Hilliard council discusses wide-ranging edits to meeting rules, tables public-comment cap pending research

HILLIARD, Ohio — Hilliard City Council members spent the meeting reviewing proposed amendments to the council rules that would clarify procedures for recusal and abstention, tighten language on motions, set procedures for retaining applicant lists for boards and commissions, and update guidance on gifts and public presentations. Council members agreed to remove a rule on ex parte contacts in quasi‑judicial proceedings and tabled a final decision on limits for public comment while staff researches how other jurisdictions handle time limits and visual presentations.

The proposed changes seek to tighten language across several sections of the rules, including specifying when motions require a second and a majority of members present, clarifying how postponements and amendments are handled and preserving current practice that council votes on amendments first and on the amended ordinance or resolution afterward.

Council members said recusal language is acceptable as written but asked staff to confirm whether the phrasing on abstention should reference the five or six reasons listed in Robert's Rules of Order and to check how those reasons intersect with Ohio ethics law. Staff was asked to provide the relevant Robert's Rules citations before…