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Council weighs faster agenda additions while preserving transparency; staff to return with ordinance language
Summary
Councilors debated whether to allow members to add items to council agendas more quickly, balancing the desire for flexibility against transparency and staff workload; staff agreed to draft ordinance language for council consideration in April.
Special projects manager Clark Schroeder briefed the council on the city's ordinance for placing items on council agendas and explained the rule was adopted during a less cooperative council to provide procedural safeguards. Schroeder said the current ordinance generally requires items to be submitted about 11 days before council and that other cities use a range of approaches.
Councilors argued for a middle ground between the current lead time and allowing ad hoc additions. One councilor called the current process “mind boggling” for routine items and suggested a path that permits discussion if a supermajority signals interest, while preserving a prohibition on immediate action without notice. Several members proposed a non‑action, discussion‑only option that could be added with a 4‑of‑5 threshold, then moved formally to the next agenda or workshop.
Clark Schroeder and councilors emphasized the need to protect transparency and staff capacity; Schroeder said staff would draft revised language for council review. The council agreed to have the item returned in April for formal consideration and possible ordinance changes.
