Meetings

The City Council meets on the first and third Monday of each month at 7:00 pm in the Council Chambers of City Hall. Meetings are live streamed here. All meetings are open to the public and notices of meetings are posted here and at City Hall. An agenda showing the order of business and specific issues to be considered by the Council is available for visitors. Discussion items are placed on the agenda because of action by the Committee of the Whole, or by appointed committees or commissions. The City Council may meet in closed session when dealing with certain subjects in accordance with state law.

Committee of the Whole

Committee of the Whole meetings immediately follow City Council meetings on the first and third Monday of the month. At this meeting, the Council hears land use matters referred by the Planning and Zoning Commission, Zoning Board of Appeals and receives reports from other city boards and commissions. A typical agenda is divided into (4) sections:

• Finance and Budget: financial proposals, revenues, expenditures, and budget appropriations.
• Procedure and Regulations: general health and welfare, such as building inspections, health inspections, and permitting.
• Public Safety: Police and Fire protection programs and services.
• Public Works: capital improvements and the construction and maintenance of city-owned public ways (streets, sidewalks, etc), sewers, water usage, traffic control, parking and engineering.

Procedures for Addressing the CouncilCitizens wishing to speak on an action item on the agenda will be recognized by the Mayor when that item is being considered by the Council. Comments from the audience will be taken after the report of the committee chairman and before debate by the City Council. Citizens wishing to be heard on items not included on the formal agenda will be recognized under the agenda heading "Citizens Wishing to Address the Council."

Each person addressing the Council is asked to take the podium, speak into the microphone, and state his/her name and address. All questions or comments shall be directed to the Mayor, not to individual Council members, and will be limited to a maximum of five minutes. Any handouts shall be handed directly to the City Clerk for distribution to the City Council and staff members.

Once the City Council debate begins on an item, no further comments from the audience will be entertained. If an amendment or other motion is made which substantially changes the main motion, the chair shall recognize persons in the audience wishing to speak to that amendment. Once the City Council debate begins on an amendment, no further comments from the audience will be entertained.