Exhibit A

DRAFT Template for

Portland Oregon City Council

Rules of Procedure

Table of Contents

Purpose  4

General Provisions  4

Authority and Applicability  4

Administration  4

Councilor Conduct and Duties  5

Conduct  5

Communications and Interactions  5

Council President  5

Council Vice President  6

Members of the Public  7

Access  7

Conduct  7

Addressing Council  7

Electronic Devices  8

Meeting Attendance, Breaks and Annual Calendar  9

Attendance  9

Breaks  9

Annual Calendar  9

Rules of Debate  10

Quorum  13

Voting  13

Councilor Requests for Staff Assistance to Develop Legislative Policy  14

Procedure  14

Legislative Process  15

Deadline for Code Amendments  15

Deadline for Non-Code Amendments  15

Request to Extend Deadline  15

Filing Requirements  15

Explanation of Ordinances or Resolutions  15

Posting of Agenda  15

President’s Recommendations  16

Taking Matter from Committee  16

Re-referral to Committee  16

Expired Legislation  16

Council Committees  17

General  17

Formation and Vacancy  17

Special Meetings  17

Committee Chair Duties  17

Committee Member Duties  18

Committee Referral, and Reporting  18

Participation by Nonmembers  18

Standing Committees  19

Special Committees  19

Facilities  21

Council Chambers  21

Councilor Office Space  21

Council Records Council  22

Communications  23

Appendix  24

Definitions  24

Legislative Process Flow Chart  27

Adoption History  27

Purpose

These Rules are intended for use by the Council and staff to inform the actions of Council in the general conduct of business, and to serve as a reference in resolving parliamentary questions. These Rules are intended to support the legislative intent of Council. These Rules are not intended to limit public participation or Council debate but are intended to enable the effective functioning of Council.

General Provisions

Authority and Applicability

1.  Under City Charter Section 2-111, Council determines its own rules of procedure. Portland City Code Chapter 3.02 sets out the organization of Council and its meeting procedures. These Rules provide additional detail for conducting Council business.

2.  The Rules apply when not in conflict with the City Charter, the City Code, State, or Federal law.

3.  The Rules govern the conduct of Council, Council committees, and Council’s personal or shared staff. Council staff are also governed by the policies approved for all City employees.

Administration

1.  Council will review the Rules at least annually, or as needed.

2.  In addition to the Charter, City Code Chapter 3.02 establishes the rules for Council Organization and Procedure. Changes to those rules adopted by Code must be made by as code amendments adopted by ordinance. Under PCC 3.02.050.D, effective in 2025, Council may adopt committee rules by resolution.

3.  Any rule in the Rules may be suspended by the affirmative vote of at least nine Councilors in a Council meeting.

Councilor Conduct and Duties

Conduct

Councilors are expected to uphold the City’s core values of anti-racism, equity, transparency, communication, collaboration, and fiscal responsibility. They are additionally expected to:

1.  Treat each other, staff, and members of the public with dignity, courtesy, and respect.

2.  Value all opinions, be tolerant of new and different ideas, encourage creativity and innovation in problem solving, and resolve conflicts directly.

3.  Assure fair and equal treatment of all persons, claims and transactions coming before Council or its committees.

4.  Follow through on commitments and be accountable to each other.

5.  Continuously strive to improve how Council works as a team.

6.  Start and end meetings on time, work from the agenda and be present, attentive, prepared, and limit interruptions and distractions.

7.  Switch electronic equipment such as cell phones to silent or off mode during meetings.

8.  Disqualify themselves from acting on city business when disqualification is required by the Charter, Code or Oregon’s ethics statutes.

Communications and Interactions

Councilors are generally expected to be in direct contact with the Council Operations Manager, Mayor, City Administrator, City Auditor, Council Clerk, and City Attorney. The Mayor, City Administrator, City Auditor, or City Attorney may designate staff to be points of contact for specific topic areas based on subject matter expertise and will provide this designation in writing to all Councilors.

Council President

In addition to the conduct required by all Councilors and the duties in City Code Subsection 3.02.040 (B), the Council President will:

1.  Preside over meetings in an orderly, equitable fashion.

a.  Ensure that the majority prevails, that minority rights are protected, and that courtesy, fairness, justice, and impartiality are guaranteed to all present.

b.  Avoid offensive or negative comments and assist Council in practicing civility and decorum during debate.

c.  Ensure meetings are conducted efficiently.

2.  Assign items to either the Council or a committee by means of an introduction calendar included on agendas.

3.  Monitor committee agendas to ensure items are within the committee’s scope.

4.  By January 30 of each calendar year, beginning in 2026, produce a legislative report with the assistance of the Council Operations Manager. The report will:

a.  Identify Council’s accomplishments in the preceding year and objectives for the coming year.

b.  Include the final disposition of items assigned to Council and its committees. Final disposition may include, but is not limited to, passed, adopted, accepted, placed on file, referred, or expired in committee.

Council Vice President

In addition to the conduct required by all Councilors and the duties in City Code Subsection 3.02.040 (B), the Council Vice President will:

1.  Chair the Committee of the Whole.

Members of the Public

Access

All meetings of Council and its committees, except executive sessions or as otherwise permitted by law, are open to the public.

Conduct

Members of the public attending meetings of Council and its committees will abide by the conduct rules in City Code Section 3.02.060 concerning disruptive, dangerous or threatening behavior. Additional examples of disruptive, dangerous or threatening conduct subject to ejection from a council meeting include without limitation:

1.  Interfering with other attendees’ ability to attend or address the Council.

2.  Feet stamping, yelling, whistling or other abrupt noises.

3.  Physically threatening conduct.

4.  Verbal threats, racial or ethnic slurs, or profanity.

5.  Banging, slamming, or throwing objects.

6.  Entering areas of Council Chambers not intended for the public.

7.  Placing physical objects in a manner that blocks access to the presenter’s table or emergency exits.

8.  Refusing to heed the presiding officer’s call for order.

9.  Approaching the speaker’s table or dais without the permission of the presiding officer.

Addressing Council

1.  Council and committee meetings may include opportunities for the public to comment on agenda items or matters within the City’s jurisdiction. At special meetings, public comment may be limited to certain agenda items. At work sessions, public comment will not be taken.

2.  Members of the public will state their name before addressing Council.

3.  Lobbyists will state their name and their client’s name before addressing Council.

4.  Written testimony for agenda items may be submitted and viewed by visiting the Council agenda on the city’s website. Written testimony may also be submitted by mail to: Council Clerk, 1221 SW 4th Avenue, Room 130, Portland, OR 97204. Written testimony is not read into the record. Written testimony is distributed to Councilors and added to the public record if it is received before Council votes on the applicable item, unless otherwise stated during the meeting or on the agenda. Written testimony for current agenda items may be viewed at Written Testimony for Agenda Items.

5.  To submit comments to Council unrelated to an agenda item, complete the Contact an Elected Official Form.

6.  Public comments and written materials should be addressed to the Council and not to specific individuals.

7.  Members of the public may express their opinion on city business..

8.  Public comment periods are not question and answer periods or time for conversations between the public and Council or staff. Members of the public may pose hypothetical questions or use questions to make a point, but the presiding officer will not request or entertain answers or further questions from Councilors or staff.

9.  Members of the public with questions concerning consent agenda items may contact the staff person, elected official who introduced the item, or Councilor(s) in whose districts the item relates prior to the meeting to reduce the need for discussion of consent agenda items. Provided, however, that under the Charter any Councilor or member of the public may ask that an item on the consent agenda be placed on the regular agenda.

10.  During public comment on a specific agenda item, the presiding officer may ask a member of the public to confine their remarks to the item under discussion. During the portion of the agenda for public communications to Council, the presiding officer may ask a member of the public to confine their remarks to matters within the City’s jurisdiction.

Electronic Devices

1.  Members of the public will turn electronic devices that are capable of emitting sound – including without limitation cell phones, tablets, and laptop computers – to off or silent-mode during Council or committee meetings.

2.  Cameras and recording devices may be used during meetings only if the devices are silent and used in a manner and at locations that do not impede walkways, exits or others’ views of the meeting or disrupt the meeting. Use of continual or flash lighting is not allowed.

Meeting Attendance, Breaks and Annual Calendar

Attendance

Regular and Special Meetings

1.  Councilors will attend all regular and special meetings.

2.  Councilors may be excused from a meeting by completing the Council Absence Notice Request Form at least two weeks in advance, or as soon as practical. Notice of the scheduled absence is posted on the Council Clerk website, Council Absences.

3.  Councilors may be granted an extended leave of absence by submitting written notice to the President and Council Clerk as soon as practical for a personal situation that would entitle a City employee to Oregon Paid Family and Medical Leave under Human Resources Administrative Rule 6.05. The notice will give a reasonable estimate of dates to which the leave of absence will apply.

Committee Meetings

1.  Councilors will attend all meetings for committees to which they are members.

2.  Councilors may be excused from a meeting by completing the Council Absence Notice Request Form at least two weeks in advance, or as soon as practical. Notice of the scheduled absence is posted on the Council Clerk website, Council Absences.

Telephone and Virtual Attendance

1.  Councilors must notify the Council Clerk for Council and committee meetings when the Councilor wishes to attend virtually.

2.  Councilors will submit the Virtual Council Participation Form prior to the meeting or as soon as practical. Notice of virtual attendance is posted on the Council Clerk website, Virtual Council Participation.

Breaks

The presiding officer will provide a minimum of one 10-minute break every 90 minutes.

Annual Calendar

1.  The Council will approve a calendar of meetings no later than the end of February for the year 2025 and the end of January for every calendar year thereafter. The calendar will include:

c.  Dates and times of anticipated Council meetings.

d.  Dates and times of anticipated committee meetings.

e.  Dates of holidays the City is closed or the Council will not meet.

f.  Dates and times of currently known special meetings including without limitation work sessions, budget sessions and executive sessions. It is expected that these meetings will not all be known in January, so the calendar will be amended as necessary by the Council Clerk.

2.  Council will limit committee meetings in May to time-sensitive items to ensure Council’s focus is on the annual budget process.

Rules of Debate

If City Charter, City Code and the Rules are silent, Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised will govern.

Rules of Debate

When a Councilor wishes to speak, they will address the presiding officer.

1.  When recognized, the Councilor will confine comments to the question under debate and refrain from personal criticism.

2.  The President will name who speaks first when two or more Councilors wish to speak at the same time.

3.  The President will allow each Councilor to speak once on an item until every Councilor choosing to speak has spoken unless the requested speech is necessary for others to understand the issue being considered.

Consideration of Motions

1.  No motion will be entertained or debated until properly seconded and clearly stated by the presiding officer.

2.  If requested by a Councilor, a motion shall be reduced to writing.

3.  A motion with several elements may be divided, but the Councilor who made the initial motion may designate which element is voted on first.

4.  A Councilor may withdraw their motion at any time before an amendment is made to it or, if no amendment is made, before a vote is taken on it.

As used in the preceding table, “Majority” means majority of members in attendance. A quorum of Council is required to conduct business, including the consideration of motions, except motions to adjourn, recess, or compel attendance of absent members may be adopted by a majority of members present without a quorum.

Amendment Form

1.  Councilors may offer for consideration amendments to proposed legislation to the body considering that legislation, whether at a regular or a committee meeting. An amendment is a pending motion until it is voted on. Amendments to ordinances must be seconded, are debatable and are adopted by a 7 affirmative votes. Proposed amendments must clearly state the language to be added, deleted, or substituted.

a.  To the degree possible, proposed amendments should be submitted to the Council Clerk at least 24 hours prior to the meeting. Amendments will be added to the agenda for public review.

b.  Councilors should distribute proposed amendments to the rest of Council prior to the meeting. When submitting proposed amendments, include the motion language and detail the change using track changes if appropriate.

2.  Added language will be underlined and deleted language will be shown with strikethrough format.

3.  To promote efficiency, the presiding officer may accept consideration of an oral amendment that can be clearly stated in a suitable form. The presiding officer may also request the oral amendment be reread, and any Councilor may ask that the amendment be presented in writing before the question is stated.

Parliamentary Inquiry

A Councilor may direct an inquiry to the presiding officer to obtain information on a matter of parliamentary law or the Rules bearing on the business at hand.

Recognition by the Presiding Officer

If two or more Councilors request to speak at the same time, the presiding officer will designate the one to speak first.

Division of the Question

A Councilor may call for a division of a question, which will be divided if it embraces two distinct subjects. The Councilor who made the initial motion may designate which element is voted on first.

Point of Order

1.  The presiding officer will decide all points of order.

2.  If dissatisfied with the decision of the presiding officer, three Councilors may appeal the decision.

a.  In all cases of appeal, the question will be: “Will the decision of the presiding officer be sustained?”.

b.  No Councilor may speak more than once on an appeal without the consent of a majority of Councilors in attendance.

c.  The decision in response to the appeal will be by majority vote. In case of a tie vote on point of order appeal motions, the decision of the presiding officer will stand.

3.  A Councilor called to order by the presiding officer must immediately stop talking but may ask the Council to rule without debate on the question of being able to continue talking.

Lay on the Table

A majority of Councilors may decide to temporarily halt consideration of a question immediately and without debate during a meeting. The maker of the motion to lay on the table must state the reason for the motion.

Take from the Table

Once a question has been laid on the table, it may be taken from the table by a majority vote of Councilors as soon as the interrupting business has been disposed of or whenever no other question is pending.

Call the Question

A Councilor may make a motion to call the question to end debate on an immediate pending motion. This motion requires an affirmative vote of at least a majority of Councilors in attendance.

Postpone to a Certain Time

To postpone a question to a certain time, the motion will state a definite date, meeting, hour or until after a certain event.

Postpone Indefinitely

A majority of Councilors may decide not to take a direct vote or position on a main question by disposing of it with a motion to postpone indefinitely.

Quorum

Seven Councilors constitute a quorum of the City Council, but a lesser number may adjourn or recess and compel the attendance of absent members. Committees must be composed of less than a quorum of Council. A committee generally consists of four to six Councilors, with at least one Councilor but no more than two from each district. A quorum is a majority of committee members.

Voting

If City Charter, City Code, and the Rules are silent, Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised will govern.

Table of Votes Required

Councilor Requests for Staff Assistance to Develop Legislative Policy

Procedure

1.  Councilor legislative requests must be submitted in writing to the Council Operations Manager. The request must include: (a) a brief summary; (b) relevant background; and (c) information sufficient for Council operations staff to analyze the issue and draft policy.

2.  The Council Operations Manager, in consultation with the Council President, will review all requests and assign each to an appropriate Council operations staff member or request assistance from appropriate bureau staff through the City Administrator’s office. Assigned staff will work directly with the Councilor, Council staff, and necessary subject matter experts to draft proposed an ordinance, resolution, or report, including all required documentation for agenda submittal.

Legislative Process

The City Code authorizes the Auditor, as the supervisor of the Council Clerk, to adopt rules and procedures to implement the provisions of Chapter 3.02. The Auditor has adopted rules specifying filing deadlines and other requirements.

Deadline for Code Amendments

Proposed amendments to City Code, with the exception of Title 33 (Planning and Zoning), must be reviewed and approved by the City Attorney’s office and the City Auditor’s code staff before the item is filed. Proposed amendments to Title 33 (Planning and Zoning) must be reviewed and approved by the City Attorney’s office before the item is filed. Proposed amendments must be submitted no later than 12:00 Noon on Tuesday two weeks before the Council meeting in which the item will be introduced on the scheduling calendar. Refer to the How to Amend City Code resource on the Council Clerk employee page.

Deadline for Non-Code Amendments

Ordinances, resolutions, or reports that do not propose City Code amendments will be filed with the Council Clerk no later than 12:00 Noon on Tuesday for the following week’s meetings. An early deadline may be announced by the Council Clerk when necessary due to a holiday.

Request to Extend Deadline

Incomplete filings will not be accepted by the Council Clerk. However, the Council Clerk may accept a request for a filing deadline extension to 5:00 PM on the day of the filing deadline if the Mayor, Council President, or City Auditor submits the request in writing before the 12:00 Noon filing deadline has passed. If the complete item is not filed by 5:00 PM, the Council Clerk will reject the item and staff may identify a future Council meeting date for item submission.

Filing Requirements

Items will be filed according to the City Auditor’s requirements.

Explanation of Ordinances or Resolutions

Each ordinance and resolution will be accompanied by a written statement clearly explaining the ordinance or resolution’s contents, need and what it is designed to accomplish. Each ordinance, resolution and report will be accompanied by a written impact statement clearly explaining additional impacts. The format requirements for the written statement will be determined by the Council Clerk. The format requirements for the impact statement will be determined by the city budget office.

Posting of Agenda

The regular Council meeting agenda will be posted no later than 9:00 am the Friday prior to the meeting.

President’s Recommendations

1.  All filed agenda items will be reviewed by the Council Clerk for completeness and then assigned a document number before being sent to the President.

2.  The President will review each item and assign it to a committee or the Council by means of an introduction calendar that will be included on the agenda of the next regular Council meeting.

3.  At the beginning of the regular Council meeting, Council will approve or amend the introduction calendar.

Taking Matter from Committee

Committees will act on all matters referred to them without unnecessary delay. If a committee fails to act, the Council may take the matter from the committee with the affirmative vote of at least seven Councilors.

Re-referral to Committee

After a committee has sent a matter to Council for action, the Council, with the affirmative vote of a majority of Councilors present, may refer the matter back to the committee for further consideration.

Expired Legislation

Council ordinances, resolutions, or reports held in committee or before the Council for one year prior to March 1 of each calendar year will be considered dead. The items will be placed on file in the permanent record and made available in the records management system used by the city.

Council Committees

General

1.  A standing committee is a committee established to consider subjects of a particular topic area, with regularly scheduled meeting dates and times, and generally of a permanent or long-term duration.

2.  A special committee is a temporary committee established for a special purpose and of limited duration.

3.  A committee is a forum for in-depth review and analysis of matters assigned to that committee and provides a means for residents to address concerns or provide recommendations specific to the committee’s assigned scope of work.

4.  Under City Code Section 3.02.050.B., a committee’s authority is established by the Council Resolution that creates the committee.

5.  To the extent possible, a committee will hold a meeting for public input and deliberation on any item referred to that committee before providing a recommendation to Council.

Formation and Vacancy

1.  Under City Code Section 3.02.050.B., Council may form and terminate committees by Resolution. The Resolution specifies the subject matter, duties, membership, and committee chair of each committee.

2.  In the event of a Council vacancy, the Councilor’s successor will assume the committee membership(s) of their predecessor unless otherwise stated by Resolution.

Special Meetings

1.  A special meeting is a meeting held at a date, time or location that differs from a regular meeting. A special meeting may be scheduled by the committee chair, with the affirmative vote of a majority of committee members.

2.  Notice will be published at least two business days prior to the meeting.

3.  To recommend an item to the Council during a special meeting, the item must be on the meeting’s published agenda.

Committee Chair Duties

The committee chair will:

1.  Act as presiding officer and conduct meetings in an orderly, equitable fashion. Ensure that the majority prevails, that minority rights are protected, and that courtesy, fairness, justice, and impartiality are guaranteed to all present.

2.  At the start of each meeting, state the amount of time allowed for public testimony and announce instructions to meeting participants. Recognize Councilors and others who wish to speak.

3.  Set the committee’s agenda consistent with the committee’s assigned scope of work and the Council’s strategic plan.

4.  Run meetings expeditiously.

5.  Preserve order and decorum.

Committee Member Duties

Committee members will familiarize themselves with the committee’s policy issues and make recommendations to Council on ordinances, resolutions, reports, and other items assigned to the committee.

Committee Referral, and Reporting

After the committee has considered an item, any member may move to: (a) forward the item for Council consideration; (b) forward the item for Council consideration with amendments; (c) forward the item with a recommendation that another committee consider the item; or (d) postpone the item for further consideration at a date certain. If the committee approves a motion to forward, the Council Clerk will place the item on the next regular Council meeting agenda which meets the filing deadline.

Starting at noon on the Thursday immediately preceding a regular Council meeting, committees will not refer items to that meeting for final action, except upon the committee’s passage of a motion to suspend this rule and a concurrence with the Council President.

Committee Reports

1.  Items forwarded to Council will be accompanied by a committee report that includes: (a) the committee recommendation; (b) Councilors in attendance; and (c) each Councilor’s vote on the item.

2.  If a committee recommendation is not unanimous:

a.  A divided report may accompany any nonunanimous committee recommendation. Divided reports will include the information in a unanimous report and a statement describing the rationale for each voting Councilor’s position.

b.  When reporting a nonunanimous recommendation with a divided report to Council:

i.  The majority position will be listed first.

ii.  If there is no majority position, the position of the chair will be listed first.

iii.  The majority position of the committee will be the position considered by the Council, subject to a motion at Council to substitute the minority position in place of the majority position.

Participation by Nonmembers

Councilors who are not members of a committee may attend any meeting and will be recognized by the chair and allowed to speak on any item. However, nonmembers will not be included for purposes of determining the committee’s quorum and will not be permitted to vote.

Standing Committees

1.  Committee of the Whole.

a.  Established by Resolution No. ___________.

b.  Membership will comprise all Councilors.

c.  The Vice President is chair.

d.  Responsible for:

i.  Consideration, modification, and action on the City’s vision, goals, and strategic direction.

ii.  Major citywide programs not logically suited for another committee.

iii.  Reports on citywide resident or employee survey results.

iv.  Formation and termination of committees.

v.  Annual review of the Rules.

e.  Items may be referred to another committee.

2.  _________ Committee.

a.  Established by Resolution No. _______.

b.  Responsible for [short overview].

i.  Example one

ii.  Example two

3.  _________ Committee.

a.  Established by Resolution No. _______.

b.  Responsible for [short overview].

i.  Example one

ii.  Example two

4.  _________ Committee.

a.  Established by Resolution No. _______.

b.  Responsible for [short overview].

i.  Example one

ii.  Example two

5.  _________ Committee.

a.  Established by Resolution No. _______.

b.  Responsible for [short overview].

i.  Example one

ii.  Example two

Special Committees

1.  Budget Committee. Council is the budget committee and approves the budget (see Charter Section 2-128). It is possible, however, for Council to also appoint a subcommittee to consider budget and appropriation matters, so long as the full Council meets and approves the budget as the budget committee provided by state law.

2.  Local Contract Review Board. Council is the Local Contract Review Board (see City Code Section 5.33.020).

3.  Other recommended committees:

Facilities

Council Chambers

1.  Council business has priority over other uses of the Council Chambers.

2.  Other uses of the Council Chambers will be in accordance with policies of the Council Clerk or bureau of fleet & facilities.

Councilor Office Space

1.  Councilors and their staff, excluding the Council operations team, will not have access to office space until the first full business day their term begins.

2.  Councilors may be required to vacate their office space December 1 through December 31 to facilitate repairs or upgrades. If Councilors are required to vacate, the City will provide temporary office space for December 1 through December 31 or staff will be allowed to work remotely.

Council Records Council

Council procedures and decisions have enduring historic value and must be preserved. Councilors and Councilor staff must abide by all records management and archiving policies established by the City Auditor and the State of Oregon.

Records created by elected officials are permanent records retained by the City. No less than 30 days before an elected official’s term is completed, the official must ensure all physical records, including those of their staff, have been sent to the City Archives following the policies and procedures of the Archives & Records Management division of the Office of the City Auditor. Electronic records, including correspondence, calendars, and publications are permanent records and need to be retained in the City’s electronic repository, Content Manager (aka TRIM).

Council staff starting or ending their work may be required to change their City email address and may lose or gain access to all electronic file systems associated with that Councilor to ensure archiving standards are met. Contact PARC@portlandoregon.gov with any questions related to archiving standards.

Communications

(standards, templates, etc.)

Appendix

Definitions

Auditor – An elected official responsible for a variety of accountability and oversight functions, functionally independent of city Council and accountable only to the public. The auditor's office consists of six divisions. Two divisions have oversight and accountability responsibilities: Audit Services and the Ombudsman. Other divisions support the public’s participation in their government. Archives & Records Management oversees the Portland Archives and Records Center and helps City offices and bureaus meet government records retention requirements. Operations Management provides administrative support across all auditor’s office divisions and oversees the Council Clerk. The Elections Division administers City elections and oversees campaign finance and lobbying regulations. The Hearings Office provides fast, fair, and impartial adjudication of alleged City Code violations.

City Administrator - A nonelected professional who serves under the Mayor and helps to supervise, monitor, and coordinate the activities and functions of the City. They typically serve as a significant conduit between the Mayor, Council, and city staff. The City Administrator will develop the City budget under the direction of the Mayor.

City Charter (“Charter”) - The guiding document that establishes the government system and structure of the City. It defines how the government is set up, how city leaders are elected, and the roles and responsibilities of those leaders. The City Charter functions as the City’s constitution – it creates the City as a legal entity, authorizes city powers, and outlines the broad basic fundamentals of city government. Portland’s City Charter can only be amended by a vote of the people. The Portland City Charter requires that every 10 years (at minimum), the Council convenes a commission to review and recommend amendments to the Charter.

City Code (“Code”)- The collection of laws adopted by Council. It clarifies and provides additional context to the roles and responsibilities defined in Charter. Code includes things like building, plumbing, fire or land use regulations, rules for taxes or licenses, and descriptions of what duties a particular bureau may have. Portland’s Code can be approved or amended by the Council.

Council/ Legislative Council (“Council”) - Together Councilors constitute the legislative body known as Council that is given the authority to make local laws. A few of Council’s roles include creating bureaus and departments, adopting Code, setting employee salaries, approving the City’s budget, and applying quasi-judicial authority to laws and policies.

Council Clerk - A nonelected professional who administers Council business, including publishing Council agendas and maintaining the public record of Council meetings. In Portland, they report to the auditor and supervise a team that maintains the central repository for Code, Charter, and Portland Policy Documents.

Council Committee (“committee”) - Committees are small groups of Councilors who develop and maintain a deeper level of knowledge on specific topics in order to enhance communication between Council, staff, and the public, explore new policy recommendations, and develop recommendations for consideration by the full Council.

Councilor - Councilors are elected to be the city’s legislators, or law makers. In Portland, Councilors approve the City’s budget and changes to Code, and confirm the Mayor’s appointments of the City Administrator, chief of police and City Attorney.

Council President / Council Vice President - A Councilor elected by a vote of the other Councilors to lead Council. The election of the Council President and Vice President must occur at the first Council meeting of each year. Portland’s Council President, and in their absence the Vice President, will preside over Council meetings, recommend what agenda items are referred to a committee or the full Council, assigns seats in Council Chambers, set limits for public testimony at meetings, and vote last on any item before Council. In accordance with Code, the Council President and Vice President cannot be from the same district.

Dais – The area in Council or Council committee meeting venues, such as Council Chambers, which includes the desks and seats of all Councilors and legislative staff such as the Council Clerk, City Attorney, and City Administrator.

Legislation / Legislative - The preparation and enactment of laws by a legislative body through its lawmaking process. The legislative process includes proposing, evaluating, amending, and voting on proposed laws. In Portland, legislation comes in three general forms: ordinance, resolution, and report. Ordinances generally establish laws or rules of the City. Resolutions generally express the will, opinion, or intent of the Council and can help to clarify or establish procedures, processes, or administrative actions. Reports are formal communication from staff or advisory bodies to Council, which provides information, transmits other documents, or makes recommendations.

Mayor / Executive Mayor - The Mayor is elected to be the chief executive officer of the City and is responsible for managing all of the City’s administrative functions. They have executive and administrative power to execute the laws adopted by Council, to administer the bureaus, employees, and facilities of the City, and to ensure that the City is using budgeted funds appropriately. The Mayor proposes the budget for Council consideration and also has the power to adopt administrative rules (Portland Policy Documents) to manage the activities and programs of the City.

Majority – The majority of those members present.

Ordinance – A law, regulation, or rule adopted by the Council. Ordinances are generally considered permanent and can only be amended by enacting a new ordinance. Ordinances typically do not go into effect immediately. In Portland, ordinances most often amend, repeal, or supplement the Code and Portland Policy Documents, and are in addition to any county, federal or state law which is in effect.

Policy - Policy is a law, regulation, procedure, administrative action, incentive, or voluntary practice of governments and other institutions. Policy decisions are frequently reflected in resource allocations through the budget.

Portland Policy Documents - The central repository for all formally adopted binding policies, nonbinding policies, and administrative rules that affect residents or all City employees. The Portland Policy Documents began as a joint initiative of the Mayor's office and auditor's office to capture all policies and administrative rules in one location.

Presiding Officer – The person in charge of leading a meeting. In Portland, the presiding officer is typically the President or Vice President of Council or the chair or Vice chair of a Council committee. The presiding officer maintains order and decorum, recognizes members to speak, and ensures that meeting rules and procedures are administered.

Quasi-Judicial - A proceeding or decision-making process conducted by officials based on record of evidence and facts presented. While it is similar to a court proceeding, the decision makers are administrative officials, not law judges. Quasi-judicial action may be appealed to a court of law.

Resolution – A formal expression of opinion, will, or intent from Council. Resolutions often address matters of a special or temporary nature. In most instances, resolutions go into effect immediately.

Report – Formal communications from bureaus, committees, the City Administrator, or Mayor to Council. Reports may inform Council on committee recommendations, project or program annual reports, or the City’s financial status. Reports can also help Council or it’s committees to identify future legislative or policy direction needs.

Scheduling Calendar - The scheduling calendar, also known as the introduction calendar or the referral calendar, details the Council President’s recommendations for whether an agenda item will be reviewed by a Council committee (or committees) or the full Council. This calendar will be included with all regular Council meeting agendas and approved by Council when they vote to approve or amend the meeting agenda.

Legislative Process Flow Chart

Adoption History

Shiplet, Diana, 2024-07-17T09:32:00Z
Update this to reflect final determination of updated budget process and GTAC recommendations for improved community engagement.

Oppenheim, Shoshanah, 2024-07-24T18:07:00Z
This also feels like a policy choice for them to consider and would be part of the process to review the calendar.

Shiplet, Diana [2], 2024-04-24T10:16:00Z
For communications team to update or insert appropriate links when completed.

Shiplet, Diana, 2024-07-18T14:04:00Z
This section to be removed in favor of updated definitions in City Code Section 1.01.040 once that section has been approved by council.

Shiplet, Diana, 2024-07-30T11:42:00Z
Graphics designer will create an image-heavy version of this once language has been approved.