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Council reviews proposed protocol manual updates covering advisory bodies, travel and meeting rules
Summary
Staff proposed updates to the council protocol manual including flexible filing periods for advisory bodies, biennial interview subcommittees, travel‑policy disclosure practices, revised flag and proclamation rules, and a guideline to conclude meetings by 9 PM; councilmembers offered preferences and directed staff to return in April with edits.
City Clerk Laura Hathaway and City Manager Kyle Stannard presented a biennial update to the council protocol manual and solicited council direction on multiple procedural changes. Proposed items included allowing the clerk flexibility to set board/commission filing periods (minimum three weeks), making council interview subcommittees biennial, striking an 'alternate' appointment proposal, adding cybersecurity and OPMA training expectations as grounds for dismissal of appointees, and formalizing a practice to suspend recording for board/commission interviews.
On travel, staff proposed budgeting travel that covers one national and one state conference per biennium per councilmember and recommended council members inform colleagues in council conversation when they intend to travel for committee or national duties. Proposed communications updates included requiring 30 days’ notice for proclamations and allowing commemorative flags for up to 31 days. On scheduling, staff suggested meetings be scheduled to conclude by 9 PM and to avoid election nights and certain school‑break conflicts; council members discussed tradeoffs for staff and community accessibility and asked staff to return with refined language for adoption in April.
"The protocol manual itself serves as guidance for council on how you want to operate as a group," Hathaway said, and staff said they would bring a revised draft back to the council in April for potential adoption.
