Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Governance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commission adopts revised rules of procedure after debate over publishing deadlines and hearing requirements
Summary
The Board of County Commissioners approved changes to rules of procedure, moving agenda publication earlier and generally requiring two hearings for most items; the motion passed 4-1 after amendments and debate about exceptions and suspension thresholds.
Bernalillo County commissioners on March 11 adopted a package of revisions to the county’s rules of procedure governing administrative, regular, special and emergency meetings. The package passed on a 4-1 roll call vote after discussion and one amendment that removed language declaring the chair’s parliamentary opinion ‘‘not subject to appeal.’'
Chair Olivas, who presented the draft, said the primary changes move the agenda publication deadline earlier (from the prior Friday practice to a Thursday deadline expressed as 120 hours) to give commissioners and the public an extra weekday to review materials. The revised rules also generally require two hearings for most resolutions so members and the public have more opportunity to review and comment, while preserving a formal suspension-of-the-rules option for expedited action when four votes (a supermajority of a five-member quorum) or fewer are required under quorum variations.
County Manager and staff told commissioners they worked with the chair and will monitor implementation; staff said they can return with implementation feedback after a trial period and the rules can be amended later if needed. During debate commissioners asked about exceptions; the commission removed one sentence in the parliamentary inquiry section by amendment (the amendment passed 5-0) to preserve appeal rights and to default to other rules on appeals and procedures. A separate proposal to make financial resolutions (FRs) exempt from the two-hearing requirement failed for lack of a second.
The final roll call on adoption recorded four votes in favor and one 'no' from Commissioner Benson, who had expressed concern about limiting the commission’s ability to act quickly on grant receipts and other time-sensitive financial matters. Chair Olivas said the changes take effect per the rules’ stated effective date and staff noted that items already scheduled will be managed consistent with the transition provisions discussed at the meeting.
Commissioners and staff agreed to revisit the rules if the new timing creates operational problems; the county manager said staff will report back if implementation creates unacceptable delays.
