1) There are several ways legislative items make it through the urban county council's approval process. Legislative items are all processed at work session but each have their own workflow to come before the council at work session.
a. Administrative workflow (Figure 1.): Administrative requests are files that come from the administration. Files originating from various divisions are processed through a review and approval sequence using a legislative management software. The sequence includes division directors and/or commissioners, the chief administrative officer, certain divisions (to review content), and the council administrator. The office of the mayor (or appointee) prepares a list of items for consideration at the work session. The council administrator prepares the work session agenda and packet for distribution.
b. Council workflow (Figure 2.): Council standing committee items are legislative items the council has discussed in one of their standing committees. These items are referred to committee as outlined in Section 4.204 by the vice mayor or council members for review and discussion. Summaries of the committee meetings are provided by the committee chair at work session, during which any motions (action items) from the committee are brought before the full council for consideration and potentially placed on a docket.
c. Required business of government workflow (Figure 3.): These legislative items, including items previously referred to the docket by the council, zoning amendments, acceptance or rejection of bids, communications from the mayor (for information only), and personnel matters are files that come from the administration as routine business of government. They are processed using a legislative management software, but each file type has its own approval sequence. Files of this nature are directed to the work copy docket. The council clerk prepares the work copy docket with the approved files and distributes it. The council reviews and approves the work copy docket at work session.
2) The legislative workflows outlined above come before the council for review at work session through various parts of the agenda. All items approved at work session are moved to the following council meeting docket, where they receive two (2) separate readings for final approval. (Figure 4.)
3) It should be noted that there are exceptions to these work flows, specifically for emergency items needing approval on a short deadline. A council member may move to walk these items on at a work session or council meeting for approval.
4) The following figures are subject to change based on the adopted council calendar, particularly around holidays and longer breaks of meetings in the calendar.
Figure 1. Administrative Request Workflow
* Step 3. Approval sequence includes approval from the following divisions: Grants & Special Programs, Human Resources, Purchasing, Budgeting, Law, Council Administrator
Figure 2. Council Standing Committee Workflow
Figure 3. Other Request, Work Copy Docket Workflow
*Step 1. File types include: items previously referred to the docket by the council, zoning amendments, acceptance or rejection of bids, communications from the mayor (for information only), and personnel matters.
Figure 4. Overall Work Flow, For All Legislative Requests
(Res. No. 599-2023, § 2, 11-2-23)