Garfield council approves three ordinances including AI policy under emergency clause

The City of Garfield council unanimously approved three ordinances during its Aug. 12, 2025 meeting, including a new ordinance governing the use of artificial intelligence that the council invoked under an emergency clause.

Mayor Gary Blackburn introduced Ordinance 219 to annex the Frost property into city limits; Recorder-Treasurer Christal Allen read the ordinance by title only after a motion to do so, the council suspended the three-reading requirement and approved the annexation by unanimous vote. The motion to read by title, to suspend the rule, and the final approval each passed 4–0.

The council then considered Ordinance 220, described in the meeting as governing the city’s use of artificial intelligence. After the ordinance was read by title, the council voted to suspend the three-reading rule, approve the ordinance and invoke the emergency clause so the ordinance would take effect immediately; those motions carried unanimously.

Mayor Blackburn introduced Ordinance 221 addressing extension of water lines outside the city limits. The ordinance was read by title, the council suspended the three-reading rule and approved the ordinance, and the emergency clause was invoked. All votes on Ordinance 221 were unanimous.

Each ordinance followed the same procedural sequence: introduction by the mayor, title-only reading by the recorder-treasurer, a motion to suspend the rule requiring three separate readings, and final approval. The meeting record shows no roll-call opposition; Council Members Kitterman, Teeselink, Rambo and Smead were recorded as voting yes on the measures.

The council did not discuss detailed substantive provisions of the AI ordinance on the record beyond the title reading and procedural motions recorded in the minutes. The next formal steps for the adopted ordinances will be administrative implementation and posting of the adopted text at city hall as required by local practice.