Page council to pilot work-study sessions to boost public engagement and clarify open-meeting practice

The Page City Council agreed to pilot work-study sessions intended to create more informal, focused opportunities for council discussion and public input. Members discussed several formats — a short 4:30–5:30 p.m. session before regular meetings, occasional longer sessions, or quarterly full-day workshops — and reached consensus to try a 4:30 session on Jan. 22.

Supporters said work-study sessions will let councilors discuss complex topics in greater depth, involve staff selectively, and provide clearer signals to the public about council priorities; some members cautioned that scheduling during business hours could reduce public attendance and that topics and any directions must be handled to avoid open-meeting-law pitfalls.

Councilor Amanda Hammond suggested using the sessions to review strategic priorities and to provide an open-meeting-law refresher; Councilor Debbie rree and others said a standing practice of summarizing workshop outcomes in the formal meeting that follows would make the process more accessible to residents who attend only regular evening meetings.

Councilors discussed operational details such as who selects topics, how many topics to allow per member, and whether the mayor or staff should curate the agenda; the mayor said topics would initially be collected and that the first pilot meeting would focus on strategic priorities and an open-meeting-law review.

Why it matters: The change is designed to improve transparency and deliberation while balancing staff time and public access. Councilors framed the move as part of a broader effort to increase engagement and clearer communication with residents.

Next steps: Council asked members to submit topic suggestions in advance; staff will publish the pilot session agenda and record the meeting. The council agreed to revisit the format after the pilot to refine scheduling and procedural rules.