Council discusses labeling committee minutes as draft and adding public comment to committee agendas

Councilors discussed two procedural matters Aug. 5: making committee minutes available to the full council as “draft” items in the packet, and ensuring public comment opportunities at committee meetings. Staff summary: the current sequence sometimes results in council receiving committee action recommendations before the committee’s minutes are approved. Mayor Stocks suggested placing the committee minutes in the packet with a “draft” label so councilors can see the discussion that produced recommendations. A staff template already contains language noting minutes as “uncorrected” pending approval. Public-comment policy: several aldermen said committee meetings should consistently provide an opportunity for members of the public to speak. Alder Berg and Alder Arnette argued that requiring public comment at committee meetings helps the council by bringing information from affected residents into the decision process. Alder Lampe said the finance committee is exploring an ordinance change to require public comment at appointed commission meetings and to standardize committee agendas by ordinance. Outcome and next steps: staff and council agreed to keep timely committee minutes in the packet and to label them as draft/uncorrected. Finance committee members indicated they will pursue an ordinance change to standardize public comment opportunities at committee meetings; no formal ordinance change was adopted at this meeting.