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Lake Elmo considers easing rules for adding items to council agendas, staff to draft ordinance
Summary
Staff reviewed the current ordinance requiring items be submitted in advance and go to a workshop; council debated allowing a same-night, discussion-only addition with safeguards and asked staff to draft language for an April meeting.
Special projects manager Clark Schroeder reviewed Lake Elmo's current agenda ordinance, which requires members or staff to submit items more than a week in advance and typically routes new matters to a workshop for staff analysis.
Clark told the council the rule was written in a period of less-cooperative councils to protect staff time and ensure research-backed policy decisions. "The current ordinance basically says... it goes to a work session," Clark said, framing the intent as allowing staff to come back with recommendations.
One council member argued the current process is too slow and that under Robert's Rules a council member could make a same-day motion to add an item; the member urged a compromise that preserves staff capacity and public notice while allowing a discussion-only addition if a strong majority supports it. Other members and staff emphasized transparency and the risk of surprise decisions without notice.
Council discussed several options—allowing a discussion-only addition with a high threshold (4 of 5 members) and the ability to refer the item for staff research or to move it to the next regular meeting. Clark agreed to draft ordinance language and present it for consideration in April.
Next steps: Clark will prepare ordinance language reflecting a discussion-only insertion mechanism and circulate it to council members for review ahead of the April meeting.
