#3 Public hearing to change Council meeting start time (File Charter Ord. #2009-008)
CITY MANAGER’S OFFICE MEMORANDUM
October 7, 2009
TO: City Council
FROM:Thomas E. Malone, Management Analyst
SUBJECT: Second Reading, Public Hearing and Action on a Proposed Charter
Ordinance Amending the Meeting Time of Regular Common Council
Meetings from 7:00 P.M. to 6:30 P.M. on the Second and Fourth Monday’s
of the Month (File Charter Ordinance 2009-008)
Request
The Janesville Gazette has requested that the City Council meetings be regularly
scheduled to start at 6:30 pm rather than 7:00 pm.
Recommendation
No City Manager recommendation.
Suggested Motion
If the City Council wishes to consider a change in the time for Council meetings then,
following the public hearing, the proposed Charter Ordinance should be approved.
Background
Every city has a charter that establishes the form and substance of the City’s structure
and operation. To make changes to the charter, the Council must pass a charter
ordinance. Janesville’s charter details when the common council meets.
Charter ordinances are more involved than typical “general ordinances”.
?
Amending a Charter Ordinance requires a two-thirds vote, or 5 affirmative votes, of
the Common Council, instead of a simple majority (4 votes).
?
A Charter Ordinance does not take effect until 60 days after its passage and
publication. If citizens oppose the Charter Ordinance, they may use this 60 day
time period to gather the appropriate signatures to require a referendum on the
Charter Ordinance.
Analysis
Below is a list of potential pros and cons to changing the start time of City Council
Meetings to 6:30 pm.
Pros
?
Starting meetings at 6:30 would potentially provide the media with extended time
to meet deadlines and include a more complete description of council meetings.
?
There is the potential that meetings would not be in session as late into the
evening because of the earlier start time. This would be an advantage to
residents who are in attendance for later agenda items.
Cons
?
Starting meetings at an earlier time has the potential of being an inconvenient for
citizens who are unable to make a 6:30 pm meeting due to work or personal
reasons.
?
The City Council currently holds a listening session from 6:00 until 7:00 prior to
the first Council meeting of the month. If this request is approved that listening
session will either need to be shortened by ½ hour, or the start time will need to
be moved to 5:30.
?
Under the current start time additional meetings are sometimes scheduled prior
to the Council meetings, this could impact the ability to schedule those other
meetings.
CC:
Eric Levitt, City Manager
Jacob J. Winzenz, Assistant City Manager/Director of Administrative Services
CHARTER ORDINANCE NO. 2009 – 008
CITY OF JANESVILLE
Amendment
To Certain Current Charter Ordinance Section 2.04.030 of the City of Janesville
An ordinance amending the meeting time of regular common council meetings.
THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF JANESVILLE DO ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION I. Charter Ordinance Section 2.04.030 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of
Janesville is hereby amended to read as follows:
“2.04.030 Time--Place
. Regular meetings of the council shall be held in the council chambers at
six thirty o’clock p.m.
the city hall at seven o'clock p.m. Special meetings shall be held at the place
and at the time designated in the notice thereof.”
SECTION II.
All other provisions and sections of the Charter Ordinance(s) of the City of Janesville not
expressly and specifically amended in the manner set forth above are hereby reaffirmed and ratified, shall
remain unchanged, and shall remain in full force and effect.
Motion by:
ADOPTED:
Second by:
Councilmember Aye Nay Pass Absent
APPROVED:
Brunner
McDonald
Perrotto
Eric Levitt, City Manager
Rashkin
Steeber
ATTEST:
Truman
Voskuil
Jean Ann Wulf, City Clerk-Treasurer
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
City Attorney
Proposed by: Council President Truman
Prepared by: Management Assistant