City Council to discuss meeting procedure, councilor conduct

At Tuesday’s Baker City Council meeting, councilors will consider a resolution revising rules of procedure for City Council meetings.

Even though the resolution confirms the existing practice of holding Council meetings on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month, City Manager Steve Bogart had to step in and advise councilors to refrain from meeting last Thursday, without prior public notice required by state law.

That meeting was cancelled upon Bogart’s advice and the Council is considering Resolution 3407 at Tuesday’s meeting to revised procedural rules for future Council meetings.

The meeting begins at 7 p.m. at Baker City Hall, 1655 First St.

The proposed resolution says agenda items should be presented to the city manager before noon on Wednesday before the Tuesday Council meeting or be delayed until the next Council meeting.

Another provision says members of the Council “shall preserve order and decorum and shall neither by conversation nor otherwise delay or interrupt the proceedings nor refuse to obey the orders of the presiding officer or the rules of the Council.”

“Every councilor desiring to speak shall address the chair, and upon recognition by the presiding officer, shall confine comments to the question under debate and shall avoid all personalities and indecorous language,” according to an excerpt from the resolution as proposed.

Other provisions call for Council members to pose any questions of city staff to the City Manager, who would then choose whether to answer the question or refer it to a staff member.

If a councilor is called to order for speaking out of order, the councilor shall immediately cease speaking and “shall remain silent or shall alter the remarks so as to comply with the rules of the Council, according to the resolution as proposed.

“All members of the Council shall accord the utmost courtesy to each other, to city employees, and to the public members appearing before the Council, and shall refrain at all times from rude, derogatory remarks, reflections as to integrity, abusive comments and statements as to motives and personalities,” according to the proposed resolution.

It goes on to say that councilors shall confine their questions as to the particular matters before the Council and in debate shall confine their remarks to the issue before the Council.

 The resolution also calls on public members attending council meetings to observe the same rules of propriety, decorum and good conduct applicable to members of the Council.

The resolution also describes the process for public participation at Council meetings and other details, such as sign-up sheets for public comment.

The agenda also includes consideration of updated city codes; a thank you from Sheriff Mitch Southwick to Michelle Owen, public works director, for allowing two of the public works staff — Jake Jones and Blaine LeaMaster — to assist in the rescue of  two missing men who had been stuck in their vehicle in the snow overnight in the mountains.

The Council also will hear presentations by Ash Grove officials and learn more about the Kirkway Project by the Powder Basin Watershed Council.

The City Council also will be asked to consider proclamations declaring Disability Awareness Week and National Future Business Leaders of America-Phi Beta Lambda Week.