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Blaine council adopts amended rules of procedure and new code of conduct after retreat discussion
Summary
Council adopted revised rules of procedure and an amended code of conduct at the Feb. 19 meeting, including an added provision on censure language as amended on the floor.
Blaine City Council adopted an amended set of rules of procedure and an updated council code of conduct during its Feb. 19 meeting following a Feb. 11 retreat where members discussed the proposed changes.
City Clerk Kathy Sorensen presented amendments to the rules of procedure to clarify open-forum process and other housekeeping matters. Council Member Mesolia asked that one enumerated item (No. 4, “Adoption of the agenda”) be removed from the proposed order of business; council approved that amendment and adopted the revised rules.
Council also considered a proposed code of conduct intended to provide guidance on council member interactions, engagement opportunities with residents, and consequences for inappropriate conduct. Staff incorporated retreat feedback into the draft and presented the document for adoption.
During discussion, Council Member Newland proposed an amendment to the censure language to clarify that a censure would be memorialized by resolution and could include other actions “in conformity with the law.” City Attorney Lunan recommended language to ensure clarity about the council’s authority and to avoid ambiguity. Council approved Newland’s amendment and then adopted the code of conduct with the modification; the final version specifies procedures and allows censure by resolution and other actions consistent with law.
Why it matters: The rules and code provide the council with written expectations and a process for internal accountability. The code’s adoption adds clarity about consequences and preserves council discretion to apply remedies by resolution.
Quotation: “Putting it here just, you know, further identifies the authority of council,” City Attorney Lunan said when recommending a modest addition to the censure language to avoid ambiguity.
Provenance: The proposals, the Mesolia amendment removing agenda-adoption from the order of business, and the Newland amendment to the censure language are recorded in the Feb. 19 meeting transcript.
