Lancaster City Council reviews draft administrative code; solicitor to revise posting and agenda language

Lancaster City Council held a nonlegislative work session on Sept. 6 to continue review of a proposed administrative code that would consolidate city procedures on boards and commissions, council organization, ordinances and resolutions, forfeiture of office, ethics, employment policy and other administrative matters.

The draft prompted questions about transparency and timing. Barry Handwerker, the city solicitor, told council the draft requires boards, commissions and authorities to keep minutes and to post them to the city’s publicly accessible website, but noted there is “no legal requirement to post things on the website” and cautioned that minutes are not official until approved. He recommended wording that requires minutes to be posted “promptly” after adoption rather than setting a strict calendar deadline.

Council members pressed on how to balance timeliness and practicality. Councillor Hirsch said he has had trouble finding minutes for boards such as the traffic commission and considered a 30-day requirement before concluding that a fixed deadline could be impractical for bodies that meet infrequently. Hirsch argued for language that encourages prompt posting…