Kenmore clerks outline how city council meetings work, from public comment to executive sessions

City Clerk Anastasia Warhol and Deputy City Clerk Michelle King walked podcast host Amber Clifton through what residents can expect at City of Kenmore council meetings, explaining who attends, how public comment works, and why some discussions happen in closed executive sessions.

The explanation matters because council meetings are the primary venue for public oversight and for the council to take formal action; Warhol and King said understanding meeting rules helps residents participate effectively and ensures the process remains transparent and orderly.

Warhol described the council as an elected legislative body “that has to work as a body” and said the council’s meetings are “business meetings” where members take formal actions that clerks record in the minutes. She said Kenmore’s council has seven seats and that clerks focus on capturing what the full council does rather than individual opinions. King added that the city runs hybrid meetings — in-person as the primary format and a concurrent virtual option — and that Kenmore typically staffs two clerks for meetings to manage both the in-person and virtual workflows and to ensure accessibility.

On public participation, Warhol and King said there are two distinct opportunities to speak: general public comment (on any subject) and public hearings (formal testimony tied to a specific agenda item). They said speakers who join virtually must sign up using a virtual public-comment form, usually available about a week before the meeting, and that the form closes at noon on the day of the meeting. Warhol said the form serves a security purpose: to screen out bots and “bad actors” so that virtual speakers are verified humans.

Both clerks described time limits. The council’s rules of procedure set a default three-minute limit per speaker for public comment and public hearings. King said the council shortens allotments to two minutes if more than 20 people sign up for public comment, and public-hearing slots drop to two minutes if more than 30 people sign up. A countdown clock is visible in the chambers and is shared with virtual speakers via Zoom; clerks notify speakers when time expires.

Warhol and King explained why the council typically does not engage in back-and-forth during public comment: meetings are intended to let the council hear concerns, then decide whether to direct the city manager or staff to follow up. Warhol said the city manager functions like a chief executive who implements council direction, while the city attorney attends to advise on legal matters.

On executive sessions, King said those are confidential, closed-door portions of the meeting allowed under the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) for specific topics such as litigation or real-estate negotiations. She emphasized that agendas list the RCW category that justifies the closed session and that formal votes or final decisions cannot be made in executive session; any formal action must be taken in open session and recorded in the minutes.

The clerks also reviewed other participation options: “Coffee with Council” events, which Warhol said are held on the first Monday and third Saturday of each month and typically host one to three council members; and the Planning Commission, which Warhol said meets on the first and third Tuesdays and handles zoning and land-use matters.

Warhol and King encouraged residents to use the city website to find agendas, sign-up links and council contact information, and to contact the clerks if they need help navigating meeting procedures. “We’re there to help,” King said, noting clerks meet attendees at the front left of the dais and can assist first-time visitors.

For residents planning to attend, the clerks reiterated the key practical points: meetings are primarily in-person with a hybrid option; virtual speakers should register in advance; the default speaking limit is three minutes (reduced under heavy sign-up); executive sessions are limited to categories allowed by RCW; and any formal action stemming from a closed session must occur openly and be entered into the official minutes.