Peachtree City council amends agenda-request rules, approves changes 3-1

Councilmember Clint Holland moved to amend Ordinance 12-18, section 2-33, governing agenda item requests, and read the proposed replacement language aloud before the Peachtree City City Council during the workshop meeting.

The amended language requires that any council member who seeks to add an item to a regular council meeting agenda must announce the request during the council's "council staff topics" at least one council meeting prior to the scheduled meeting date and submit supporting documentation to the city clerk by the packet publication deadline. The text as adopted also requires supporting draft materials, background information and "source citations, if applicable." The motion removed a redundant phrase naming the mayor separately after council members noted the mayor is a member of the council.

Supporters said the change protects the deliberative rights of council members, prevents last-minute substantive handouts at meetings and gives both staff and the public time to review materials. City Clerk Jasmine explained the city uses a memorandum format for agenda packets and said council members may submit documentation as a Word file or enter memo content directly through CivicClerk; staff offered to generate the official memo format from submitted materials.

Several councilmembers said they were uncomfortable voting on the amendment at a workshop because they received the draft only that morning and had limited time to consult staff and the city attorney. Holland rescinded the earlier second, revised the motion to add the edits discussed (removing "and the mayor" and adding "if applicable" after source citations) and re-read the amended motion for the record. The council voted; the motion carried, 3-1.

Councilmembers directed staff to incorporate the agreed wording, and the city clerk said she would produce the standard cover memorandum and instructions to accompany future agenda-item submissions.

The amendment replaces the existing ordinance text for agenda-item requests and emphasizes disclosure during council staff topics, a written submission to the city clerk by the packet deadline and inclusion of supporting documentation in the published agenda packet. The ordinance will operate as a procedural rule for council actions; council members acknowledged it can be tweaked later if additional clarifications are needed.

The change was adopted as a procedural amendment to city code section 2-33 of Ordinance 12-18.