Exhibit B
Additional Language Recommendations
The following language is not common in other Rules of Procedure but does reflect recommendations of some city staff members to help additionally clarify council and staff roles and responsibilities.
Councilor Conduct and Duties
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.
Outside of Council or committee meetings, Councilors may not directly contact other staff without knowledge and appropriate permission of the Mayor, City Administrator, City Attorney, or City Auditor.
1. Councilors, when working with the Mayor or City Auditor, will:
a. Recognize that the public interest is of primary concern for all elected officials.
b. Behave professionally, with courtesy and respect.
c. Speak to the Mayor or City Auditor directly on issues related to their roles or span of control.
d. Discuss directly with the Mayor any displeasure with the City Administrator or the City Administrator’s staff.
e. Discuss directly with the City Auditor any displeasure with the Council Clerk or the City Auditor’s staff.
2. Councilors, when working with the City Administrator or City staff, will:
a. Behave professionally, with courtesy and respect.
b. Refrain from publicly criticizing the City Administrator or staff.
c. Avoid involvement in personnel issues except during executive session.
d. Discuss directly with the City Attorney, City Administrator, Mayor, or Council Operations Manager any displeasure with their staff.
e. Whenever possible, request information or answers to questions related to agenda items from the Council Operations Manager, Mayor, City Administrator, City Auditor, or City Attorney prior to the meeting that agenda item is scheduled for consideration.
f. Expect that requests for information or answers to questions will be shared with all Councilors to ensure equal knowledge in decision making.
3. Councilors, when working with any Council staff, the Council Operations Manager or staff managed by the Council Operations Manager, will:
a. Behave professionally, with courtesy and respect.
b. Refrain from publicly criticizing staff.
c. Avoid involvement in personnel issues except during executive session.
d. Place clear and realistic demands on staff resources and focus on legislatively established goals and objectives when making requests.
4. Councilors, when working with members of the public, will:
a. Make the public feel welcome.
b. Be impartial, respectful and behave without prejudice.
c. Listen courteously and attentively to public comment.
d. Refrain from back-and-forth arguments.
e. Make no promises on behalf of the Council or the Administration without legislatively established approval.
5. Councilors, when working with other agencies, jurisdictions, tribes, or elected officials, will:
a. Project a positive image of the City.
b. Show tolerance and respect for differing opinions, challenges, and issues and, if necessary, agree to disagree.
c. Represent Council’s official policies or positions when designated as delegates of the Council.
d. Explicitly state when their individual positions do not represent the Council’s official policies or positions, and do not allow the inference that their individual positions represent the Council.
6. Councilors, when working with the media, will:
a. Not discuss, even off the record, any confidential or privileged information or attorney-client privileged or attorney work-product communications.
b. Provide only nonconfidential, nonprivileged information.
c. Explicitly state when their individual positions do not represent the Council’s official policies or positions, and do not allow the inference that their individual positions represent the Council.
Council Staff Conduct and Duties
Staff Reporting Directly to Councilors
Council staff will:
1. Uphold the public trust and demonstrate integrity, honesty, and fairness.
2. Exercise budget and fiduciary responsibility.
3. Be responsive to community members.
4. Project a positive image of the city.
5. Behave professionally, with courtesy and respect.
6. Assure fair and equal treatment of all persons, claims, and transactions coming before Council or its committees.
7. Prepare well written reports and documents in accordance with City requirements.
8. Continuously strive to improve how Councilors work as a team.
9. Switch electronic equipment such as cell phones to silent or off mode during meetings.
Council Operations Manager and Their Staff
The Council Operations Manager and their staff will:
1. Uphold the public trust and demonstrate integrity, honesty, and fairness.
2. Exercise budget and fiduciary responsibility.
3. Be responsive to community members.
4. Project a positive image of the City.
5. Behave professionally, with courtesy and respect.
6. Assure fair and equal treatment of all persons, claims, and transactions coming before Council or its committees.
7. Prepare well written reports and documents in accordance with City requirements.
8. Remain objective and not advocate for issues unless so directed by a vote of the full Council.
9. To the extent possible, inform the Council, Mayor, and City Administrator of controversial items coming before the Council or its committees so they can direct appropriate staff to be present and prepared.
10. Switch electronic equipment such as cell phones to silent or off mode during meetings.
Legislative Process
Request for Mayor to Break a Tie
If a matter before council results in a tie vote, the Council President will request, in writing, that the Mayor to be present at council at a time certain in order vote to break the tie.