Chapter 2.01
Council Meetings*

Sections:

2.01.010 Time and Place.

2.01.020 Agenda.

2.01.030 Right to Speak.

2.01.040 Open Forum Session.

2.01.050 Rules of Procedure.

*Code revisers note: SMC ch. 2.01 is the codification of Initiative Ord. No. C23108 adopted at the special municipal election held November 4, 1975.

2.01.010 Time and Place.

A.  Regular meetings of the city council shall be held at 3:30 p.m. on Monday each week in the city council chambers located in the lower level of City Hall at 808 West Spokane Falls Boulevard.

B.  The meeting shall consist of a briefing session followed by an administrative session at which time action will be taken on the items on the consent agenda, followed by an executive session, if necessary, followed by a recess until 6:00 pm, followed by a legislative and hearings session. When a Monday is a legal holiday according to city ordinance, then the meeting will be held on the next succeeding day which is not a city holiday.

C.  The council may hold a study session(s) intended to provide the council with background information and briefing from the mayor or the mayor’s designee and selected other persons regarding forthcoming agenda matters, when proper notice of the meetings has been given.

D.  An executive session may be called at any time during a regular or special meeting of the city council as provided in RCW 42.30.110.

E.  The council may, four times a year, hold a “town hall” meeting, which shall be cablecast on Channel 5, for the purpose of providing citizens access to the council to address concerns of city government.

[Ord. C33389 § 1; Passed: 3/29/2004]

2.01.020 Agenda.

The preliminary agenda of each such meeting referred to in SMC 2.01.010 shall be made public at least ten days prior to the council meeting for which it is prepared.

[Ord. C31361; Passed: 6/5/1995]

2.01.030 Right to Speak.

All meetings of the city council are open to the public except an executive session. Members of the public shall have the right to speak to an item on the city council’s legislative, special consideration or hearing agendas that are not adjudicatory hearings. Members of the public may attend but do not have the right to speak when the city council is meeting in briefing, study or other workshop sessions or acting in an adjudicative capacity. It shall be the duty of the presiding officer to determine and allot whatever time is necessary due to the number of public participants and extent of the proposed participation.

[Ord. C33389 § 2; Passed: 3/29/2004]

2.01.040 Open Forum Session.

In the course of each regular council meeting, unless it is 10:00 p.m. or later, there shall be an allotment of meeting time that shall not exceed one hour, at which time items of interest to the citizens of the city that were not placed upon the current or advance agenda, may be discussed in front of and with council members by interested citizens who have indicated their desire to address the council by such procedure as the city council may prescribe. The open forum session is a limited public forum and all matters discussed shall relate to the affairs of the City.

[Ord. C33389 § 3; Passed: 3/29/2004]

2.01.050 Rules of Procedure.

The city council may implement and specify this chapter and applicable state law by appropriate rules.

[Ord. C30268 § 2; Passed: 12/2/1991]