CITY OF HOMER

City Clerk

RESOLUTION 06-54

 

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF HOMER, ALASKA, AMENDING THE HOMER CITY COUNCIL OPERATING MANUAL TO REVISE THE TIME LIMIT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AND COUNCIL’S LOBBYING REPORT.

           

 

            WHEREAS, Research completed by the City Clerk’s office confirmed that a high percentage of municipalities, including the Kenai Peninsula Borough, employ the 3 minute time limit; and

 

            WHEREAS, A time limit of 3 minutes has been established for the public to comment during the City Council Meetings and Section 1 Note 7 specifies a 5 minute time limit; and

 

            WHEREAS, There are inconsistencies within Section 3 under the heading of Lobbying Activities.

 

            NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, That the Homer City Council Operating Manual shall be amended as follows:

 

7. Audience Participation - Audience comments are acceptable when invited by a Councilmember or the Mayor. Audience comments as an agenda item is provided so that anyone wishing to speak to the Council may do so without prior arrangement. The Mayor may limit the time for "Comments Upon Matters Already on the Agenda or Audience Comments. Comments are generally limited to [5] 3 minutes per person [per issue] unless authorization to speak longer is granted by Council action.

 

BASIC TIME LIMIT (Public Comments, Public Hearing Testimony and Audience Comments.) Comments are limited to [five] three minutes per person [per issue] unless authorization to speak longer is granted by Council action. In the interest of time, the Council has found it necessary to place a time limit. It may be desirable to have one spokesperson for special interest groups making a statement to the Council.

 

When working with a contract lobbyist or lobbying on behalf of the City, the Mayor, City Manager and Council will be guided by the above-mentioned process. Toward the end of the session, when legislation moves quickly, the City Manager, Mayor or Council members responsible for specific issues may draft a position document and send it to the appropriate players. In that case, a hard copy of the transmittal will be distributed to Council, Mayor, and City Manager immediately thereafter in their mailboxes, with a copy placed in Council packets under [Committee Reports or City Manager’s Report(whichever applies)]

 

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Resolution 06-54

City of Homer

 

Announcements/Presentations/Borough and Commission Reports, thereby ensuring public involvement.

 

Upon returning from travel on City business, including lobbying trips or other trips made on behalf of the City, the City Manager, Council members and Mayor will file written reports for inclusion in the next Council meeting pack et under Announcements/Presentations/Borough and Commission Reports [(whichever applies)] using the attached format. Each entry describing the activity and subject(s) discussed will be followed by a recommendation. In this way, Councilmembers, the Mayor, or the City Manager following up will have a clear direction to follow. Reso 00-08.

 

Each Councilmember, the Mayor, and City Manager are expected to share his/her lobbying activities with the public in oral and written form under the agenda section marked [Committee Reports or City Manager's Report, whichever applies] Announcements/Presentations/Borough and Commission Reports.

 

 

 

PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Homer City Council this 22nd day of May, 2006.

 

 

                                                                        CITY OF HOMER

 

 

                                                                                                                                               

ATTEST:                                                                     JAMES C. HORNADAY, MAYOR

 

 

                                                                       

MARY L. CALHOUN, CMC, CITY CLERK

 

 

 

Fiscal Note:  N.A.