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Council debates rule changes to public participation, civility and member discipline procedures
Summary
Council members considered updates to 2026 council rules to broaden when citizens may sign up for public participation, replace a profanity prohibition with a civility request (to avoid First Amendment concerns), and align absence/discipline language with a 60-day standard; the law director will review legal implications.
Council members discussed several proposed amendments to the council rules that would affect public participation and internal discipline procedures.
One proposed change would expand the current rule, which limits sign-up for public comment to before the beginning of a regular meeting, so that citizens can sign up for the public-participation item on the agenda (applying at all council meetings rather than only regular meetings). The proponent said the change would clarify when sign-ups are allowed and suggested council consider whether special meetings should be treated differently.
Council also debated language that currently states "audience profanity will not be tolerated." The proponent said courts have raised First Amendment concerns with absolute prohibitions, and recommended replacing the prohibition with a request that audience members "engage respectfully and with civility and avoid profanity." Several members supported that softer approach as a guideline rather than a punitive rule.
On member discipline and attendance, a proposed revision to rule 15(b) would change the vacating condition from "8 consecutive regular meetings" to an absence period of "60 days or more" to conform with state guidance, while retaining the council's ability to excuse absences by resolution. The proponent also proposed that any vote to discipline or expel a member occur in public session only after the charges have been stated and the member permitted a public statement of defense.
Council asked the law director and assistant law director to study the amendments—particularly the discipline/expulsion language and Robert's Rules questions—and return with legal guidance at a future meeting.
