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CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
MEETING DATE: SEPTEMBER 8, 2009
AGENDA #: 9A
PREPARED BY: JANE KANSIER, BUILDING AND TRANSPORTATION SERVICES DIRECTOR
AGENDA ITEM: CONSIDER APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AMENDING THE BYLAWS FOR
THE CITY COUNCIL AS THEY PERTAIN TO (1) THE PUBLIC FORUM, (2)
THE DEPUTY MAYOR, (3) MINUTE PREPARATION, AND (4) PUBLIC INPUT
DISCUSSION: Introduction
The purpose of this agenda report is to consider amendments to the City Council
bylaws. Same of these amendments, such as minute preparation and the
deputy mayor, are housekeeping items. The amendments pertaining to the
public forum and public input are more substantial.
History
In the last few months, the Council has asked questions about what topics are
appropriate for the public forum. The issue specifically relates to whether or not
items which have been the subject of a public hearing should be addressed at
the public forum, and what impact this has on the due process provisions.
Technology has also become an issue as it relates to public input. At a recent
Planning Commission meeting, a DVD containing recorded testimony was
submitted in lieu of a live presentation. This is a result of new technology
available to both the City and the public. The bylaws are silent on how this
should be handled.
The Council has also directed staff to review the language for appointment of a
deputy mayor to ensure it is consistent with Minnesota Statutes. Finally, as staff
reviewed the above issues, we also realized there were some housekeeping
items that could also be addressed at this time. These items pertain to minute
preparation, among other things.
The attached bylaws reflect the proposed changes. The following report
addresses each item separately.
Current Circumstances
1. Public Forum: The City Council bylaws currently require the following
statement appear on the City Council agenda:
"The Public Forum is intended to afford the public an opportunity to address
concerns to the City Council. The Public Forum will be no longer than 30
minutes in length and each presenter will have no more than ten (10) minutes
to speak. Topics of discussion are restricted to City governmental topics
rather than private or political agendas. Topics may be addressed at the
Public Forum that are on the agenda except those topics that are part of a
www. cityofpriorlake. com
Phone 952.447.9800 /Fax 952.447.4245
public hearing or public information hearing. The City Council will not take
formal action on Public Forum presentations."
On June 1, 2009, the Council directed the Bylaws and Compensation
Committee to review an amendment to the bylaws which would restrict the
topics to be addressed to those items not included on the regular City
Council agenda. The proposed amendments to the bylaws include changes
to Sections 207.4 (City Council Forum) and 401.2 (Public Forum). The only
facet of the forum impacted by this amendment is the ability of the public to
address items that appear on the City Council agenda. The general
language, which would also appear on the agenda is as follows:
"The Public Forum is intended to afford the public an opportunity to address
concerns to the City Council. The Public Forum will be no longer than 30
minutes in length and each presenter will have no more than ten (10) minutes
to speak. Topics of discussion are restricted to City governmental topics
rather than private or political agendas. Topics maybe addressed at the
Public Forum that are on fhe agenda except those topics that have been or
will be the subject of a public hearing or public information hearing at the City
Council, Economic Development Authority (EDA) the Planning Commission
or any other City Advisory Committee within the foreseeable future. The City
Council will not take formal action on Public Forum presentations. "
This language still allows comments,
ensuring testimony on any upcoming
public hearing.
but still protects due process by
item will be made at the appropriate
2. Deputy Mayor: The bylaws provide that "each year the Council shall choose
a deputy mayor" but the practice has been to have the Mayor recommend
and the Council endorse the proposed candidate. This language is nearly
identical to Minnesota Statutes §412.121, except the title of the position is
Acting Mayor rather than Deputy Mayor.
The proposed amendments to the bylaws include changes to Section 301.2.
The new language states:
"Appoint Acting Mayor, At its first meeting each year the Council shall
appoint an Acting Mayor from the Councilors. The Mayor shall recommend a
Councilor to serve as Acting Mayor and the Council will affirm or deny the
recommendation. The Acting Mayor shall perform the duties of Mayor during
the disability or absence of the Mayor from the City or, in case of vacancy in
the office of Mayor, until a successor has been appointed and qualifies. MN
Stat. 412.121. "The Acting Mayor in the absence of the Mayor is known as
the Mayor Pro Tem ("Mayor for the Time').
This language is consistent with State statute. All other references to Deputy
Mayor are also changed to Acting Mayor.
3. Minute Preparation: Minor changes to Section 600 have been proposed to
reflect current practices, clarify the purpose of the city's DVD recordings and
the cost of transcription services. These changes, shown on the attached
bylaws, are not substantive.
4. Public Input: Section 900 of the bylaws addresses testimony during the
public hearing process. While the section contemplates oral and written
testimony, it does not address pre-recorded audio or video testimony. The
question is, how specific do we want to be in allowing pre-recorded material?
We have checked with several other cities and the League of Minnesota
Cities to determine how they handle this issue. The City Attorney has
solicited input from other city attorneys for their thoughts on the subject. The
responses she received were shared with the Bylaws Committee. We have
learned we are breaking new ground, since most cities don't address
recorded testimony.
The following amendments are proposed:
The committee proposes to treat audio and video communications like written
testimony. The audio or video presentation be supplied seven calendar days
before the meeting in a sufficient number of copies to send to planning
commissioners or councilmembers. The staff will summarize the content of
the audio or video communication and both the written summary and the
electronic presentation will be distributed to the Councilors or Commissioners
with the agenda materials. The summary and the submitted audio/video
communication will become part of the hearing record. Written, audio and
video testimony will not be read aloud or played at the public meetings.
ISSUES: The bylaws and the proposed changes reflect input from City Staff, the City
Manager, the City Attorney and Councillors Hedberg and LeMair who serve on
Bylaws and Compensation subcommittee.
FINANCIAL There is no financial impact to the City as a result of these changes.
IMPACT:
ALTERNATIVES: 1. Adopt a resolution approving the amendments to the bylaws as written or
with changes recommended by the City Council.
2. Defer this item and provide staff with further direction.
RECOMMENDED A motion and second adopting a resolution approving the amendments to the
MOTION: bylaws as written or with changes recommended by the City Council.
Reviewed by
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Frank Boyles, :City Manager
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t~~\,\' \`,;~ RESOLUTION 09-xxx
A RESOLUTION AMENDING THE BYLAWS FOR THE CITY COUNCIL
Motiion By: Second By:
WHEREAS, The City Council adopts bylaws to provide a set of operating procedures for the City
Council; and
WHEREAS, The Bylaws are updated on a regular basis to reflect changing conditions; and
WHEREAS, The current amendments address:
1. The topics of discussion at the City Council forum to those items not subject to a
public hearing;
2. Appointment of the Acting Mayor;
3. Minute preparation;
4. Videotaped testimony.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF PRIOR LAKE,
MINNESOTA as follows:
1. The recitals set forth above are incorporated herein.
2. The City Council hereby approves the amendments to the bylaws for the City Council.
PASSED AND ADOPTED THIS 8r" DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2009.
YES
Nn
Hau en Hau en '
Erickson Erickson '
Hedberg Hedber
LeMair _ LeMair
Millar _
Millar
Frank Boyles, City Manager
www.cityofpriorlake.com
Phone 952.447.9800 /Fax 952.447.42.45
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RESOLUTION 09-xx
A RESOLUTION AWARDING THE CITY'S STANDARDIZED CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT FOR
STREET AND UTILITY CONSTRUCTION FOR THE COVES, VILLAS, AND BLUFFS OF
NORTHWOOD MEADOWS
Motion By:
Second By:
WHEREAS, The three Developers of the Coves, Villas and Bluffs of Northwood Meadows have
failed to complete the Developer Installed Improvements required of them in the
respective Development Contracts for each subdivision; and
WHEREAS, the Developer Installed Improvements that remain incomplete include mainly
bituminous pavement, landscaping, and appurtenant work; and
WHEREAS, In an effort to complete the bituminous improvements cost effectively the three
Developers agreed to bid and retain one contractor to complete all of the bituminous
work in the Coves, Villas and Bluffs of Northwood Meadows; and
WHEREAS, to assure the improvements were completed and the property owners who purchased
homes in the any of the three subdivisions were protected, the City will utilize
Developer's escrows and Letters of Credit to complete the improvements; and
WHEREAS, When the project was bid seven bids were received; and
WHEREAS, Bituminous Roadways of Shakopee, MN submitted the lowest bid and is a responsible
bidder; and
WHEREAS, The final wear course of bituminous should be completed before the winter to prevent
undue degeneration of the streets.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF PRIOR LAKE,
MINNESOTA as follows:
1. The recitals set forth above are incorporated herein.
2. The bituminous work remaining in the Coves, Villas and Bluffs of Northwood Meadows was
competitively bid and Bituminous Roadways of Shakopee, Minnesota is the lowest responsible
bidder.
3. The Mayor and City Manager are hereby authorized to enter into the City's Standard Construction
Contract with Bituminous Roadways of Shakopee, Minnesota in the amount of $29,465 to complete
the work in the Bluffs of Northwood Meadows.
4. Construction costs will be paid using funds from Developer's Letters of Credit and funds escrowed
by the Developers pursuant to their respective Development Contracts with the City.
5. The City Manager is authorized to direct that up to an additional $55,993 in work be completed in
the Villas and Coves of Northwood Meadows Project by Bituminous Roadways utilizing developer
funds in accordance with the Development Contracts in the event the respective Developers fail to
complete the required improvements.
www. cityofpriorlake. com
Phone 952.447.9800 /Fax 952.447.4245
R:\Council\2009 Agenda Reports\09 08 09\Northwood Meadows award Resolution - Alternate.doc
PASSED AND ADOPTED THIS 8t" DAY OF SEPTEMBER 2009.
YES NO
Hau en Hau en
Erickson Erickson
Hedber Hedber
LeMair LeMair
Millar Millar
Frank Bayles, City Manager
R:\Council\2009 Agenda Reports\09 08 09\Northwood Meadows award Resolution - Alternate.doc
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CITY OF PRIOR LAKE, MINNESOTA
Mayor and City Council
BYLAWS
Adopted on May 27, 1986
RP.VISPCI'
January 1991
January 1993
May 1993
January 1994
January 1995
January 1996
January 1997
May 1997
January 1998
March 1998
January 1999
April 2000
October 2002
March 2006
May 2006
June 2007
November 2008
S°ptem~;.r 2009
FRANK BOYLES
CITY MANAGER
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section # __-
Topic ~ _ _.
~ Page #
Section 100
Purpose i
~ 3
Regular, Special and Emergency Meetings and Work
Section 200 Sessions j 3
i
Section 300
Annual Meeting i
S
__ _ _ _ __r
Section 400 ;Meeting Agenda Format and Consent Agenda 6
Section 500 'Quorum and Voting Procedures 8
i
Section 600 Minute Preparation
8
_._ _ ._
Section 700 Roles at Meeting j 9
Section 800 'Motions, Resolutions, Ordinances 11
Section 900 Public Hearing Format
_ _ 12
__ -.
,Section 1000 Committee Structure 13
Section 1100 'Suspension of Rules
__ _ ( 15
-
Section 1200 Reimbursement for Expenses 16
__
I, Section 1300 =Statement of Ethics ~ 17
iti
il R
Ci
C ~ 19
Section 1400 ecogn
on
ounc
ty
~ Appendix A Types of Motions i 20
2
SECTION 100:
PURPOSE
101: PURPOSE: The purpose of the Prior Lake City Council Bylaws is to provide the
members of the City Council with a set of operation procedures designed to guide them
during the Council meetings, and to establish a code of ethics and conduct.
102: The Bylaws shall be considered and adopted at the Annual Meeting of the Prior Lake
City Council. The Annual Meeting is the first regular meeting in January. Bylaws can be
reviewed and amended at any meeting other than the Annual Meeting. Any changes or
amendments to the Bylaws shall follow this procedure:
102.1 A motion to amend a specifc section, subsection, paragraph, sentence, or line is
proposed.
102.2 A second to the motion is required.
102.3 Discussion on the Bylaws amendment occurs.
102.4 The vote is taken. A simple majority is required to pass the Bylaws at the annual
meeting. A super majority is required at any meeting other than the annual
meeting.
103: These Bylaws shall govern the procedures of the Prior Lake City Council immediately
upon adoption. If an issue is raised which is not covered in the Bylaws, the procedures
to respond to the issue shall be governed by Robert's Rules of Order Revised. Failure to
comply with these Bylaws or Robert's Rules of Order shall not invalidate Council action
unless at the time the action is taken or promptly thereafter a member of the Council
raises a parliamentary objection and advises the Council of the particular rule which was
not observed.
SECTION 200:
REGULAR, SPECIAL AND EMERGENCY MEETINGS, AND WORK SESSIONS
201: Except as otherwise provided in the Minnesota Open Meeting Law, M.S.A., Section
471.705, all meetings of the City Council, including regular, special, emergency, work
sessions, and adjourned meetings shall be open to the public.
202: REGULAR MEETINGS: The Prior Lake City Council regular meeting shall be held on the
first and third Mondays of each month commencing at 6:00 p.m. All regular meetings
shall be held in the designated City Council Chambers.
When a regular meeting is projected to fall on an official holiday, the City Council shall
reschedule the meeting for the following business day. The Gity Council may consult
with the City Manager to determine the amount of business pending and decide by
majority vote to reschedule or cancel a meeting. The City Manager shall post notice and
publish in the paper the decision of the City Council to reschedule or cancel the meeting
pursuant to the Open Meeting Law. A City Council member shall inform the City
Manager when an absence is planned or pending prior to the meeting. The City
Manager shall inform the members of the City Council at the meeting that the member
cannot be in attendance at the meeting.
203: SPECIAL MEETINGS: Special Meetings may be called by any two (2) members of the
City Council. Written notice shall be given to each member of the City Council of the
time, place and purpose of the meeting. The notice shall be delivered to the member or
a responsible person at the member's residence at least three days in advance of the
meeting. (See City Code Section 105.200) Notice shall be posted at City Hall and
provided to any member of the public or news media who have requested notification in
writing.
204: The agenda for a regular meeting will be prepared by the City Manager and shall be
available the Wednesday before the following Monday meeting, except in the event of a
holiday during agenda preparation week in which case the agenda will be available on
Thursday. The agenda shall include the items set forth in Section 400 -Meeting Agenda
Format and Consent Agenda. Copies of the agenda, supporting documentation and
minutes from the previous meeting shall be made available to the public:
204.1 Once the materials have been delivered to the Councilmembers.
204.2 A copy of the agenda materials will be available in the Council Chambers for
public inspection at the time of the meeting.
204.3 Agenda materials will also be available online through the City's website on the
Thursday preceding the City Council regular meeting.
205: EMERGENCY MEETINGS: The Mayor or City Manager may call an emergency
meeting. Notice of the emergency meeting shall be given by either telephone, fax or
written notice to members of the City Council. Notice shall be provided to each news
medium and individual that has filed a written request for notice. Posted or published
notice of an emergency meeting shall not be required. An "emergency" meeting is a
special meeting called because of circumstances that require immediate consideration
by the City Council.
206: WORK SESSIONS: The City Manager may schedule work sessions subject to Council
approval. The purpose of the work session is to afford the City Council, City Manager
and City staff the opportunity to discuss policy matters in a more informal environment.
Public input will not be allowed unless specifically scheduled in the agenda. The work
session may be canceled at the discretion of the City Manager.
207: CITY COUNCIL FORUM: A City Council "Forum" shall be scheduled at 6 p.m. as part of
each City Council meeting. The Public Forum will be no longer than 30 minutes in length
and each presenter will have no more than ten (10) minutes to speak. To be
recognized, individuals who desire to participate in the Forum shall use the sign-up
sheet provided outside the City Council Chambers. The sign-up sheet shall be available
at 5 p.m.
The Public Forum is intended to afford the publican opportunity to address concerns to the City
Council and to address the City Council on any subject that is of community interest,
provides information required by the Council to complete its duties, or is provided by
agencies representing citizens of Prior Lake.
207.1 Every individual who addresses the Council at the Forum must first be
recognized by the presiding officer and then shall state his/her name and
address before beginning any comments. The city manager shall be the
timekeeper for the Forum so that each speaker receives an appropriate amount
of time.
207.2 No Council action may take place during the Forum. However, Councilmembers
may express their views or reaction to a presentation and may ask questions of
the presenter.
207.3 At the conclusion of the Forum, the Council may, by motion and majority vote,
indicate its interest that the subject matter of a Forum presentation be placed on
a subsequent City Council agenda.
207.4 Items to be considered on the agenda may be addressed at the Public Forum
unless they have been or will be the subject of a public hearing or public
information hearing at the City Council, Economic Development Authority (EDA),
the Planning Commission, or any other City Advisory Committee tivi ~ n u~-
Foreseeable future. Forum items are also restricted to City governmental topics
rather than as a platform for private agendas. Matters that are the subi~~~ o;
pending li tion -~ e not ,~ ~~p~ '_~ fur t-~.., Pubiic Forum.
207.5 If any Councilmember deems that the comments are not germane to issues
within the purview of the City Council, the Councilmember may request the
presiding officer to request the speaker to yield the podium. Further, any
Councilmember may object to the request of the presiding officer to ask a
speaker to yield the podium, in which case, the presiding officer shall put the
matter to a vote of the Council.
207.6 Public Forums are included as part of the regular meeting minutes and cablecast
live.
207.7 As the presiding officer, the Mayor shall have the authority to adjourn the public
forum, censure the speaker or take other action as deemed appropriate if there is
a breach of decorum.
SECTION 300:
ANNUAL MEETING
301: The first regularly scheduled meeting in January shall be referred to as the annual
meeting. Regular business may be conducted at this meeting and the following
organizational business is required unless deferred by the Council for a specific reason.
301.1 Swear in newly elected officials, if applicable.
301.2 ,Appoint Acting Mayor. At its first meeting each year the Council shall appoint an
acting mayor from the Councilors. The Mayor shall recommend a Councilor to
serve as acting mayor and the Council will affirm or deny the recommendation.
The P~Cting Paayor shall perform the duties of mayor during the disability or
absence of the Mayor from the City or, in case of vacancy in the office of Mayor,
until a successor has been appointed and qualifies. MN Stat. 412.121. i i
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301.3 Appoint the Official newspaper.
301.4 Designate the Official bank.
301.5 Designate the Equalization Committee.
301.6 Appoint an Auditing Firm.
301.7 Appoint a Fiscal Consultant.
301.8 Designate a Civil Defense Director
301.9 Designate a Health Officer
I Deleted: Elect Deputy
Deleted: choose
~_ eleted: deputy
Deleted: deputy
301.10 Appoint Councilors to serve as Liaisons to the various City Advisory Committees
301.11 Approval of City Council Appointed Committee Bylaws and Procedures.
301.12 Approve City Council Bylaws.
301.13 Designate an Animal Control Officer.
301.14 Adopt the Yearly Fee Schedule.
301.16 Appoint the Special Assessment Committee.
301.17 Other appointments as may be appropriate.
302. Items normally scheduled for the annual meeting may be considered at an earlier
meeting at the discretion of the City Council.
SECTION 400:
MEETING AGENDA FORMAT AND CONSENT AGENDA
401: Business of the meeting will be conducted according to the agenda prepared by the City
Manager. The City Manager will prepare an agenda that follows this order:
401.1 Call to Order and Pledge of Allegiance
401.2 Public Forum
• The City Council Agenda sheet shall include the following statement: "The
Public Forum is intended to afford the public an opportunity to address
concerns to the City Council. The Public Forum will be no longer than 30
minutes in length and each presenter will have no more than ten (10) minutes
to speak. Topics of discussion are restricted to City governmental topics
rather than private or political agendas. Topics may be addressed at the
Public Forum that are on the agenda except those topics that have been or
will be the subject of a public hearing or public information hearing at the City
Council, Economic Development Authority (EDA), the Planning Commission,
or any other City Advisory Committee. The City Council will not take formal
action on Public Forum presentations."
401.3 Approval of Agenda
• The City Council may, by motion, change the order an item is to be
considered on the agenda except it may not begin a public hearing before the
time specified in the public notice.
401.4 Approval of Minutes
401.5 Consent Agenda
• With the adoption of these Bylaws, a Consent Agenda is created. The
purpose of the "Consent Agenda" is to group items of a routine and non-
controversial nature for consideration under one motion. There will be no
separate discussion of items placed on the "Consent Agenda". If discussion
of an item on the "Consent Agenda" is desired, any member of the Council
n ~a~ request the item be removed from the Consent Agenda and considered
separately.
• The City Manager shall determine what items may be considered routine and
non-controversial; and therefore appropriate for inclusion as a Consent
Agenda item. To provide the City Manager with guidance, the following types
of items tend to be routine and non-controversial: grant deeds, grants of
easements, adoption of ordinances and resolutions previously considered by
the city council, investment report, quarterly budget report, treasurer's report,
animal control report, building inspection report, non-controversial license
requests, standard development contracts, calls for bid, reports of
administrative actions and proposals, leases and agreements previously
approved in principle, reports for filing or setting dates for public hearings,
approval of payment of contracts, approval or denial of claims, award of bids,
~~~ or' ~~ ~r it=r ~ n~ a II' ~=~~~~ - +riat the City Manager considers routine and
non-controversial.
• The City Council Agenda sheet shall include the following staterrlent: "Those
items on the Council Agenda which are considered routine and non-
controversial are included as part of the Consent Agenda. Unless the Mayor
or ~ Counci;or specifically requests that an item on the Consent Agenda be
removed and considered separately, Items on the Consent Agenda are
considered under one motion, second and a roll call vote. Any item removed
from the consent agenda shall be placed on the council agenda under "
Removed Consent Agenda Items".
401.6 Removed Consent Agenda Items
• !i~~ na„ _ ~: ~ t:~nC1a s. all b ~ -_ _ ,._~
._ _ _ , _ . ~- _ ~._ ,. I, ~tlon
401.7 Presentations
• The City Manager may schedule presentations before the City Council giving
preference to presenters and topics that relate to City governmental
business. Presentations are not action items E ~ ~;` ~~ :~_ ;; ~i~ ,_%o
401.8 PUbIIC HearingS, Deleted: /Town Meetings
401.9 Old Business
401.10 New Business.
401.11 Other Business -Including Community Events and Councilo~ Reports
• Members of the City Council and staff may present items under Other
Business that will be discussed and deliberated for the first time. These items
should, for the most part, be informational. The City Council has the authority
to request action or take a formal position on the item(s); however, this shall
be done on an item-by-item basis.
401.12 Adjournment
402: CITY MANAGER TO DETERMINE AGENDA: It shall be the responsibility of the City
Manager to prepare and decide the City Council agenda. The City Manager shall be
responsible for overseeing and reviewing the preparation of all agenda items.
402.1 If a member of the public requests to appear before the City Council or requests
an item to be placed on the Council agenda, the City Manager shall determine
whether the item should appropriately be considered by the City Council at a
regular meeting.
402.2 If the City Manager determines that an item should not be placed on a City
Council agenda, the City Manager may recommend that the individual appear at
a City Council Forum.
402.3 The City Manager shall maintain a list of items scheduled to appear on meeting
agendas. The City Manager shall endeavor to manage the anticipated length of
Council meetings in order to assure each matter receives full and fair
consideration, and that the meeting can be concluded by 11 p.m.
402.4 The City Council maintains final authority to approve, disapprove or modify the
agenda.
403: The 1,"~ayci~ c~ F,cting Mayor shah I' ~s~:_r; ~~ ~r a~i Cour~cii n-eetinas ~ he presiding officer
may call a recess at any time during the meeting. Except for recesses for executive
sessions, the presiding officer shall announce the length of the recess. The purpose of
the recess is to provide the City Council, City staff and the public attending the meeting
with a short rest period from the Council business. The presiding officer may also
recess or adjourn a meeting if a member(s) of the public is behaving in a disru~ti~~ic~
fl'~2!~°~ Or U~ia~ Iilal~pfOpi'latc aflr]LIBq~.
404: Unless waived by motion, second and majority vote, no agenda item shall be initiated
after 11 p.m. If a motion to extend the meeting is tendered, it shall include the time the
meeting is to be adjourned. A meeting, once extended, must be adjourned at the time
specified in the approved motion to extend.
SECTION 500:
QUORUM AND VOTING PROCEDURES
501: At each meeting, a majority of all the members elected (3 out of 5) shall constitute a
quorum for the transaction of business.
502: The voting options available to the City Council when a vote has been initiated are: aye
- an affirmative vote; nay - a negative vote. A Councilmember may abstain only when
they have a disqualifying conflict of interest as determined by the City Attorney.
503: Three votes shall be necessary for approval of any ordinance unless a larger number is
required by statute. A majority vote of a quorum is necessary for the approval of all
general motions and resolutions ~tivi; pr~.li : .~ icy t`. ~~ b,, :: ~,<~ .
504: When a question is put by the presiding officer, every member present shall vote. If a
member abstains from voting based upon a conflict of interest, the Councilor must
advise the presiding officer of the nature of the conflict. Otherwise, any Councilor, who
being present when his or her name is called fails to vote upon any then pending
proposition, shall be recorded as having voted in the affirmative.
505: VOTING PROCEDURE: An agenda item shall be put before the City Council for its
consideration and vote in the following manner:
505.1 The City Manager introduces the agenda item and provides the City Council with
a description of the item and the action requested of the Council.
505.2 The City Manager or any Councilo may call upon City staff to describe an
agenda item or to provide additional information.
505.3 Discussion of the agenda item by the Council requires a motion and second to
formally put the matter before the Council.
505.4 Council~~rs may, at this point, ask questions of staff, present their views and
engage in a dialogue with other members of the Council.
505.5 After discussion concludes, the presiding officer shall call for a vote on the matter
pending.
505.7 When a vote is to be taken, the presiding officer shall first call for the ayes, then
the nays- The votes of each member shall be recorded in the Minutes. If a
member of the City Council is absent during a vote, the member's vote for the
official Minutes shall read as "absent".
SECTION 600:
MINUTE PREPARATION
601; The City Manager is responsible for the preparation of the minutes of the Meeting. The
meeting proceedings will be audio-recorded and written minutes will be prepared, The 'Deleted: bytneAaminlstratNe
written minutes of the meeting as approved by the City Council are the official record of 'Assistant
the meeting. The audio recording is intended to supplement the minutes for the purpose
of an "on the record review" in a judicial proceeding. A DVD recording may ;also be
prepared for the purpose of ~ ~:h~c i _,._; ,+ the P." ~;aing on the City's pug 1~= ~~cr- ca~le
c ; _u~n~' The following two requirements for "Minute" preparation shall be adhered to:
601.1 All motions typed in capital letters.
601.2 List the names of the City Council after their vote on each motion.
602: The official Minutes shall be prepared and presented to the City Council at the next
regularly scheduled meeting as part of the agenda packet. The text of the minutes shall
consist of official Council business conducted while the Council is in session. Any
comments made at a meeting that are made prior to the start of or after adjournment of
the meeting, or during any recess, shall not be made part of the minutes. The City
Council shall review the minutes and the presiding officer shall call for any additions or
corrections. If an addition or correction is presented, the change must be specific as to
place, paragraph, and sentence, if applicable. The official minutes shall be corrected to
reflect the change.
603: Approval of the minutes requires a motion, second and a majority vote of the members
present at the meeting. Councilmembers who were not present at the meeting for which
the minutes are being approved shall abstain from voting on the action to approve the
minutes.
604: The City Manager is responsible for the maintenance and filing of the Minutes.
604.1 Written minutes will be retained as a permanent record either in paper, on
microfilm, or in a digital format available online through the City's Website.
604.2 All audio and DVD recordings will be retained in accordance with the City's data
retention schedule.
604.3 Verbatim tra ~saipts of audio recordings, if available, may be obtained from the
City for a fee jn accordance with the City fee schedule. oersted: ~or,5~5t~r,9 of aa~ai costs
incurred (materials /labor)
605: A verbatim transcript request of all or any part of a meeting may be requested by a
member o the general public. A fee for the transcript shall,be in accordance with the j oersted: consist cf me aoiuai ~oscs
City's official fee schedule unless the City has, for its own purposes, previously prepared for preparing s~~n transcript. e.9
~~ hourly wage, fringe benefits, copying
a verbatim transcript, in which case the individual requesting a copy of the transcript ana malrng costs
shall pay the City's standard photocopy charge. - - - -
SECTION 700:
ROLES AT MEETING
701: All meetings of the City Council shall comply with the Minnesota Open Meeting law,
which requires meetings (with few exceptions) of all municipal bodies to be open to the
public. The City Council of Prior Lake encourages citizen attendance. Public attendance
at meetings of the Council helps to develop a more enlightened. interested and
participatory citizenry.
702: OBJECTIONS TO RECESSING THE REGULAR MEETING INTO EXECUTIVE
SESSION. Any individual desiring to object to the Council's adjournment into an
executive session shall do so in the following manner. This process is included in the
bylaws to give individuals or organizations standing without disruption of any regular
meeting. Any comments made at a meeting that are ruled out of order by the presiding
officer shall not appear in the minutes.
702.1 The objection shall be made in writing providing the basis or legal authority for
the objection, together with the name, address and phone number of the
objector.
702.2 The written objection must be tendered to the City Manager within one business
day of the alleged violation.
703: Any Councilmember may recognize a member of the public for the purpose of asking
question(s) relating to the matter under consideration by the Council. Members of the
City Council must use judgment and discretion when recognizing members of the public
to answer a question during the time they have the floor.
704: Members of the Council may also ask questions of Staff in order to clarify their
understanding of the relevant information necessary to make an informed judgment. In
preparation for Council meetings, Councilors may want to consider contacting the City
Manager, in sufficient time prior to the meeting, to advise the question they intend to ask
in order for the City Manager to attempt to bring the additional information to the Council
meeting.
705: The Maya;has the same voting powers as do the ooh ~r n ~ ~~~'o~~s of th~~~ Council.. The
P.'~ayo ,may vote on all motion~,and he/she does not have any extra voting powers if the
vote results in a tie, except as may be authorized by state statute.
__ -.,
Deleted: presiding officer
Deleted: presiding office.
Deleted: whenever a vota is taken -
706: The Mayor shall be the presiding officer at all meetings. If the Mayor is absent, the
-- -~
Acti-~c` Mayor shall preside at the meeting. If in the event the Mayor; :.d Acting, Mayor Deleted: Deputy
-.._- -
are absent, the City Manager shall call the meeting to order and preside until such time Deleted: and ~
the City Council elects among itself a member to preside at the meeting. The presiding Deleted: Deputy _ __~
officer, at all times, shall be allowed to vote in the same manner as all other members of
'''" COUnCI~, Deleted: members
707: The presiding officer has two unique powers: (1) interpreting and applying the rules of
procedure; and (2) recognizing speakers from the audience.
708: The presiding officer is responsible for maintaining order at the meetings.
10
709: The presiding officer shall recognize all speakers from the audience, except when a
member of the Council has the floor and they expressly recognize a member of the
audience to answer questions relating to the issue under consideration.
710: The presiding officer has the responsibility to facilitate discussion by the City Council.
This may occur in a variety of ways, including:
710.1 Interpret and apply rules of procedure.
710.2 Decide whether motions are properly made.
710.3 Decide whether motions are in order.
710.4 Decide whether questions of special privilege ought to be granted.
710.5 Decide when to recognize speakers.
710.6 Call for motions or recommend motions.
710.7 Expel disorderly persons from the meeting.
710.8 Enforce speaking procedures.
711: All members of the City Council may make and second motions, participate in
discussions and vote whenever a vote is taken.
712: As individuals, Council members have no administrative authority. When acting as a
Council, however, the legislative body has authority over the appointed City Manager.
713: The City Manager shall attend all meetings of the City Council with the right to take part
in the discussions, but not to vote. In the absence of the City Manager, the Assistant City
Manager or designated department head shall serve as the City Manager's
representative at the meeting.
714: Department Heads may attend all meetings. Department Heads shall attend the
meetings when directed by the City Manager.
715: A memorandum report or brief explanation of each agenda item shall be included in the
materials that accompany the agenda. The information provided by Staff should serve to
inform the City Council on the subject matter under discussion. The information should
explain in detail the Staff comments or work, or state that Staff will present the
necessary details and comments at the meeting. If an agenda item requires more than a
majority vote, the agenda report shall specify the votes needed to pass the matter under
consideration.
SECTION 800:
MOTIONS, RESOLUTIONS, ORDINANCES
801: The City Council may take formal action in any of three methods -motions, resolutions
or ordinances. All motions in any form require a second unless otherwise stated below.
All votes of the City Council in any of the three methods require a majority vote for
approval unless otherwise specified below or prescribed by 'c` .
statute.
802: MOTIONS: A motion is a matter of parliamentary procedure. Motions are a formal
method of bringing business before the Council and for stating propositions on which a
decision will have to be made. It also can be used in the form of a proposal so that the
City Council can act by resolution or by ordinance. Motions may be used to introduce
resolutions and ordinances, to amend them, and to take any other actions concerning
them. Motions may also be used for action on simple administrative acts, such as
approving the monthly department reports, or directing the City Manager.
803: Every motion shall be stated in full and be reasonably understood, before it is submitted
to a vote by the presiding officer.
804: RESOLUTIONS: Resolutions are normally used to reflect the City Council position on
items of business that do not require or warrant an ordinance. Resolutions may be
enacted on a motion, which has been duly seconded, and receive a majority vote. The
City Manager will maintain a record of all resolutions and will be responsible for the
proper numbering and execution of each resolution adopted by the City Council.
804.1 Notwithstanding other instances where resolutions may be needed, resolutions
are required to authorize the execution of any contract exceeding $20,000 or as
otherwise specified in the City's Purchasing Policy.
805: ORDINANCES: An ordinance is a law governing or regulating some activity that is
properly within the power of the Council to regulate. Ordinances shall be used when the
City Council action regulates or governs people or property. All police regulations for
public health, morals, economic well-being, welfare and safety must be passed in
ordinance form. Ordinances may also be used to provide permanent rules for the
organization and operation of the City Council. Ordinances may be enacted upon a
motion and a second. A, majority vote of the mel~~ber~s pre:,ent must vote in the
-~ " f: ~ th ~ ordinance to pas ,pnless a largerrnajority is required by State law or
these Bylaws.
806: An ordinance shall become effective upon passage and publication unless otherwise
specified in the ordinance. Consistent with State Statute the Council may authorize
publication of a summary of the ordinance rather than its full text. The Council, by
motion, must approve and authorize the proposed summary. Proof of publication shall
be attached to and filed with every ordinance.
807: All ordinances shall be reviewed by the City Attorney prior to presentation to the Council.
The ordinance format includes: title; number; enacting clause; the contents or body; the
penalty; the closing; the attestation, publication date and the effective date. The City
Manager will maintain a record of all ordinances and will be responsible for the Prior
Lake City Code and codification requirements. The Council may authorize the City
Manager to contract for codification services.
SECTION 900:
PUBLIC HEARING FORMAT
901: Public Hearings shall be conducted in the following manner:
901.1 The presiding officer announces the : ,.! ~ ~ I~ iten. that is tn: s.~:~t pct of the public
~learln~.
901.2 It is the intent of the City Council to open all public hearings at the time indicated
in the p~~i!.>lic hearing notice, or as soon as possible thereafter. From a practical
Deleted: , to the extent practical,
Deleted: and must _]
Deleted: receive at least three
favorable votes to be passed,
Deleted: vote
Deleted: hearing.
12
901.3
901.4
901.5
901.6
standpoint, not all hearings can be opened at their designated time i h ~ C;~. ;r~cil
may delay the start of a hearing until the pending businessjs acted upon.
However unCi~r no circumstances rr _,; a i:,;blic hearing be opened prior to the
U' ~~ e~liP:?d Ifl trlc n~Jt'~,CE :i"iC1 p I~ I `I'i2~~ li^~ tale OfTl~~f~l ile4'/Spa~~'r.
Staff and/or a consultant make a presentation or report on the subject matter o`
the pubLc hearing.
,! ~ , c~nc_ISion of any p E eniatinn or ~t~nara;s by Staff andlor a c~~~ ~s~i'`ar~t the
presiding officer asks the City Council members if they have questions of the
:.;tall or consultant.
The presiding officer requests a motion and second from a member of th;
Council to open the public hearing and calls for a vote..
The presiding officer d~~cl ~ s t~~, Cr:-Ibiir hearing opened ~:nnou ties to ?~~~,~~~
and then prwceeds to ask for citizen input, comments and questions.
901.6.1 Members of the public, interested parties or their authorized
representatives may address the City Council orally. If tha speaker
intends to present materials to support their presentation to the
Council, they must provide the City Manager, at the time of their
presentation or before, nine (9) copies of the original for distribution to
Councilors; the City Manager, City Staff and the Recording Sea etary.
The materials will be included in the public record.
901.6.2 If unable to attend the meeting, merrlbers of the.public, interested
parties or their authorized representatives may submit written
comments anti supporting materials. Nine (9) copies of the corr~ments
anti nr~teri~,ls must be submitted to the City Staff prior to the Council
meeting. The comments and materials will be distributed to
Councilors, the City Manager, City Staff, and the Recording Secretary.
The written comments and materials will becorr~e part of the record,
but GwiU not be read aloud at the meeting
901.6.3 Recorded testimony if unable to attend a meeting. irilembers of the
public, interested parties or their authorized representatives may
s_tbrr~r t~smon~r to the City Council using a prerecorded audio or
video communication. An audio or video communication must be in
an electronic format that is compatible with the City's existing
equipment. An audio or video presentation may not introduce
testimony from any person other than the author. The ~~~_i:ho` c;'tlr_.
recorded testimony must provide nine (9) copies to the City Statf at
least seven ~alcc-radar days prior to the meeting in order to allow Staff
an opportunity to view the presentation on the City's equipment to
make certain there are no technical difficulties with the equipment. It
is the responsibility of the individual using an audio or video format to
consult with the City to dc;termine compatibility. The City Dap~lrtrnent
responsible for tine agenda item will also prepare a brief summary of
the audio or video presentation. The presentation and the summary
~^rill be provided to t'~~~ City Council as part of their Council agenda
package. The presentation and the summary will become a part of
the public record. C:enerally, Council Agenda Packages are
distributed to rne,nbers of the City Council an the Wednesday
preceding the meeting.
13
Deleted: at hand
Deleted: general
Deleted: Friday
901.7 After all persons have been heard, the presiding officer will ask twice v,hether
there are any other persons in attendance who want to be heard on the mater
pending. If there is no other testimony, the presiding officer requests a motion.
There are two possible motions, seconds and votes:
A motion and second to close the public hearing. Once the vote is taken, the
public hearingjs closed. The presiding officer announces, for the record, the
time the public hearing is closed: or
A motion and second to continue the public hearing to a date certain., The
presiding officer, in consultation with the City Manager and Councilors, shall
select and announce a time and date certain for the continued public hearing.
No additional publication or notice requirements are needed if a hearing is
continued to a later specified date. No public hearing may be continued more
than once without re-notice, publishing the time, date.. location ar~~r stibjec[ of
the pu'olic hearing.
901.8 The City Council addresses the subject matter through deliberation. The Council
may ask questions of the Staff and City Attorney. If the public hearing has been
closed Councilors should refrain from calling upon a member of the public except
for the sole purpose of asking a question that can be answered by a "yes" or "no"
response.
The presiding officer will call upon each member of the Council for their
comments and reaction to information received from the Staff presentation or
public hearing comments.
X901.9 If the public hearing has been closed, rangy, tt~~ ~~~ c:.~ntinued until a date certain
the City Council may take action on the subject matter.
SECTION 1000:
COMMITTEE STRUCTURE
1001: TYPES OF COMMITTEES
1001.1 Special City Council Committees. The Council may from time to time establish
special committees by designating two (2) Councilors to a specific issue.
Councilors will be appointed ~ t~r Spacial Committees on an annual basis.
Special Committees est=' ~~ ~i °.i by the Council are generally established to deal
with single transactions or projects as they arise. The membership of a Special
Committee does not extend beyond the at>pointed City Council members and
staff liaisons. The responsibilir.=s o~` th~~~ Special Committee aie Ilrnit;d to making,
recommendations to the City Council. A Special Committee has no authority to
make decisions on behalf of the City Council, Special Cpmmittees may be
required to provide periodic status reports,as requested by the City Council or
upon their own initiative. Examples of Special Committees of the City Council
include_
• Bylaws & Compensation Committee
Deleted: Close the public hearing -
and the Council votes on the motion. J
Deleted: hearing
Deleted: If the City Council votes to
continue the hearing, the presiding
officer, in co
Deleted: ,questions to citizens and
Staff, and reactions and statement of
position on the subject.¶ l
Deleted: is _~
Deleted: The work of a speaal
subcommittee should be I mitea to
special policy problems.
Deleted: shall make ~)
Deleted: ,but may not make
decisions on behalf of the Council.
The Council's final decision, not the
committee's recommendation, hinds
the City
Deleted: City Council subc
Deleted: will be required to provide i
status reports to the Council a
Deleted: These committees may
include, for example.
14
• City Manager Evaluation Committee
• Annexation Task Force
• Special Assessment Committee
• Downtown Redevelopment Committee
1001.2 Research Work Groups. The City Council may establish from time to time
temporary research work groups to study, research, analyze and make
recommendations to the Council on a particular issue or subject matter. Them i
!r I~~r~~~t t~ the s~~e o` ~: re ,c~~ work group. -I h~ l~~irnrer~ of co~nni ~;r~:_
'1';c'i's. t~'le pU 0~ ~~ df tl~ ~:OlTlfllltt@~ cinCl t~~e d~lf atl0fl Of the CO[Tlmltt 2 4VI be
deern,~i~ied 'oy the City Council Generally, the composi±ion of research work
groups include up to two Council members, City staff, and members of the public.
Research work groups may only deal ~~,~ifr~ those issue or projects assigned to
them by the City Council (conduct investigations, make reports on facts, interview
individuals, gather information and/or public input). A research work groups may
not make decisions indepen,_lent fro;n the City Council. Research work groups
will be required to make periodic reports to the City Council on their progress.
-i"r ~~~°~ ~~ ti7cll may use either ~ r~~ .'~~on or resolution to establish ~~ research
work groups ~:epen~dir;g r pcn tnF ,~ _,c Ir l:er. These committees may include,
for example:
• Water Treatment Plant
• Tree Preservation Task Force
• Heritage Committee
• Snowmobile Task Force
• Traffic Safety Committee
• County Road 21 Advisory Committee
Research work groups are expected to be short-term in nature and to disband
upon completion of the assigned task, but no later than the assigned end date
determined by the City Council. Only action by the City Council may extend the Deleted: assigned end date of the
life of a research work group, and the Council must determine a new end date for Researcn work c~o~p as
the group. In some cases, the City Council may da,ide that the owork of the Deleted: moose co continue me
research work group sho I',~ corr ~ ,._ on a permanent basis, in u~hicr; c ~ th ~-
.~ ; G~°~_~r~ , i r.,us`, ~l~t~~m ~ ~ ~,~h~ 1~r t0 i~~~t the research work group to, Deleted:. intnosecases.tne ~
~
either (1) an Advisory Committee,as outlined in Section 1001.3 of these bylaws, _
Deleted: mustevowe mto I
or (2) a Special City Council Subcommittee,as outlined in Section 1001.1 of Deleted: and function ~~
these bylaws. --
Deleted: and function ~'
1001.3 Advisory Committees. The City Council may establish Advisory Committees to
monitor significant issues in the community of on-going concern. Advisory
Committees shall adopt bylaws to govern the conduct of the Committee. Advisory
Committees are composed of citizen volunteers appointed by the City Council, or
a combination of citizen volunteers, appointed City Council members, and City
Staff. ~1d'dI50r~j' COtT1lTlltfe,~~, rflLi~i p'8F?~!"e 8ild adopt bylaws t0 g0'JE'rrl the Deleted; appointed annually as i
l~l'_~C' Oi th2 CC~llt'fll?te i h~' bylaWS I'"~ust,be SUfJfYlltteCl t0 thP, l;r:V C~J'1C;il for IlalsonstotheCommittee_ I
2;~N~"o~~J~ i lt- ~,ily ~~~_II'~~ i i 1=J ~ i Ly~lc','^!S O~ ~.~ ~~Oa'~' t'1 11 _~~ Deleted: shall
submitted. Any subsequent changes to the bylaws of an Advisory Committee
may be proposed by the Advisory Committee, City Staff or City Council. The
.,> rel~ 15
Council must approve any amendments. Amendments shall not take effect until
sixty (60) days after their passage.
Advisory Committees may meet with the City Council in a ptl;~!ic workshop to
discuss goals and objectives, mutual concerns or questions and other business
as appropriate. Advisory Committees may include, for example:
• Planning Commission. (The Planning Commission has been established by
statutory authority and the structural composition and Commission rules are
set forth in the City Code.)
• Park Advisory Committee
• Lakes Advisory Committee
• Communications and Technology Advisory Committee
• Economic Development Advisory Committee
• Community Safety Advisory Committee
1002: CITY COUNCIL LIAISONS TO CERTAIN ADVISORY COMMITTEES: Annually, the
City Council shall appoint a City Councilor to be a liaison to the Advisory Committees
listed in Section 1001.3. Normally, no Councilor shall serve as a liaison to the same
Advisory Committee for more than on~year. Councilors ,tl>pointed by the Council as
liaisons to an F;dvisory Committee shall not have voting privileges on the Advisory
Committee..
1003: COMMITTEE VACANCIES: When the teen of a individual se-ruing on a committee
ider~tifie~~in Section 1001 expires, the individual may apply to be reappointed if they
have not exceeded their teen 1~~-~~ ~ ~r~d tneyrave met or exceeded the performance
standards of the Advisory Committee. An inefvidual seeking reappointment by the
Council must f~Ilo~,~~~Xhe steps set forth bel~~~,~~ for fi!iing a vacancy on an Advisory
C ~ :~~ _ A vacant position on any committee identified in Section 1001 shall be filled
following the procedures set forth below:
1003.1 Applications are solicited. A Notice of the vacancy is made public and individuals
may be encouraged to consider the position. I he Notice sha!I state the deadline
fo;~ ~.,.~~r~~;~ing app!~~caions
1003.2 Interv:e~i Panel. The City Manager or his designee. the City Council liaison(s)
and the chairperson of the comrnittr-;,(unless the vacancyjs the committee chair
appointment or re-appointment shall serve as the Intervievr Panel The Panel
shall interview all candidates ~°;ho have applied for appointment or re-
appointment and make a recommendation to the full City Council. An individual
subject to re-appointment may not sit on the selection committee.
,1003.3 The recommendation of the interview Panel v~~~ill be presented to the City Council
i he Council may acceptor reject the recommendation. If the recommendation is
rejected, the City Council m ~y appoint another individual or reopen the
a,~ ,::'~:~n period and invlt-: new candidates ~c: ~,~ply.
1004: CITY COUNCIL ROLE ON OTHER COMMITTEES OR AUTHORITIES: There are
certain authorities, committees and commissions where a Councilor is appointed and
serves as a representative of the Prior Lake City Council. A Councilor appointed to serve
on a committee, commission or authority shall provide the City Council with periodic
reports on the activities of the committee, commission or authority and. unless provided
Deleted: consecutive
Deleted: An incumbent member of
any committee identified
Deleted: whose term is expiring,
who has not achieved their term limit,
and who
Deleted: 's performance standards
may be considered for reappointment
by the Council but only after following
Deleted: member who has been '
appointed as the liaison to the
I advisory committee, or who has been
appointed to serve on the work group,
and the committee chair
Deleted:
Deleted: , or in the case where the l
work group is newly established and J
no chair has been determined)
Deleted: No person will sit on any
advisory committee, work group or
committee charged with the selection
of the successor for that person ¶
16
with specific direction, exercise their judgment on how frequently to report to the full
Council., Unlike Councilors who are appointed as liaisons to Advisory Committees,
Councilors who sit on thcs types ~~' ~ ;~~n n t~~:~~~ c' aim 7~issions gener,lly ,~,~rticipate in
a voting capacity.. The authority, committee or commission shall determine if the
appointed Councilor has voting authority in connection with its governing authority.
Examples of these types o` committees or authoritiesjnclude;
• Three Member Orderly Annexation Board
• Transit Review Board
• Committees of the League of Minnesota Cities, Association of ft%ietropc>lit~:r~,
fv1unicipalitfes and tr~cm National League of Cities
SECTION 1100:
SUSPENSION OF RULES
1101: The City Ccancil may vote to suspend t~~~; rules set fo~~tnr The rules may b~ s._. : nncaed
for a specific meeting only upon a motion, second, debate, and afour-fifths (4/5) vote of
the members of the Council
SECTION 1200:
TRAVEL & REIMBURSEMENT FOR EXPENSES
1201: The City of Prior Lake recognizes the need for and value in attending workshops,
conferences, public and private events, and meetings in the conduct of City business.
Such events may take place in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area, in out-state
Minnesota, orout-of-state. The purpose of this section is to set forth the guidelines for
participating in such events, as well as reimbursement of expenses incurred as a result
of attendance.
1202: GENERAL CONDITIONS:
1202.1 All expenses incurred by a Council member in connection with fulfilling their
duties to the City shall be reimbursable. Reimbursement of such expenses shall
be in accordance with these City Council Bylaws, City Code Section 105.300, and
state statute.
1202.2 Attendance at and reimbursement for events, workshops, conferences or
meetings within the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area and Greater
Minnesota do not require advance approval by the City Council as long as the
costs for attendance are within the approved City Council budget.
1202.3 Attendance at and the traveling budgets for events, workshops, conferences or
meetings conducted out-of-state, or not within the approved City Council budget,
must be authorized in advance by the City Council at an open meeting.
1202.4 In evaluating travel requests for approval, the purpose for attendance must meet
one of the following criteria:
Deleted: The Councilmember shall
exercise judgment as to whether
more frequent reporting is necessary
---- ___
Deleted: on which Councilmembers
currently sit,
Deleted: Metro
_--
Deleted: Cities, or
Deleted: Such other rules that the
City Council deems appropriate may
be enacted. All matters of procedure
not specified herein shall be governed
by the City Code, State Statutes.. or
Federal Laws, whichever is applicable
to the procedure in question.
Deleted: herein may be suspended
Deleted: for a specific meeting only.
17
• The elected official will be receiving training on issues relevant to the City or
to his/her role as the Mayor or as a Council member.
• The elected official will be meeting and networking with other elected officials
from around the country to exchange ideas on topics of relevance to the City
or on the official roles of local elected officials.
• The elected official will be viewing a t?uol~c+facility or function that is similar in Deleted: ~~ty
nature to one that is currently operating at, or under consideration by, the City
where the purpose for the trip is to study the facility or function to bring back
ideas for the consideration of the full Council.
• The elected official has been specifically assigned by the Council to testify on
behalf of the City at the United States Congress or to otherwise meet with
federal officials on behalf of the City.
1202.5 Council members attending events at City expense are expected to provide the
Council with a summary of the meeting.
1202.6 No reimbursements will be made for attendance at events sponsored by or
affiliated with political parties.
1202.7 The City must have sufficient funding available in the budget to pay the traveling
expenses for the event.
1202.8 The City may make payments in advance for airfare, lodging and registration if
specifically approved by the Council. Otherwise, all payments will be made as
reimbursements to the elected offcial.
1202.9 Reimbursement of expenses is intended to refund the actual costs incurred and
must be in accordance with the provisions of section 1203 herein.
1203: REIMBURSEMENT REQUIREMENTS: The City will reimburse for transportation,
lodging, meals, registrations and incidental costs if attendance at the event, conference,
workshop, or meeting is authorized in accordance with the above General Guidelines. A
receipt must be submitted for reimbursement of all costs.
1203.1 Meals. Daily or event specifc reimbursable meal costs are limited to $20.00 per
meal. In the case of out-of-state or overnight travel, reimbursable meal costs
shall not exceed $60.00 per day. Alcoholic beverages and meal expenses
included in the cost of registration are not reimbursable expenses.
1203.2 Lodging. Reimbursable lodging costs for travel within the Midwest are limited 'to
$200 per night. For travel outside the Midwest, reimbursable lodging costs are
limited to those that are reasonable and necessary, and as pre-approved by the
City Council when authorizing the out-of-state travel budget.
1203.3 Mileage. Mileage will be reimbursed at the IRS rate. If two or more Council
members are traveling together by car, only the vehicle owner will receive
reimbursement. The City will reimburse for the cost of renting an automobile, if
necessary, to conduct City business. City vehicles should be used for City
Council business in lieu of rental when available.
18
1203.4 Tjps. Tips paid as part of meal service shall not exceed 20% of the total bill and
are reimbursable in addition to the cost limits set for reimbursable meals above.
Tips and gratuities for services such as taxis are only reimbursable if a receipt is
provided, and in no case should exceed 20% of the cost of the service. Tips for
non-documented services, such as baggage handling or housekeeping, are
reimbursable in an amount not to exceed $10 per day.
1203.5 Airfare. Airfare shall be reimbursed at the coach rate. The elected offcial shall
use the most cost-effective mode of travel taking into consideration reasonable
time constraints.
1203.6 Non-Reimbursable Expenses. The City will not reimburse for personal telephone
calls, rental of luxury vehicles, recreational expenses such as movies, golf,
shows, or concerts, or the costs associated with the attendance of a family
member or person unauthorized to attend the event on the City's behalf.
1204: EXCEPTIONS TO POLICY: Any exceptions to th ~ I~:.~, ra!atir;l to crxi~ ~ ~::~ i Deleted: is
re ~~,I;..~-~ : .-~n±rnust be approved by the City Council at an open meeting. oereted: Poi~°y
SECTION 1300:
STATEMENT OF ETHICS
1301: POLICY STATEMENT: The City of Prior Lake recognizes our system of democratic
representative government is dependent in large measure. upon people having trust and
confidence in their public officials. The public rightfully expects governmental officials
will conduct City of Prior Lake business in ways which benefit the public c~ ~r; generally
and '~~:~.' public office will not be used chiefly or improperly to advance personal interests.
The City Council of Prior Lake has pledged the goals of fair, efficient and honest
government will be fostered and that it will strive for integrity and objectivity from all of its
officials.
1301.1 The City of Prior Lake finds that the proper operation of democratic
representative government requires that
• Elected and appointed officials be independent, impartial and responsible to
the people;
• Governmental decisions and policy =:o~,made in the proper channels of the Deleted: be
governmental structure;
• Public offce and position not be used for personal gain; and
• The public have confidence in the integrity of its government.
1301.2 The City of Prior Lake shall adhere to the highest ethical standards that enhance
the public trust in local government by:
• Creating transparency in its actions through honest and open communication;
• Basing decisions and adopting public policies based on what is in the best
interest of the public and the overall community;
• Supporting the public's right to know the public's business; and
• Exercising fairness, optimism, responsiveness and respect in communicating
with the public.
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• Providing a forum and periodic training for public officials and employees to
discuss organizational values that reflect high standards and current
conditions and concerns.
1301.3 This Statement of Ethics shall be liberally construed in favor of protecting the
public's interest in full disclosure of conflicts of interest and promoting ethical
standards of conduct.
1302: ETHICS IN GOVERNMENT: Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 10A, Ethics in Government,
is incorporated herein by reference. This policy shall be construed and interpreted in
consultation with the City Attorney according to Minnesota Statutes and case law.
1303: GIFTS AND FAVORS: No public official shall accept any valuable gift, favor or thing of
value, regardless of amount whether in the form of money, service, loan, thing or
promise from any person which to the official's knowledge is concerned, directly or
indirectly in any manner whatsoever in business dealings with the City.
1304: USE OF EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES: No public official shall request or permit the
unauthorized use of City-owned vehicles, equipment, materials, property, labor or
services for personal convenience or profit.
1305: CONFLICT OF INTEREST: Except as authorized in Minn. Stat. 471.88, a public officer
who is authorized to take part in any manner in making any sale, lease, or contract in
official capacity shall not voluntarily have a personal financial interest in that sale, lease,
or contract or personally benefit financially therefrom. (Minn. Stat. Section 471.87)
1306 A public official or local official elected to or appointed by a metropolitan governmental
unit who in the discharge of official duties would be required to take an action or make a
decision that would substantially affect the official's financial interests or those of an
associated business, unless the effect on the official is no greater than on other
members of the official's business classif cation, profession or occupation, must take the
following actions:
1306.1 Advise the City Attorney of the potential conflict of interest as soon as possible,
preferably before the meeting; and
1306.2 The City Attorney shall determine whether a disqualifying conflict of interest
exists.
1306.3 Any Councilmember shall orally inform the City Council of the potential conflict
and abstain from any participation in that agenda item.
1307: The purpose behind the creation of a rule, which would disqualify public officials from
participating in proceedings in adecision-making capacity when they have a direct
conflict of interest in its outcome, is to insure that their decision will not be an arbitrary
reflection of their own selfish interests. There is no settled general rule as to whether
such an interest will disqualify an official. Each case must be decided on the basis of the
particular facts present. Among the relevant factors that should be considered in making
this determination are: (1) nature of the decision being made; (2) the nature of the
pecuniary interest; (3) the number of officials making the decision who are interested; (4)
the need, if any, to have interested persons make the decision; and (5) the other means
available, if any, such as the opportunity for review, that serve to insure that the offcials
s;lzti„ r.' 20
will not act arbitrarily to further their selfish interests.
SECTION 1400:
CITY COUNCIL RECOGNITION
1401: COMMENDATION AND CENSURE: To the extent allowed by law, the City Council
desires to encourage appropriate behavior and discourage inappropriate behavior
among its members. The City Council, as a body, may by motion and four-fifths (4/5)
vote, commend or censure one of its own. If the act involves two members of the
Council, a majority vote is required.
1401.1 Commendation: A member may receive public commendation for the exercise of
positive leadership, community vision or other actions considered meritorious by
the City Council.
1401.2 Censure: A member may receive a public reprimand,forfailure to conform lo,any
provisions of these bylaws, state statute, misconduct at meetings. violating
confiden;i arty or ~ ~a~n ~ y-client privilege, absenteeism, disloyaly, a violation
of the standards of ethics or violating other value the City holds dear, i he
purpose of the censure is to reprimand a councilor with the hope of reforming him
or her so that he or she won't behave in the same way again.
A motion to censure is amendable, debatable, requires a majority vote and
cannot be reconsidered.
Deleted: admonishment
Deleted: with !
Deleted: confidentiality or attorney-
client privilege, or other acts ~
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APPENDIX A: TYPES OF MOTIONS AND PROCEDURES
The following motions will be available for use by the members:
1. Main Motion: An act to bring substantive proposals before the City Council for
consideration and action. After the motion is stated and seconded, the subject of the
motion may be deliberated and voted upon. Deliberation may take place by the Mayor,
Council, Staff or the general public as long as the procedures for citizen input are
followed pursuant to Section 7.B of these Bylaws.
2. Amend Main Motion: A main motion that is being deliberated and has not been voted
upon may be changed or modified by a motion, a second, deliberation and a subsequent
vote. The only motion that may be amended is the main motion.
3. Postpone Definitely Motion: A motion to put off consideration or discontinue discussion
of any motion on the floor and that which established a definite time for the motion to be
reconsidered. A motion to postpone definitely requires a second, deliberation and a
subsequent vote.
4. Vote Immediately Motion (Previous Question): A motion to prevent or stop deliberation
on a pending motion and to bring the pending motion to an immediate vote. A motion to
the "Previous Question" requires a second and atwo-thirds majority vote to pass,
however, no discussion is allowed on the motion. Two votes are required when a
Previous Question motion is seconded. The first vote is to close the debate (requires two
thirds majority vote) and, if that passes, the second vote is then on the original motion
being deliberated prior to the Previous Question being called. If the close the debate
motion fails, then deliberation on the original motion continues.
5. Substitute Motion: This is a motion that replaces the motion being considered with
another motion on the same subject. A motion to substitute may be made for either a
main motion or an amendment to a main motion. A substitute motion requires a motion
and second. The Council then votes on the substitute motion and if that passes, the
original motion dies. If the substitute motion fails, the deliberation on the original motion
continues.
6. Withdraw a Motion: Any member of the City Council who has made an allowable
motion has the authority to remove the motion from consideration by the total body. If a
member desires to remove a motion that has been seconded, but not yet voted upon,
the member who has seconded the motion must consent to the request of the member
to remove the motion from consideration. If the motion has not been seconded, the
member may remove the motion from consideration by his/her own request.
7. Division of Motion: A motion that is composed of two or more independent sections or
ideas may be deliberated, considered and voted on separately. Each section or idea that
is to be voted on separately must be acted upon through a separate motion, second,
discussion and subsequent vote. Any member of the City Council may request a motion
to be divided into two or more individual motions.
8. Eligibility of Motion: The presiding officer may rule on the eligibility of a motion that has
been requested to be divided into two or more individual motions.
Privileged Motion: These motions do not relate to pending business, but have to do
with special matters of immediate and overriding importance, which without any debate,
shall be allowed to interrupt the consideration of anything else. These motions can be
made at any time, even if another motion is being considered at the time, and they must
be settled or voted upon immediately. Motions to adjourn the meeting or take a recess
cannot interrupt a speaker, while a motion on a question of privilege or point of vote can
interrupt a speaker.
Privileged motions include:
Point of Order: Whenever a member thinks that the rules of the City Council are
being violated, he/she can make a Point of Order. Whenever a question of the order
is called, the presiding officer shall make a ruling on whether the City Council rules
have been violated. If a Point of Order is to be raised, it must be raised promptly at
the time the violation occurs. This procedure does not require a second, is not
debatable and can be used to interrupt a speaker.
Appeal Decision of Chair: The presiding officer will be called on to rule on
questions of City Council procedure as set forth in these Bylaws. The decisions of
the presiding officer may be appealed by the City Council. A statement of appeal
constitutes a motion that, in turn, requires a second and the opportunity for
discussion.
Motion to Reconsider: A motion to reconsider any action taken by the Council may
be made at the meeting at which such action was taken or the regular meeting
following. Such motion must be made by one of the prevailing side, but may be
seconded by any member and may be made at any time and have precedence over
all other motions or while a member has the floor; it shall be debatable. A motion for
reconsideration requires only a majority vote regardless of the vote necessary to
adopt the motion reconsidered.
Notwithstanding Robert's Rules of Order, a motion to "lay on the table" shall be debatable.
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