attended many city council meetings. The city council has adopted ground rules and an order of business to reassure everyone that there is equal treatment. o Posting and, more importantly, reading the order of business at every council meeting reassures the council and the public that everyone knows how business is done at the city council meeting. No one is sitting in the audience wondering when he or she gets to talk and everyone watching the meeting understands the process too.