|
|
|
STRATEGIC OUTCOMES |
|
ACTION |
|
Department: |
|
Safe & Prosperous |
X |
Motion |
|
City Administration |
|
Active & Appealing |
|
Resolution |
|
|
|
Respected & Responsible |
|
Ordinance - Introduction |
|
Division: |
X |
Connected & Engaged |
|
Ordinance - Adoption |
|
Administration |
|
Unique & Creative |
|
Public Hearing |
TITLE:
title
City Council Worksession Schedule and Location, Three-Month Trial
end
SUMMARY RECOMMENDATION:
Summary Recommendation
Approve a three-month trial period, beginning in January 2027, to hold City Council worksessions at 5:30 p.m. on the Monday preceding each regular Council meeting in Room 190 of City Hall. (City Administration) (Jenn Reichelt)
end
STRATEGIC OUTCOME:
This proposal supports the Connected and Engaged outcome by giving Council more time to consider issues and a meeting setting that encourages dialogue with staff and presenters.
REPORT:
Background
City Council worksessions provide an opportunity for the Council to receive organizational and community updates, consider complex topics, ask questions, discuss agendized matters that may come before City Council for future action as well as review the week’s regular City Council meeting agenda. Worksessions also allow Council and staff to explore issues in greater detail and provide direction as items move forward.
Regular Council meetings are held on the first and third Wednesdays of each month, and Worksessions are held at 5:30 p.m. on the preceding Tuesdays in the Council Chambers. During the 2026 Council Retreat and the August 4, 2026, worksession, Council expressed interest in changing both the schedule and meeting setting.
Council noted that the current schedule leaves little time between a Tuesday worksession and the Wednesday Council meeting. Meeting on Monday would give staff an additional day to respond to questions, address Council direction, and make requested revisions to agenda items.
Council also expressed interest in a setting that would allow more interaction with staff and presenters during discussions. Room 190 can accommodate the worksessions and has the technology needed to broadcast and livestream the meetings.
Proposed Three-Month Trial Period
Staff recommends a three-month trial from January through March 2027. Worksessions would be held at 5:30 p.m. on the Monday preceding each regular Council meeting, with Room 190 as the primary location. Its seating arrangement would support more direct interaction among Council, staff, and presenters. The Council Chambers would remain available when a topic or expected attendance calls for a larger space.
Scheduling Considerations
Most proposed Monday dates would not require a change to the meeting schedule. Holidays and Planning and Zoning Commission meetings would need some coordination during the trial period or if Council continues the schedule beyond March 2027.
Recognized Holidays
When a scheduled worksession falls on a federal or City-observed holiday, Council could choose to either vacate or reschedule the meeting. Three Monday dates in 2027 present this issue:
• January 18 - Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• February 15 - Presidents’ Day
• July 5 - observed Independence Day (outside the trial period)
Planning and Zoning Meetings
The Planning and Zoning Commission normally meets on the second and fourth Mondays of each month at 4:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers. If Council continues the proposed schedule beyond the trial, its worksessions could overlap with Commission meetings on June 14, September 13, and December 13.
Both bodies could meet at the same time in separate rooms. However, the City can air or livestream only one meeting at a time. Some support staff, including Planning, Legal, City Administration, and Communications staff, may also be needed at both meetings. Staff would coordinate coverage and broadcast arrangements in advance and communicate any changes through the posted agendas.
Next Steps
At the end of the three-month trial period, staff will return to Council to review the Monday worksession schedule and determine whether to continue the arrangement, make adjustments, or return to the previous schedule and location.
FISCAL REQUIREMENTS:
|
CITY FUNDS: |
$ 0.00 |
BUDGETED: |
$ 0.00 |
|
STATE FUNDS: |
$ 0.00 |
AVAILABLE TO TRANSFER: |
$ 0.00 |
|
FEDERAL FUNDS: |
$ 0.00 |
IN CONTINGENCY: |
$ 0.00 |
|
OTHER SOURCES: |
$ 0.00 |
FUNDING ACCOUNT/FUND #/CIP: |
|
TOTAL |
$ 0.00 |
- |
FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT:
None
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS NOT ATTACHED TO THE CITY COUNCIL ACTION FORM THAT ARE ON FILE IN THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK:
None
IF CITY COUNCIL ACTION INCLUDES A CONTRACT, LEASE OR AGREEMENT, WHO WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ROUTING THE DOCUMENT FOR SIGNATURE AFTER CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL?
|
|
Department |
|
|
City Clerk’s Office |
|
|
Document to be recorded |
|
|
Document to be codified |
|
Acting City Administrator: |
Date: |
|
John D. Simonton |
10/27/2026 |
|
Reviewed by City Attorney: |
Date: |
|
Richard W. Files |
10/26/2026 |