Lincoln County commissioners debate draft rules for board meetings, send revised version back to committee

Lincoln County commissioners spent more than an hour reviewing a draft resolution that would codify rules and procedures for board meetings, focusing on agenda content, public comment, committee attendance and quorum language.

The discussion centered on whether the draft should require a consent agenda, how and when public comment should be scheduled on agendas, whether some routine committee or staff meetings should be listed, and what counts as an ‘‘open’’ meeting that commissioners may attend without creating a quorum.

Commissioner Chris Hughley, a member of the Rules Committee, described the draft as a starting point and said it was intended to bring more organization and clarity to meeting practices. ‘‘I think what you have before you is a very first start at an attempt to try to get some organization into the group,’’ Hughley said. He and other committee members repeatedly described the draft as a working document that should be revised.

Several commissioners objected to specific provisions. Multiple commissioners asked that the consent-agenda language be removed; one said, ‘‘I don't like the consent items that it discusses’’ and marked that section for deletion. Commissioners also debated a provision that would define a standing public-comment period and how the chair should retain discretion to allow public speakers to address specific agenda items. Commissioners agreed public comment should be clearly identified on the published agenda and should occur early in the meeting; the chair’s discretion to allow speakers during agenda items will also be explicitly preserved.

The group discussed a repeated concern about attending external meetings. After input from several commissioners and references to guidance obtained from NACO workshops, the committee agreed to draft language to distinguish (1) public meetings and public hearings (which the entire board may attend) from (2) internal committee or subcommittee meetings not open to the public (which should be limited to two board representatives). Chair Mikayla Mueller said she would work with the Rules Committee and County Clerk staff to produce a clean edited draft with highlighted changes.

The board did not adopt the draft. Commissioner Hughley said the Rules Committee (Hughley and Bruns, per the agenda) will produce an edited version for review next week. The board requested that the committee remove or rework the sections discussed (consent agenda, certain conflict-of-interest language, references to staff meetings and secret-ballot language for leadership votes) and present a highlighted revision at the next meeting.

The board scheduled the revised rules to return to the agenda next week for additional review and possible adoption.