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City manager proposes administrative policy for council letters of support; council asks for clarification
Summary
City Manager Jer Amundsen proposed a standardized administrative policy to manage requests for official letters of support; staff would send routine items to council with a short objection window and place controversial requests on the agenda for deliberation.
City Manager Jer Amundsen presented a draft administrative approach to how the City of Richland will handle requests for official letters of support during the July 22 workshop.
Amundsen said the intent is to centralize requests through the city manager’s office, classify items as routine or non‑routine, and provide a consistent, timely process. Under the proposal, routine requests (examples: support letters for grant applications from partner agencies, or for appointments consistent with the city's legislative agenda) would be routed to the city manager. The manager would notify council members and provide the text; council members would have a three‑day window to object. If no objection is received, staff would assume concurrence and sign the letter on official city letterhead with the mayor’s signature. Non‑routine or controversial requests (for example, requests that do not align with prior city positions or that touch on matters outside typical city services) would be placed on a council agenda for deliberation.
Amundsen said the policy would also clarify that individual council members, including the mayor, should not send official correspondence purporting to represent the city unless expressly authorized by council. He proposed the policy be adopted administratively under the city’s authority to create administrative policies in the municipal code.
Council members asked clarifying questions about the definition of "official correspondence," the process for filtering high‑volume external requests, and how staff would identify items that should be fast‑tracked to the agenda. Several members said they trust staff discretion but asked that staff continue to provide examples and clear notification when staff signs on to routine letters. Council member Kent asked for clarity that official correspondence would use city letterhead and the mayor's signature. City Manager Amundsen said he would return with a formal administrative policy for council consideration and that staff would continue to use discretion in screening requests.
Amundsen framed the approach as a way to achieve consistency while preserving the council’s prerogative to deliberate on matters that fall outside routine municipal business.
