Council considers updates to rules of procedure; members debate meeting times, public‑comment timing and office hours

City staff and the city attorney presented a package of updates to the City Council’s rules of procedure at the Feb. 2 work session designed to reflect current practice and clarify meeting types, quorum rules, electronic participation and records retention.

Changes proposed include renaming meeting types (action meetings, work sessions, council agenda meetings), updating quorum language to reflect recent case law, adding a concise section on electronic participation and conflicts of interest, and consolidating minutes and records‑retention language.

Council debated operational changes: several members favored starting meetings earlier (7 p.m. instead of 7:30 p.m.) or otherwise limiting late‑night deliberations so meetings typically end by 10:00–10:30 p.m.; others preferred retaining a week off and fewer nights in exchange for one longer meeting. Members also discussed setting a consistent public‑comment start time so constituents know when to arrive and clearer time limits for board/commission annual reports and presentations. Proposals to institute two‑person office‑hours pairings and to require courtesy notifications when councilmembers testify before the General Assembly were supported for follow‑up.

The council asked government operations to take proposals to the GovOps committee to refine language on start times, office‑hours pairing, public‑comment timing and presentation time limits, and to return with a draft ordinance reflecting agreed changes.

Next steps: staff will incorporate council feedback, coordinate GovOps consideration, and present a revised rules package for adoption.