City Hall Essentials City Council City Hall Essentials

City Hall Essentials City Council © City Hall Essentials, LLC (2018)

Agenda § Open Meetings § Better Meetings § Ethics City Hall Essentials, LLC

Open Meetings §Open Meetings Act §Quorum & Subcommittees §Social Gatherings & Conferences §Advisory Boards §Staff Meetings §Action Without Meetings §Email & Text Messages City Hall Essentials, LLC

Open Meetings §Executive Sessions: §Atty, Personnel, Eco D, Security, Real Estate, Gifts, Electricity §Joint Meetings §e. g. , P&Z, LCRA §Ratification- 2 nd Try §Excluding Certain Persons §Information from Executive Session City Hall Essentials, LLC

Open Meetings §Agendas – Who, What, Where, When §Time & Accessibility- 72 hrs §Website Notice §Specificity- Reasonable Person §Reports / Council Comments §Emergency Meetings- 2 hrs §Recess- Next Day §Videoconference (Hear & See) §Chatroom for Governing Body City Hall Essentials, LLC

Better Meetings: The Players? § City Officials (elected, staff, volunteers, contractors) § Citizens (residents, owners, tourists, business owners, workers, civic leaders) § Applicants / Vendors (seeking approvals, contracts) § Special Interest Groups § Regulators (state, federal, local) § Media (traditional and citizen journalists) § Utilities / Political Subdivisions / Districts § Neighboring Communities (region) § Judiciary City Hall Essentials, LLC

Roles § Chair § Members § Staff § Applicants § Audience § Media § Experts / Consultants City Hall Essentials, LLC

Council Role Clarification § § § Legislator Representative Executive Administrator Advisor / Counselor / Consultant § § § Advocate Commentator Subject Expert Information Gather Observer Tribal Council Circle City Hall Essentials, LLC

What Is Your Function? § Tasks? Anticipated Outcomes? Deliverables? § Problem Identification? Goal-Setting? § Problem-Solving? Visioning? § Listening? (intake) § Legislative (policy formation) § Administrative (implementation) § Adjudicatory (quasi-judicial) § Appellant (appeals, exceptions) City Hall Essentials, LLC

Common Problems § Too many speaking at once § Conversation strays off topic § Feelings get hurt § Uncertainty of purpose § Confusion § Different understandings of the outcome: § Who made motion? § What did we do? § What happened? § What are next steps? City Hall Essentials, LLC

Rules of Order § Purpose of meeting: To conduct business § Maintenance of Decorum • Should be conducted in a manner that is fair • Vital to the effectiveness, efficiency, and integrity • Order be maintained Conch Shell City Hall Essentials, LLC

Procedural Rules § Edna Charter, § 9: Rules of Procedure: The council shall by ordinance determine its own rules and order of business. City Hall Essentials, LLC

Traits of Successful Members § § § Lead with a Positive Agenda (+) Embrace all matters before your board Be open to possibilities (open to discovery) Be supportive of others Share Data (don’t hoard info or ambush) Seek & Build Consensus City Hall Essentials, LLC

Best Practices § § § § § Chair focuses on process (not outcome) Meetings are for board members 1 st Be respectful Be fair Be consistent Be prepared (do your homework) If not ready, don’t act Be strong without being a jerk Meetings are not a free-for-all City Hall Essentials, LLC

Ethics Do unto others as you would have done to you City Hall Essentials, LLC

Honor Codes West Point: “A cadet will not lie, cheat, steal or tolerate those who do. ” City Hall Essentials, LLC

Professional Associations International Institute of Municipal Clerks: • To so conduct my public and private life as to be an example to my fellow citizens; • To be ever mindful of my neutrality and impartiality, rendering equal service to all and to extend the same treatment I wish to receive myself; • To record that which is true and preserve that which is entrusted to me. City Hall Essentials, LLC

Ethics Laws • State Law: – Conflicts, Nepotism, Financial Disclosures; – Honoraria, Gifts, Transportation, Meals; – Bribery, Coercion, Abuse of Office; and – Obstruction, Misuse of Info. • Edna Charter: § 7: No interest in contract § 8: Nepotism: Prohibited City Hall Essentials, LLC

Best Practices • • • Be familiar with the Law & Codes Network with honorable colleagues Remember you are part of a team Imagine Your Worst Enemy Learns Everything Know your place Make Training a Priority Engage in a Dialogue Put Your Citizens 1 st Remember Whose Money It Is Remember Why You Got Into Public Service City Hall Essentials, LLC

Conclusion City Hall Essentials, LLC