Gahanna’s City Attorney told council on Aug. 25 he is reviewing the council rules of procedure and will propose written guidance clarifying when to use ordinances, resolutions and motions. The attorney said the guidance will recommend that, absent a statutory need to change city code or appropriate funds, resolutions should generally suffice for administrative authorizations.

The nut graf: The attorney said clarifying the rules will reduce procedural confusion by specifying which instrument (ordinance vs. resolution) should be used for routine approvals such as contract authority, delegations and administrative authorizations, while preserving ordinances for code changes, property transactions and appropriations that state law requires be adopted as ordinances.

In the discussion, the attorney said he has already solicited feedback from the clerk and administration and plans to circulate the redline to council members ahead of the next committee meeting. He also indicated he is reviewing internal paths for legislation and whether current practice that legislation originates in committee and moves to full council without routine referrals needs clearer rules.

Council members were asked to watch their inboxes for the draft rules and to prepare for a committee discussion in two weeks. No formal action was taken; the attorney framed the effort as an internal procedural clarification to improve day‑to‑day operations and reduce unnecessary ordinance drafting for administrative tasks.