Committee schedules full-council work session with HR&A to create transition roadmap

The governance committee on Monday previewed a planned full-council work session with consultants from HR&A (a national consulting group) on May 12 to discuss a council transition and governance roadmap. Committee leadership said HR&A has offered to provide assistance pro bono and that the work session will be an opportunity to discuss agreements on how councilors work together, committee structure, and other governance matters.

Committee chair described the consulting offer as a chance to "build our collective governance practices" and said the July-level work would be reversible if it does not meet council expectations. "The group which is called HR and A has offered their services to city council free of charge," the chair said. The committee scheduled a full-council work session for Monday, May 12, at 2:30 p.m. to meet HR&A and begin scope discussions.

Committee members asked for clarity about scope. Several said they anticipated the consultants could support interpersonal agreements and council values work as well as discussions about committee structure and meeting cadence, though some structural topics (for example, matters that could require closed deliberation) may be constrained by public-meeting rules and city attorney guidance. Councillor Clark said he saw a need to examine committee composition, meeting frequency and statutory constraints; others said they wanted both interpersonal and procedural support. Several members noted they had checked HR&A's funders and the consulting offer carries no apparent direct cost to the city.

Next steps: HR&A principals will present their proposed scope at the May 12 full-council work session, after which councilors and staff will determine whether to proceed and which topics to prioritize. The committee's next regular meeting was scheduled for June 9.