(A) The order of business for all regular meetings shall be as follows, however when it appears to be in the best interest of the public, the order of business may be changed for any single meeting by a majority vote:
(1) Call to order.
(2) Roll call.
(3) Announcements/proclamations.
(4) Reports of boards, commissions, committees, elected officials and city employees.
(5) Public comment on items on the agenda (other than public hearings).
(6) Consent agenda.
(7) Items removed from the consent agenda.
(8) Ordinances and resolutions.
(9) Public hearings.
(10) Appointments.
(11) Public comment on items not on the agenda.
(12) Adjournment.
(B) Call to order. The presiding chair shall call all meetings of the Council to order. The call to order shall note the date, time and location of the meeting so that it may accurately be reflected in the minutes.
(C) Roll call. The City Recorder shall conduct a roll call to determine which members of the Council are present and which are absent.
(1) The attendance shall be properly reflected in the minutes.
(2) If roll call determines that a quorum is not present, the meeting shall be adjourned.
(D) Announcements/proclamations. Announcements are intended to be procedural in nature, such as an item being removed from the agenda. Proclamations are awards or recognition of individuals by the Council.
(E) Reports of boards, commissions, committees, elected officials and city employees. When necessary, reports can be given to the Council by boards, commissions committees, elected officials and/or city employees.
(1) When appropriate, reports to the Council should include written materials which are provided to the Council at least three days in advance of the meeting.
(2) Oral reports to the Council should generally not exceed ten minutes in length.
(3) The Council may ask questions of the presenter upon conclusion of the report being given.
(F) Public comment.
(1) Two periods for public comment will be reserved for every regular meeting of the Council. Each period shall not exceed a maximum of 30 minutes, unless a majority of Councilors present vote to extend the time. Subject to the limitations contained in division (H)(5)(e) of this section, the first period for public comment shall be limited to items placed on the agenda other than public hearings, and the second period of public comment shall be used to comment on any issue of city business, other than agenda items. The presiding officer may, unless a member of Council objects, allow a person who desires to make comment on an item not on the agenda to speak during the first comment period.
(2) Persons wishing to speak during public comment must sign the "speaker's roster" with the person's name and address and the topic upon which the person wishes to speak, not later than the call to order.
(3) Members of the public may speak about any topic during the last period for public comment, except as provided in division (I)(5)(d) of this section.
(4) If a member of the public wishes to speak on an item that is scheduled for a public hearing at that same meeting, the speaker shall wait until that public hearing. Public comment shall not be used to testify about a quasi-judicial land use matter, to testify on an item that is not a public matter, to testify on a matter which has been or is scheduled to be heard by a hearings official, or to provide or gather additional testimony or information on any matter after the official record has been closed on any matter which has been the subject of a public hearing.
(5) Speakers are limited to three minutes. Generally, the speakers will be called upon in the order in which they have signed in on the speaker's roster. Speakers shall identify themselves by their names and by their place of residence. Speakers may state their mailing address (or the ward in which they reside). The presiding officer may allow additional persons to speak if they have not signed the speaker's roster and sufficient time is left in the 30-minute period.
(6) Should there be more speakers than can be heard for three minutes each during either of the 30-minute periods provided for public comment, the presiding officer may sort the requests to speak in order to afford the greatest opportunity for each topic to be heard.
(7) Councilors may, after obtaining the floor, ask questions of speakers during public comment. Councilors shall use restraint when exercising this option, and shall attempt to limit questioning to no more than three minutes. The presiding officer may intervene if a councilor is violating the spirit of this guideline.
(8) Speakers may play electronic audio or visual material during the time permitted for their comment. Speakers may utilize city-provided audio or visual equipment located in the Council chambers as a part of their comment, but must provide the materials in a readable format to city staff prior to the meeting so that it may be installed on the city's equipment to avoid a delay or disruption of the meeting.
(G) Consent agenda. In order to expedite the Council's business, the approval of minutes and other routine agenda items shall be placed on the consent agenda.
(1) All items on the consent agenda shall be approved by a single motion, unless an item is pulled for further consideration.
(2) Any item on the consent agenda may be removed for separate consideration by any member of the Council.
(3) For the purposes of this rule, separate consideration means any proposal to adopt a different course of action than that recommended in the staff report, a determination that debate on a proposed course of action is deemed desirable, any questions to staff on an item, and any item where a member of Council must declare a conflict of interest.
(I) Public hearings generally.
(1) A public hearing may be held on any matter upon majority vote of the Council. Public hearings may be held to consider legislative, quasi-judicial or administrative matters.
(2) Persons wishing to speak shall sign the "hearing roster" with the person's name and address prior to the commencement of the public hearing at which the person wishes to speak.
(3) The City Recorder shall announce at the commencement of any public hearing the subject of the hearing as it is set forth on the agenda. The presiding officer shall then declare the hearing open.
(4) Each person shall, prior to giving testimony, give his or her name, shall indicate whether they are a resident of the city, and may give their address (or identify the ward in which they reside). All remarks shall be addressed to the Council as a body and not to any member thereof.
(5) Speakers at hearings on legislative or administrative matters, other than legislative land use matters, will be limited to three minutes. Speakers at a hearing on a quasi-judicial matter, other than a quasi-judicial land use matter, shall be subject to the following time limits:
(a) Staff presentation (15 minutes total).
(b) Applicant or affected party (15 minutes). Quasi-judicial hearing only.
(c) Appellant, if other than applicant (ten minutes). Quasi-judicial hearing only.
(d) Other interested persons (three minutes per person).
(e) Questions of staff (No time limit).
(f) Rebuttal by applicant or party. The scope of rebuttal is limited to matters which were introduced during the hearing (seven minutes total).
(6) Councilors may, after recognition by the presiding officer, ask clarifying or follow up questions of individuals providing testimony after that individual has completed his or her testimony. Questions posed by Councilors should be to provide clarification or additional information on testimony provided. Questions should not be used as an attempt to lengthen or expand the testimony of the individual. Councilors shall be expected to use restraint and be considerate of the meeting time of the council when exercising this option. The presiding officer may intervene if a Councilor is violating the spirit of this guideline.
(7) Councilors may, after the presentation of testimony of all interested persons, ask clarifying or follow-up questions of staff. Questions posed by City Councilors should be to provide clarification or additional information on testimony provided.
(8) The presiding officer may exclude or limit cumulative, repetitious, or immaterial matter. The presiding officer may order the testimony, alternating those speaking in favor and those in opposition, or have all speaking in favor testify, followed by all those in opposition. The presiding officer, with the approval of the Council, may further limit the time and/or number of speakers at any public hearing; provided that the presiding officer shall announce any such restrictions prior to the commencement of the testimony. In the event of large numbers of interested persons appearing to testify, the presiding officer, to expedite the hearing, may in lieu of testimony call for those in favor of the pending proposal or those in opposition to rise and direct the City Recorder to note the numbers in the minutes.
(9) At the end of public testimony and questions of staff, the Council shall initiate deliberations by introducing a motion on the matter; continue the hearing; or keep the record open for additional written testimony. During deliberations, each member of the Council shall have the opportunity to comment on or discuss testimony given during the public hearing.
(10) A copy of any written testimony or physical evidence, which a party desires to have introduced into the record of the hearing, shall be submitted to the City Recorder at the time of the hearing. Communications concerning quasi-judicial matters received prior to the hearing are ex parte contacts, and a Councilor receiving any such communication must disclose the fact that such a communication has been received, and the content of the communication.
(11) Documents submitted to the city as evidence or written testimony during a public hearing are public records. If such a document contains the name, address, including email address, and telephone number of the person, then it will be included in the record of the proceeding. Because the name, address, including email address, and telephone number are part of a public record, this information will be generally disseminated to the public, and must be disclosed if a public records request is submitted for the documents. A person who believes such disclosure would present a danger to his or her personal safety, and who wishes to exempt his or her address, including email address, and telephone number from disclosure must submit a written request for nondisclosure to the City Recorder pursuant to O.R.S. 192.455(1).
(K) Written communications to Council.
(1) Unsolid communications to the Mayor and/or Council concerning matters on the agenda shall be forwarded to the Council in the agenda packet, but shall not be individually itemized on the agenda.
(2) Unsolid communications to the Mayor and/or Council concerning matters that are not on an agenda shall be forwarded to the Mayor and/or Council but shall not be included in the agenda packet.
(3) The City Manager may, in his or her discretion, bring any matter raised by an unsolid communication to the attention of the Council as an agenda item, provided that such communication is accompanied by a staff report setting forth the reason the matter should be considered by the Council, and making a recommendation for Council action.