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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPACKET Town Board Study Session 2011-01-25STUDY SESSION TOWN BOARD Tuesday, January 25, 2011 4:30 p.m. Rooms 202/203 170 MacGregor Ave. AGENDA 4:30 p.m. Town Board Meeting Procedures. 5:30 p.m. Dinner. 5:45 p.m. Finance Committee Creation. Future Agenda Items. 6:30 p.m. Meeting Adjourn — Prepare for Board Meeting. NOTE: The Town Board reserves the right to consider other appropriate items not available at the time the agenda was prepared. Cover letter for Meeting Procedure Committee Documents Committee Members: Wendy Koenig, Mark Elrod, Ron Norris At the direction of the Mayor and Town Board, our committee met with the purpose of proposing a standard meeting format to be used at Town Board meetings, and possibly committee meetings such as Community Development, PUP, etc. Our committee feels that a standard format will allow board/committee members to be more effective in discussion. The public will be able to anticipate and understand the flow of the agenda, and understand their role in participation in public meetings for the Town of Estes Park. Currently, at Town Board meetings, comments are taken prior to a motion being made to discuss items. The purpose of a motion is to bring a specific item before the Board for action. The following discussion, including any amendments, is what clarifies the action to be taken. At the current Town Board meetings, the motion is made AFTER discussion. We are offering a new format. We would like to have a motion on the floor following public comment and then have Board discussion. We would like to discuss the following five documents to explain our thought process and the proposed flow of Town Board meetings. 1. Town Board Meeting Order of Business 2. Residents Guide to Estes Park Town Board Meetings 3. Guidance for Chairing Meetings 4. Background Information on Motions for Boards and Committees 5. Tool box for: Meeting Procedure Options Document #1: Town Board Meeting Order of Business defines the flow of the agenda. The component parts of the meeting are purposely grouped to show different points and actions during the meeting. Document #2: Residents Guide to Estes Park Town Board Meetings explains the component parts of the Town Board Meeting for the public. We recommend this document to be located next to the Town agendas for public use during the meetings. We feel this may be a valuable document to include in the Citizens Academy curriculum. Document #3: Guidance for Chairing Meetings has explanations for the chairperson's responsibilities when running the meeting. The blue comments follow the grouped agenda items. There is a sample discussion to clarify handling multiple motions in the correct order. We have limited the possible motions to: Basic, Amended and Substitute as the most efficient working motions for the board during a meeting discussion. We have also included Table motion, Motion to Reconsider and Point of Order as tools for committee members. Document #4: Background Information on Motions for Boards and Committees is designed to explain to committee members when and how to use the three basic motions: Basic, Amended, and Substitute. This document duplicates, in some ways the Document #3 information designed for the chairperson's use. Our thought process is to give new committee members a packet so they begin their first meeting understanding their role in discussion and understanding the flow of the Town Board meeting, and what motions are allowed. Hopefully, documents #3 and #4 will be useful for other committees. Document #5: Tool box for: Meeting Procedure Options is a reference document designed to be placed at the back of Board of Trustees books for reference, just like the executive session procedure is currently in the Board books. We would like to see document # 5 in a packet for all committees to use. Respectfully submitted, Wendy Koenig, Mark Elrod and Ron Norris Town Board Meeting Order of Business Call meeting to order Pledge of Allegiance Proclamations and Presentations ( Does the Board want to change this order, i.e. swap with Pledge of Allegiance?) Follow-up from previous Public Comment Public Comment Additions to Agenda ( How many votes needed to add items to the Agenda?) Consent Items Liaison reports Town Administrator's report Action Items (repeat process for each action item) - State discussion item with Motion to be discussed - Staff Report (-if ordinance applies, read here) - Clarification of Staff Report by Board questions/discussion - Public Comment (perhaps move after staff report with motion after public comment, then Board discussion) Motion/second (if Ordinance is present, town attorney reads prior to motion ) - Motion modifications if desired -Debate/Discuss motion - Motion modifications if desired -Additional motion modifications if desired Call the Question Vote Adjournment (Do we want to discuss adjournment by motion?) Note: red comments were received at staff/committee meeting and have been recommended to be discussed at the work study session 1/25/11. Residents' Guide to Estes Park Town Board Meetings The Town of Estes Park holds its Board Meetings at 7:00 P.M. on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month. These meetings provide a public forum for conducting the business of governance of the Town and provide for public input into that process. All residents are encouraged to attend and participate. In order to provide guidance and order to the Town Board Meetings the following format is generally followed on the Agenda: • The Mayor calls the meeting to order. • If there are any proclamations or special presentations they will be acknowledged first. • The Pledge of Allegiance is recited on a voluntary basis. • Previous Public Comment Follow-up by staff. If there had been any previous public comment directed to staff for research or discussion, staff will report on the outcome of such. • Public Comment. The public is called upon to provide any comment on any item not on the Agenda for further discussion during the meeting. Comment may be limited due to time constraints in the determination of the Mayor. Generally these comments are not addressed by the Board, but may be referred to staff for further follow-up. • The Mayor will ask the Board if there are any additions to be noted to the Agenda. • The Consent Agenda items are next addressed. The Mayor announces each item on the Consent Agenda. The Consent Agenda items are not open for public comment. However upon request of the Mayor, any Trustee, staff, or member of the public an item shall be removed from the Consent Agenda and moved to the Action Items Agenda which would then allow for public comment. • Reports are received from Trustees for groups for which they serve as liaison. Reports are also received from staff on various matters and subjects. These reports are informational only and require neither debate nor vote. The public is not asked to comment on Reports. • Action Items. Each Action Item is announced and the motion to be discussed is addressed. Staff will provide detail on each Action Item. The Board may ask staff for further clarification, ask questions and discuss the staff detail. The Mayor will then open the Action Item up for public comment. The Mayor may limit time for comment based upon the number of the public present wishing to comment, or based upon the discussion being previously commented on by another member of the public requesting that comment subject germane or not previously addressed. Once public comment is closed no further public comment will be entertained on the Action Item. The Mayor will accept a motion, and a second. A motion modification may be entertained. The motion is debated and discussed by the Trustees. Additional motion modification may be entertained. The question may then be called and a vote taken. The Mayor is not allowed to vote subject to the exception to break a tie vote. • There are special occasions where legally the Board may vote to enter into Executive Session. Executive Sessions are not open to the public, nor are the discussions in Executive Sessions publicly disclosed. The Mayor shall, prior to the Executive Session, announce to the public whether or not any action shall be taken by the Board following its reconvening in Regular Session following the Executive Session. In the event there will be action taken by the Town Board following the Executive session, the action will be taken in Regular Session and open to the public. In the event there will be no action taken by the Town Board following the Executive Session, the Town Board will adjourn immediately following the Board's return to its Regular Session. • Adjournment ends the meeting. Town Board meetings can be viewed on Channel 12 TV in real time, and on the internet approximately two business days after the meeting at www.estesnet.com. *Guidance for Chairing Meetings The Mayor's function is to apply rules for running the meeting. The rules are designed to define a topic/problem and encourage orderly discussion ultimately producing a majority decision. The Mayor remains a participant in the discussion/debate and decision making, without overshadowing any participants. Order of Business: Call meeting to order Pledge of Allegiance Proclamations and Presentations The Mayor is responsible for calling the meeting to order, leading the pledge of allegiance and organizing proclamations and presentations. *Follow-up from previous Public Comment *Public Comment The Mayor asks staff for follow-up/resolution on previous meeting citizen questions. The Mayor invites citizens to make comments and recognizes the citizens in the order of request. *The Mayor has the option to set time limits on public comment. Additions to Agenda Consent Items Liaison reports The Mayor asks committee members, staff and public for additions to the agenda. The Mayor asks if any consent items are to be moved to action items. The Mayor asked for a motion to approve consent items; and then asks for a second. The Mayor repeats the motion and the question is called by the Mayor. The vote tally is announced by the Mayor. Liaison reports are requested from each committee person. Action Items (repeat process for each action item) -State discussion item with motion to be discussed -Staff Report -Clarification of Staff Report by Board questions/discussion -Public Comment The Mayor states the action item and reads suggested staff motion. Staff/guests give reports on action item. If applicable, the ordinance is read by the Town Attorney or Town Clerk. The Mayor asks committee members for comments and questions for staff/guests. When the committee members' questions have been answered, Public comment is requested. If there is a large attendance, ask for hands from the audience to determine the number of wishing to make comment, and limit time accordingly. *To keep the meeting on track, the Mayor may declare comments "out -of - order". The Mayor states the reason comment is out of order and asks person to make comments pertinent to the motion or sit down. The Mayor then asks for a motion from the committee members, and a second. (Note: the motion must be in a foiim.iat, causing a "yes vote" to approve a motion and a "no vote" to oppose a motion. The second is only to allow discussion and can be made by a person opposed to the motion). The Mayor restates the motion for the record. Amendments and substitute motions may be taken at this time (*see discussion below). The person making the motion is asked to discuss/debate the motion first. Then each committee member is given a turn to speak. Respectful debate is allowed. The question is called by any committee member or the Mayor (the Mayor can override if debate needs to continue) The motion is restated. The vote is taken and reported by the Mayor. *Motion amendments: Three motions are allowed: basic, amended and substitute motions. Basic motion: The original operating motion for the committee discussion after the staff report. Amended motion: The basic motion with an addition, deletion or change to it. Substitute motion: The basic motion (and/or amended motion) is completely removed and a new motion is made. The Mayor decides if a motion to amend or substitute is in order. All motions require a second. The Mayor restates all motions. Discussion/debate is requested of committee members on all motions. Voting on motions: The first vote is taken on the LAST Motion on the floor. Example: There are three motions on the floor: Basic, amended and substitute The question is called. The Mayor repeats the substitute motion and calls the vote. If the vote is "yes" on the substitute motion, the amended and basic motions are no longer on the floor. The decision of the committee rests with the substitute motion. If the substitute motion vote is "NO", then the amended motion is voted on. (There is no need to call the question again.) The Mayor repeats the amended motion, and the vote is taken. A "yes" vote ends the voting and the action item is decided by the amended motion. A "no" vote requires a vote to be taken on the basic motion. The basic motion is repeated. A vote is taken. A "yes" vote decides question. A "no" vote requires a new motion to continue discussion on the action item. At this point, the Mayor may request staff to gather more information, refer the item back to committee with specific instructions for changes and table the item for a later date. *(Note for the Town Board Mayor: When the agenda item includes an ordinance, the Town attorney reads the ordinance prior to accepting a motion and second for discussion.) *Executive Session: The Mayor or committee member makes the legally required announcement. Adjournment The Mayor adjourns the meeting if no other comments in order, or adjourns to executive session and follows executive session protocol. ** This document will be formatted to match the Order of Business after the Work Study recommendations from the Board. *Document adopted: (date) *Background Information on Motions for Boards and Committees Three motions are the most common: 1. The basic motion. The basic motion is the one that puts forward a decision for consideration. A basic motion might be: "I move that we create a five -member committee to plan and put on our annual fundraiser." 2. The motion to amend. If a member wants to change a basic motion that is under discussion, he or she would move to amend it. A motion to amend might be: "I move that we amend the motion to have a 10-member committee." A motion to amend takes the basic motion that is before the body and seeks to change it in some way. 3. The substitute motion: If a member wants to completely do away with the basic motion under discussion and put a new motion before the governing body, he or she would "move a substitute motion." A substitute motion might be: "I move a substitute motion that we cancel the annual fundraiser this year." Motions to amend and substitute motions are often confused. But they are quite different, and so is their effect, if passed. A motion to amend seeks to retain the basic motion on the floor, but to modify it in some way. A substitute motion seeks to throw out the basic motion on the floor and substitute a new and different motion for it... Voting on motions when there are several on the floor. The first vote is on the last motion. In the example above, the substitute motion would be voted on first. If passed, the other two (Basic and Amend) would not require a vote because they become moot. If the substitute in the above example passes, it replaces both the Basic and the amendment to the Basic motion. If the substitute fails, then a vote is needed on the amendment. If the amendment passes, the basic motion is moot because it was replaced by the amendment. However, if the amendment fails, the basic motion needs to be voted on. If it passes, it is final. If the basic fails, then the chair determines if a new motion is in order, or does the action item need to be tabled for more information, returned to committee, have staff gather more information, etc. A time for future review of the action item should be established. *Instructional scenario quoted verbatim from: Rosenberg s Rules of Order: Simple Parliamentary Procedures for the 21st Century, 2003, League of California Cities. Tool box for: Meeting Procedure Options Motions: Purpose, Properties Basic Motion: Purpose: Places an action item on the floor for discussion The motion is stated in the positive. "Yes" vote supports motion "No" vote opposes the motion. Divide complex issues into individual motions. Second is required. Amend a Motion: Purpose: To change a portion of the Basic Motion. The amendment uses the original basic motion wording with a change in wording. The motion is stated in the positive. Second is required Substitute Motion: Purpose: To completely remove/replace the Basic Motion. The substitute motion is a new motion with new wording. The motion is stated in the positive. The chair determines if motion qualifies as Substitute Motion. Second is required. Table Motion: Purpose: Stops an action item discussion for more information. Motion to table is at the discretion of the chair. Chair generally states a new meeting date to discuss item. Chair may send item back to committee/staff for revising. Occurs when information is lacking or no decision can be made on action item. Point of order by committee member can generate chair to "Table" motion. Motion to Reconsider: Purpose: Re -open discussion on an finalized action item. This motion must be made at the meeting where the item was voted on, or at the very next meeting. Only a person voting in the majority for the motion that finalized the action item may request a reconsideration motion. Second is required. (Note: Anyone legally can make this motion) Point of Order: Purpose: To correct meeting proceedings and help the chair. State "point of order" then what procedure was missed by chair. No Second is required. Second a Motion: Purpose: To open discussion on an action item. Note: The person providing the second does not need to agree with the motion. Town of Estes Park DRAFT Revised - 1/17/11 Board Finance Committee Charter Administrative: Review and Provide Suggestions to Town Administrator and Town Finance Officer regarding: a. Budgeting Process b. Periodic Financial Reporting 1. Board and Public c. Other, such as: 1. Employee Benefit Plan Options Asset Management: Review Administration of Town Assets: a. Short Term Investments b. Long Term Holdings 1. Land and Other c. Community Reinvestment Fund d. Capital Improvement Plan Economic Sustainability: a. Recommend Financial Goals for the Town b. Recommend Financial Options and other strategies to achieve Town Goals c. Participate in development of the Town's Economic Development Plan To: Honorable Mayor Pinkham Board of Trustees Town Administrator Halburnt l OWN OF ESTES PARK From: Jackie Williamson, Town Clerk Date: January 25, 2011 RE: Future Town Board Study Session Items Other Items Not Scheduled Raw Water rights discussion SOPA introduction of Executive Director & business plan, etc. (Bob Gunn to schedule) Town owned properties Estes Park Economic Council Mayor's right to vote MPEC Proforma — Greenplay Historic Preservation Ordinance Committee — review public input — March 8th Staff request the Board discuss each item and determine if they would like the item scheduled for a study session or as a discussion item for a Town Board meeting.