HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES 4363CITY OF RENTON, WASHINGTON
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF RENTON, WASHINGTON, AMENDING COUNCIL
POLICIES 800-01 THROUGH 800-11 AND 800-13
WHEREAS, the Council desires to update, revise, and modernize its policies to reflect
current practices, updated legal requirements and/or improved efficiencies, and to clarify
administrative matters, including contract approval authority, which the Council delegates to
the Mayor and/or defers to the Mayor's role to supervise the administrative affairs of the City
in order to maintain an efficiently operated government;
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RENTON, WASHINGTON, DO
RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION I. The Council hereby amends the following City of Renton Policies &
Procedures to read as attached hereto and incorporated herein as if fully set forth:
800-01 Council President and Pro Tempore;
800-02 Meetings of the City Council;
800-03 Agenda Order of Business and Approval of Council Meeting Minutes;
800-04 Council Correspondence;
800-05 Committees of the Council;
800-06 Rules of Debate, Decorum, Voting Requirements and Procedures;
800-07 Legislative Ordinances and Resolutions;
800-08 Lobbying by a Councilmember;
800-09 City Council Requests for Staff Assistance;
800-10 Filling Council Vacancies;
800-11 Council EMail; and
800-13 Remote Attendance at Council Meetings.
1
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL this 10th day of December, 2018.
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A. Seth, C#y Clerk
APPROVED BY THE MAYOR this 10th day of December, 2018.
Approved as to form:
Shane Moloney, City Attorney
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Denis Law, AaWv
2
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
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POLICY & PROCEDURE
Subject: Index: LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND COUNCIL Number: 800-01
PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE
Effective Date: Supersedes: I Page: I Staff Contact: Approved By:
12/10/2018 1 11/16/2015 1 1 of 2 1 CAO
1.0 PURPOSE:
Resolution # on
To define the role of Council President and Council President Pro Tempore, and to
establish the guidelines for the selection of individuals to serve in these roles.
2.0 ORGANIZATIONS AFFECTED:
City Councilmembers
3.0 REFERENCES:
RCW 35A.12.050
RCW 35A.12.060
RCW 35A.12.065
4.0 POLICY:
4.1 To provide for the efficient organization of Council business and activities, the
Council shall elect from its members a President and President Pro Tempore.
4.1.1 The Council President shall serve a one-year term. During that period, he
or she shall act as the spokesperson and official representative of the
City Council, unless such authority is delegated to another
Councilmember by majority vote of the Council.
4.1.2 Should there be a vacancy in the office of the Mayor for a period of less
than 30 days, the Council President shall automatically assume the
authority and duties of the Mayor. Should the Mayor be unable, for any
reason, to discharge the duties of his or her office for a period of more
than 30 consecutive days, the Council, by majority vote, shall select from
among their membership an interim Mayor who shall serve until the
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND COUNCIL PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE
p. 2
Mayor returns to office or, in the case of permanent vacancy, until an
election is held to select a new Mayor.
4.1.3 The Council President shall preside as chairman of all Council Committee
of the Whole meetings.
4.1.4 The Council President Pro Tempore shall serve as Council President in the
absence of the duly elected Council President.
4.1.5 The Council President shall serve in conjunction with the Chief
Administrative Officer as the supervisor for the Council Liaison position.
5.0 DEFINITIONS:
N/A
6.0 PROCEDURES:
6.1 At the second regularly scheduled City Council meeting in November, or a date
specified by the current Council President no later than the second Council
meeting in December, the floor shall be open to nominations for the purpose of
electing a Council President and Council President Pro Tempore to serve the
following year. Such elections shall be made by majority vote of those
Councilmembers present at the meeting. The nominations and elections shall
occur under the New Business portion of the Council meeting.
6.2 The Council President and Council President Pro Tempore shall assume the
duties of their respective offices on January 1 of the next year.
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
POLICY & PROCEDURE
Subject: Index: LEGISLATIVE
MEETINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL Number: 800-02
Effective Date: Supersedes: Page: Staff Contact: Approved By:
12/10/2018 8/13/2007 1 of 5 CAO Resolution # on
1.0 PURPOSE:
To establish the time and location of the various City Council meetings.
2.0 ORGANIZATIONS AFFECTED:
City Councilmembers
3.0 REFERENCES:
RCW 42.30
RCW 35A.12.100
RCW 35A.12.110
RMC 1-5
Policy & Procedure 800-01
4.0 POLICY:
4.1 Regular business meetings of the City Council shall be held the first four
Mondays of each month commencing at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers of
City Hall or another location determined by City Council, and properly noticed by
the City Clerk's Office. The City Council will not meet when a regular meeting
falls on a holiday acknowledged as such by official Council action; all pending
business and agenda items will be carried forward to the next regularly
scheduled meeting.
4.2 Committee of the Whole meetings (Council work sessions) may be held prior to
weekly Council meetings. No final disposition shall be taken at any Council work
session; rather, recommendations shall be offered for final action at a
succeeding regular business meeting of the Council. Generally, public testimony
is not allowed during Council work sessions.
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
MEETINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
p. 2
4.3 At all meetings of the City Council, a majority of Councilmembers shall
constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, but a less number may
adjourn from time to time and may compel the attendance of absent members
as prescribed by ordinance (RMC 1-5).
4.4 Except as provided for in law, all regular and special meetings of the City Council
shall be open to the public as set forth in RCW 42.30.
4.5 The Mayor shall be the presiding officer at all meetings of the City Council
except Council work sessions. The Council President shall preside at Council
meetings in the Mayor's absence and shall be notified when the Mayor leaves
the state. In the absence of both the Mayor and the Council President, the
Council President Pro Tempore shall preside.
4.5.1 The Mayor shall have a vote only in the case of a tie in the votes of the
Councilmembers with respect to matters other than the passage of any
ordinance, grant, revocation of a franchise or license, or any resolution
for the payment of money.
4.5.2 The Mayor or other presiding officer may require any person addressing
the City Council to be sworn as a witness and to testify under oath. The
presiding officer shall also require persons addressing the City Council to
be sworn as a witness to testify under oath if directed to do so by a
majority vote of the City Council.
4.6 The Council President shall preside at all Council work sessions. The Council
President Pro Tempore shall preside in the absence of the Council President per
Policy & Procedure 800-01.
5.0 DEFINITIONS:
N/A
6.0 PROCEDURES:
6.1 Special meetings may be called by the Mayor or any four members of the City
Council to discuss issues or business items, provided that written notice is
delivered to each member of the Council and the City Clerk at least 24 hours
before the time specified for the proposed meeting.
6.1.1 The City Clerk shall provide public notice per RCW 42.30.080 that
specifies the time and place of the special meeting and the business to
be transacted.
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
MEETINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
p. 3
6.1.2 No final disposition shall be taken on any other matter at such special
meeting by the governing body.
6.1.2.1 Written notice may be dispensed with for any Councilmember
who, at or prior to the time the meeting convenes, files a written
waiver of such notice with the City Clerk.
6.1.2.2 Written notice may also be dispensed with for any member who
is actually present at the meeting at the time it convenes.
6.1.2.3 Public notice required per RCW 42.30.080 may be dispensed with
in the event that a special meeting is called to deal with an
emergency involving injury or damage to persons or property or
the likelihood of injury or damage.
6.2 The Council President and or majority of the members of the City Council may
hold executive sessions per RCW 42.30.110 during a regular or special meeting
or Council work session for the following reasons:
6.2.1 1(a)(i): To consider matter affecting national security.
6.2.2 1(a)(ii): To consider, if in compliance with any required security breach
disclosure per RCW 19.255.010 and 42.56.590, and with the legal counsel
available, information regarding the infrastructure and security of
computer and telecommunications networks, security and service
recovery plans, security risk assessments and security test results to the
extent that they identify specific system vulnerabilities, and other
information that if made public may increase the risk to the
confidentiality, integrity, or availability of agency security or to
information technology infrastructure or assets.
6.2.3 1(b): To consider the selection of a site or the acquisition of real estate
by lease or purchase when public knowledge regarding such
consideration would cause a likelihood of an increased price.
6.2.4 1(c): To consider the minimum price at which real estate will be offered
for sale or lease when public knowledge of such consideration would
cause a likelihood of decreased price. However, final action selling or
leasing public property shall be taken in a meeting open to the public.
6.2.5 1(d): To review negotiations on the performance of publicly bid contracts
when public knowledge regarding such consideration would cause a
likelihood of increased costs.
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
MEETINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
p. 4
6.2.6 1(e): To consider, in the case of an exporting trading company, financial
and commercial information supplied by private persons to the export
trading company.
6.2.7 1(f): To receive and evaluate complaints or charges brought against a
public officer or employee. However, upon the request of such officer or
employee, a public hearing or a meeting open to the public shall be
conducted upon such complaint or charge.
6.2.8 1(g): To evaluate the qualifications of an applicant for public employment
or to review the performance of a public employee. However, subject to
RCW 42.30.140(4), discussion by a governing body of salaries, wages, and
other conditions of employment to be generally applied within the
agency shall occur in a meeting open to the public, and when a governing
body elects to take final action hiring, setting the salary of an individual
employee or class of employees, or discharging or disciplining an
employee, that action shall be taken in a meeting open to the public.
6.2.9 1(h): To evaluate the qualifications of a candidate for appointment to
elective office. However, any interview of such candidate and final action
appointing a candidate to elective office shall be in a meeting open to
the public.
6.2.10 1(i): To discuss with legal counsel representing the agency matters
related to agency enforcement actions, or to discuss with legal counsel
representing the agency litigation or potential litigation to which the
agency, the governing body, or a member acting in an official capacity is,
or is likely to become, a party, when public knowledge regarding the
discussion is likely to result in an adverse legal or financial consequence
to the agency. This subsection (1)(i) does not permit a governing body to
hold an executive session solely because an attorney representing the
agency is present. For purposes of this subsection (1)(i), "potential
litigation" means matters protected by RPC 1.6 or RCW 5.60.060(2)(a)
concerning:
(i) Litigation that has been specifically threatened to which
the agency, the governing body, or a member acting in an
official capacity is, or is likely to become, a party;
(ii) Litigation that the agency reasonably believes may be
commenced by or against the agency, the governing body,
or a member acting in an official capacity, or
(iii) Litigation or legal risks of a proposed action or current
practice that the agency has identified when public
discussion of the litigation or legal risks is likely to result in
an adverse legal or financial consequence to the agency.
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
MEETINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
p. 5
6.2.11 2: Before convening in executive session, the presiding officer of a
governing body shall publicly announce the purpose for excluding the
public from the meeting place, and the time when the executive session
will be concluded. The executive session may be extended to a stated
later time by announcement of the presiding officer.
6.2.12 No final action shall be taken at any executive session.
6.2.13 Disclosure of the content or substance of a discussion or action occurring
at an executive session is not allowed unless authorized by the Mayor,
the Chief Administrative Officer, or City administrators.
6.2.14 Attendance at executive sessions, to the extent permitted by law, shall
be limited to the Mayor, the Chief Administrative Officer, appropriate
legal counsel, the members of the City Council, and those the Council
President, Mayor, or legal counsel invite to be present. In the event of
disagreement over non-Councilmember attendees, the Council
President's decision shall control unless the majority of Councilmembers
vote in an open public meeting to include others.
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
AVftk
POLICY & PROCEDURE
Subject: Index: LEGISLATIVE
AGENDA ORDER OF BUSINESS & Number: 800-03
APPROVAL OF COUNCIL MEETING
MINUTES
Effective Date: Supersedes: Page: Staff Contact: Approved By:
12/10/2018 4/1/2016 1 of 2 CAO Resolution # on
1.0 PURPOSE:
To establish the order of business for Council meeting agendas, and to establish
guidelines pertaining to the approval of Council meeting minutes.
2.0 ORGANIZATIONS AFFECTED:
City Councilmembers
3.0 REFERENCES:
RCW 35A.12.120
RCW 35A.39.010
4.0 POLICY:
4.1 The Council shall establish an order of business to facilitate the organization of
Council meetings and expedite proceedings.
4.2 The City Clerk Division shall have exclusive responsibility for the preparation of
the agenda and recording of the minutes, and shall be authorized to use audio
and/or video recordings at any regular or special meeting of the Council to assist
in the preparation of such minutes.
5.0 DEFINITIONS:
5.1 Consent Agenda: For the purpose of this policy, the consent agenda shall consist
of a number of items/issues that shall be proposed for adoption in a single
motion.
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
AGENDA ORDER OF BUSINESS & APPROVAL OF COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
p. 2
6.0 PROCEDURES:
6.1 At each regular Council meeting, the business of the City Council shall be taken
up for consideration and disposition in the following order, which shall not be
changed except by majority vote of the Council:
1. Call to Order and Pledge of Allegiance
2. Roll Call
3. Proclamations
4. Special Presentations and Reports
5. Public Meetings/Hearings
6. Appeals
7. Administrative Report
8. Audience Comment (limited to five minutes per speaker)
9. Consent Agenda
10. Unfinished Business (including Committee reports)
11. Legislation
12. New Business (including upcoming Committee meeting announcements)
13. Executive Session (if any)
14. Adjournment
6.2 Approval of Council meeting minutes:
6.3.1 The previous week's Council meeting minutes should be placed on the
following Council meeting consent agenda for approval.
6.3.2 The Council meeting minutes shall not be read aloud unless requested by
a majority vote of the Council.
6.3.3 Any corrections to the minutes, with the exception of scrivener's errors,
shall be made by a majority vote of the Council.
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
POLICY & PROCEDURE
Subject: Index: LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL CORRESPONDENCE Number: 800-04
Effective Date: Supersedes: Page: Staff Contact: Approved By:
12/10/2018 11/16/2015 1 of 3 CAO Resolution # on
1.0 PURPOSE:
To establish guidelines and procedures for correspondence addressed to the City
Council.
2.0 ORGANIZATIONS AFFECTED:
City Councilmembers
3.0 REFERENCES:
Policy & Procedure 800-11
4.0 POLICY:
4.1 The Council Liaison or designee is authorized to open and examine all mail,
postal and electronic, addressed to the City Council as a body or to an individual
Councilmember.
4.2 Any Councilmember may address correspondence under New Business on the
Council meeting agenda.
4.3 The City Clerk shall be provided a copy of all correspondence brought before the
Council during a Council meeting.
4.4 Correspondence need not be read aloud in its entirety at a Council meeting
unless requested by the presiding officer or a majority vote of the Council.
4.5 All correspondence initially handled by the Council Liaison that has retention
value according to the rules of the State Archivist will be forwarded to the City
Clerk Division.
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
COUNCIL CORRESPONDENCE
p. 2
5.0 DEFINITIONS:
5.1 Correspondence: For the purpose of this policy, correspondence (also referred
to as "mail") includes any letter, note, facsimile transmission, email message, or
any other written or electronic transmission of information or data and any
attachments.
6.0 PROCEDURES:
6.1 Mail shall be opened, date -stamped, and logged as required by law. Mail
addressed to an individual Councilmember shall be opened and date -stamped
by the Council Liaison unless it is identified as personal or confidential, in which
case it shall be distributed to the Councilmember unopened. If the
correspondence is not personal or confidential or if it relates to City business,
the Councilmember will transmit a copy to the Council Liaison. If the
Councilmember desires action regarding individually received email, such as
having it referred to the Administration or a Council committee, the
Councilmember will directly address the correspondence under New Business at
an upcoming Council meeting.
6.2 Correspondence shall be logged into four categories:
6.2.1 Information correspondence that requires no action:
Correspondence may be forwarded to all Councilmembers.
Councilmembers may opt to respond personally to the correspondent.
Councilmembers should be careful not to respond in a way that implies
he or she is speaking on behalf of the City or the City Council as a
legislative body.
6.2.2 Correspondence that requires administrative review and/or action by
Mayor or City Department:
Action: Correspondence shall be acknowledged and forwarded to the
Mayor and/or appropriate administrator for review. Copies of the
correspondence shall be forwarded to all Councilmembers. Staff
responses shall be approved by the Mayor prior to distribution. Copies of
the responses shall be forwarded to all Councilmembers and the City
Clerk.
6.2.3 Correspondence that requires a policy decision or approval by City
Council:
Action: Correspondence shall be brought up by a Councilmember under
New Business on the agenda for approval, denial or referral to Council
committee of the Administration. If referred, the City Clerk shall notify
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
COUNCIL CORRESPONDENCE
p. 3
the department administrator for investigation and response, or request
the administrator schedule the item on a Council committee agenda.
6.2.4 Correspondence related to Public Hearings/Meetings or other items on
the Council meeting agenda:
Action: The presiding officer may inquire of the City Clerk if any
correspondence on the subject of the Public Hearing/Meeting had been
received. Acknowledgment of correspondence shall be optional.
6.3 Under Item 6.2.3, if the matter is referred to Council committee, the Council
Liaison shall notify the correspondent of the committee meeting date and time.
Following final action by Council, the City Clerk shall notify the correspondent of
the final Council action.
6.4 The City Clerk shall regularly follow up on outstanding referrals to the
Administration.
6.5 Any Council request or referrals to the Administration occurring at Council
meetings shall be referred to staff by the City Clerk or Chief Administrative
Officer.
6.6 If a public disclosure request is received for Council correspondence, the
Councilmembers shall be immediately notified and provided a copy of the
request.
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
POLICY & PROCEDURE
Subject: Index: LEGISLATIVE
COMMITTEES OF THE COUNCIL Number: 800-05
Effective Date: Supersedes: Page: Staff Contact: Approved By:
12/10/2018 1 11/16/2015 1 of 6 CAO Resolution # on
1.0 PURPOSE:
To establish guidelines and procedures for the appointment of members and conduct of
Council committees, and appointments of members to Intergovernmental Boards and
Commissions or Ad Hoc Committees.
2.0 ORGANIZATIONS AFFECTED:
City Councilmembers
3.0 REFERENCES:
RCW 42.30
Policy & Procedure 800-09
4.0 POLICY:
4.1 Standing Council Committees: Meetings are held at least monthly to discuss
financial, public safety, transportation/aviation, community services, planning
and development, utilities, and general governmental issues. Meeting times and
dates are determined by Committee members' meeting schedules, posted on
the City's website, and distributed to Council and City staff following every
regular Council meeting. Three Councilmembers serve on each committee to
discuss emerging issues, review City programs and policies, and provide
recommendations to the full Council. Committee issues can be forwarded to
regular Council meetings for action, or formally referred to another standing
committee or the Committee of the Whole for further review.
4.2 Special Committees: The Council may create special committees by motion to
accomplish specific tasks of limited duration.
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
COMMITTEES OF THE COUNCIL
p. 2
4.3 Authority of Standing Committees: Standing Council committees shall be
concerned primarily with policy matters and responsibilities vested in the
legislative body of the City. They shall review policy matters within their general
areas of purview as determined by Council and shall formulate
recommendations to the full Council for action. Activities conducted by the
committees shall not substitute for Council action, but shall be designed to
facilitate Council business.
4.4 Committee Meetings: All committees shall coordinate their activities with the
Council as a whole. The schedule of committee meetings shall be posted at City
Hall and provided to Council and staff through regular distributions. All
Committee meetings shall be open to the public. Councilmembers wishing to
attend a meeting of a committee of which they are not a member shall provide
the Council Liaison and/or the City Clerk sufficient advance notice to allow
compliance with the State's Open Public Meetings Act.
4.5 Staff Assistance to Committees: The Chief Administrative Officer shall provide
for staff assistance to a committee, as the committee Chair shall request. See
Policy & Procedure 800-09.
4.6 Standing Committee Reports: Committee reports must be in writing, and once
signed by a majority of Committee members present, must be presented for
Council action at the next available Council meeting. Items formally referred into
any committee, with the exception of briefings or updates, shall not be
considered closed until the related committee report has been voted on by the
full Council.
4.7 Standing Committees:
Community Services Committee: This committee shall be responsible for
policy and development review concerning parks, recreation, trails,
forestry, open spaces, golf course, aquatic center, City facilities, property
acquisition, concessionaire agreements, and other matters it deems
appropriate.
Finance Committee: This committee shall be responsible for policy
development and review concerning the financial matters of the City.
The committee shall also consider and make recommendations regarding
budget, fees and charges, and other matters it deems appropriate.
Planning and Development Committee: This committee shall be
responsible for policy development and review of land use matters,
comprehensive plan and related docket items, economic development
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
COMMITTEES OF THE COUNCIL
p. 3
matters, current and long range planning, permitting, code compliance,
and other matters it deems appropriate.
Public Safety Committee: This committee shall be responsible for policy
development and review concerning public safety matters such as police,
fire, criminal justice, dispatch and communications systems, disaster and
emergency services, water and boating safety, and other matters it
deems appropriate.
Transportation (Aviation) Committee: This committee shall be
responsible for policy development and review of transportation
planning and programming, transportation design and construction, the
Renton Municipal Airport, bicycle routes, traffic safety plans, public
transit, and other matters it deems appropriate.
Utilities Committee: This committee shall be responsible for policy and
development review concerning utility systems, water systems,
wastewater systems, surface water systems, utility rates and taxes, and
other matters it deems appropriate.
4.8 Appointment of Committee Members: A Committee on Committees shall
convene annually, generally in the month of November, to develop a
recommendation for Standing Committees membership. The Committee on
Committees membership shall be established pursuant to Policy & Procedure
800-01.
4.8.1 The Committee on Committees shall recommend to the full Council the
organization and membership of Standing Committees and Special
Committees, including the discontinuance of any standing or special
committee and the reassignment of its duties and functions to another
committee or committees.
4.8.2 The Committee on Committees shall also recommend to the full Council
the Chair, Vice -Chair, and Member to serve on each Standing Committee.
4.8.3 When determining the various committee assignments the Committee
on Committee should at no time act to effectively exclude one or more
Councilmembers from serving as a full and equal representative on the
Council.
4.9 The City Council shall establish Standing Committees consisting of three (3)
members each, including the Chair and Vice -Chair. Members of Standing
Committees shall be recommended by the Committee on Committees with the
approval of the majority of City Council.
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
COMMITTEES OF THE COUNCIL
p. 4
4.9.1 The Chair of each Standing Committee shall act as spokesperson for the
committee and will present reports to the Council.
4.9.2 It shall be the duty of each Standing Committee to fairly examine all
subject matters that have been formally referred by the City Council.
4.9.3 Committee activities, investigations, and recommendations shall be
reported to the full Council at a regularly scheduled meeting. All
recommendations shall be read from a written committee report signed
by at least two members of the committee. Such reports shall be
preserved in the records of the City Clerk Division.
4.9.4 Whenever any member of a committee cannot agree with the
committee report, such member may file a written minority report. The
minority report shall be read at the same time the majority report is
reported to Council. No vote may be taken until both reports have been
read. All minority reports shall also be preserved in the records of the
City Clerk Division.
4.10 The members of the City Council shall establish, through mutual agreement, the
seating arrangement and office assignments for the City Council. Should a
conflict related to those issues arise, the Committee on Committees shall
convene to study the question and provide a recommendation for Council
consideration and action.
4.11 The Committee of the Whole may convene from time to time for the purpose of
Council work sessions or retreats.
4.11.1 The Council President shall serve as Chair.
4.11.2 In the absence of the Council President, the Council President Pro
Tempore shall preside.
4.11.3 No final disposition shall be taken at any Council work session; however,
nothing shall prevent the Council from achieving informal consensus on
any matter under discussion. Recommendations shall be offered for final
action at a succeeding regular meeting of the Council.
4.12 Public testimony in committee meetings is not allowed, unless authorized by a
vote of a majority of Councilmembers, the committee meeting is noticed in
accordance with the Open Public Meetings Act, and minutes documenting the
testimony are taken and subsequently approved by the full Council at a regular
Council meeting.
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
COMMITTEES OF THE COUNCIL
P. 5
4.13 Intergovernmental Boards and Commissions and Ad Hoc Committees:
4.13.1 Councilmembers represent the City on regional and intergovernmental
boards and commissions and ad hoc committees to facilitate
communication relating to a variety of matters including planning,
transportation, utilities, housing, the environment, and social services.
Personal positions, when given, shall be identified and not represented
as the position of the City. Reports on intergovernmental boards,
commissions, or ad hoc committee activities shall be presented during
Committee of the Whole meetings under the topic of Regional Issues.
Councilmembers may invite regional committee and boards to work
sessions to provide Council with updates on issues.
A primary delegate and alternate if permitted may be appointed to
intergovernmental boards, commissions, and ad hoc committees.
Alternates are appointed to attend the meeting when the primary
delegate is unable to attend to ensure the City is represented at the
meeting. Assignment and direction of staff in relation to regional
meetings are directed by the Chief Administrative Officer.
Councilmembers are encouraged to notify the Council President of his or
her preferred regional committees. A list of Councilmembers' preferred
choices will be provided to the Council President at the first meeting in
September. The Council President shall make a good faith effort to
accommodate Councilmembers' preferred choices when making regional
committee appointments.
5.0 DEFINITIONS:
N/A
6.0 PROCEDURES:
6.1 The Committee on Committees shall submit to the Council recommendations for
membership and Chairs for each committee; this shall occur no later than
January 31 for the year in which the committees are to serve.
6.1.1 Should the committee recommendation fail to receive majority approval,
the Committee on Committees shall reconvene to prepare alternative
proposals until an acceptable organization is achieved.
6.1.2 Membership on the Committee on Committees shall be for a term of one
year commencing with the election of the Council President-elect.
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
COMMITTEES OF THE COUNCIL
p. 6
6.2 Membership on all Standing Committees shall be for a term of one year,
commencing no later than January 31 and concluding upon approval by the full
Council of a successor committee.
6.2.1 Until such recommendation is accepted and Council organization is
complete, the previously constituted committees shall continue to meet.
Newly -elected Councilmembers shall serve on all committees previously
assigned to their predecessor.
6.2.2 All Standing Committee meeting dates and times shall be set by the
respective Chair. The Chair may cancel, reschedule or set special
meetings as necessary to conduct the business of the committee,
provided such meetings be coordinated with the Council Liaison and City
Clerk, and notice be provided to the public in compliance with legal and
policy requirements.
6.2.3 The Council President shall not serve as a regular member on any
Standing Committee; however, he or she may serve as an ex-officio
member of any Council committee and may sign a committee report if at
least two regular committee members are unable to attend a meeting.
6.3 Membership of the Committee of the Whole shall be comprised of all duly
elected Councilmembers.
6.3.1 Prior to each regular weekly Council meeting, the Council may hold work
sessions.
6.3.1.1 Special Committee of the Whole meetings may be held at other
times when approved by a majority of Council. Sufficient notice of
a Special Committee of the Whole meeting shall be provided to
the Council Liaison and/or City Clerk in order to comply with the
Open Public Meetings Act.
6.3.2 Items for discussion shall be appropriately referred to the Committee of
the Whole.
6.3.3 The Council President, in conjunction with the Chief Administrative
Officer, will determine the items to be listed on the Committee of the
Whole meeting agenda.
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
NUPF
POLICY & PROCEDURE
Subject: Index: LEGISLATIVE
RULES OF DEBATE, DECORUM, VOTING Number: 800-06
REQUIREMENTS AND
PROCEDURES
Effective Date: I Supersedes: I Page: Staff Contact: Approved By:
12/10/2018 1 8/6/2007 1 1 of 6 1 CAO I Resolution # on
1.0 PURPOSE:
To establish voting requirements and procedural guidelines to assist Council as it
conducts business in official meetings.
2.0 ORGANIZATIONS AFFECTED:
City Councilmembers
3.0 REFERENCES:
Robert's Rules
RCW 35A.12.100
RCW 35A.12.120
RCW 42.23
RCW 42.36
RMC 1-6
4.0 POLICY:
4.1 Rules adopted to expedite the transaction of the business of the Council are
procedural only. Failure to strictly observe such rules shall not affect the
jurisdiction of the Council or invalidate any action taken at a meeting that is
otherwise held in conformance with the law.
4.2 In the normal course of business and notwithstanding the laws or regulations
relating to conflict of interest (RMC 1-6), each Councilmember shall at all times
be open-minded, objective, impartial, and make no judgement or engage in any
partisan position until all of the evidence pertaining to an issue has been
submitted to the Council at a regular public meeting.
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
RULES OF DEBATE, DECORUM, VOTING REQUIREMENTS AND PROCEDURES
p. 2
4.2.1 This language shall not be construed to limit Council committees in
reviewing information and developing recommendations for subsequent
Council consideration.
4.2.2 It shall be understood that a Councilmember or prospective
Councilmember may, in the course of seeking elective office, be asked to
state positions on general issues that may eventually come before the
Council at a later date. This policy shall in no way impair that individual's
right to consider the issue and vote as he/she determines is appropriate.
4.3 In order to avoid an attack on the validity of Council hearings, members of the
hearing body shall avoid any private meetings, conferences, or discussions on
the merits of the matter or issue before the body, including, but not limited to,
specific zoning and related land use proposals, comprehensive planning, and like
matters with proponents and opponents of said issues.
4.4 Every Councilmember, unless disqualified by reason of a conflict of interest or
otherwise provided by law, shall cast his/her vote upon any matter put to vote
by the legislative body.
4.5 Any Councilmember who abstains from voting without a valid reason shall be
deemed to have voted with the majority on that particular issue.
4.5.1 A Councilmember who publicly announces that he/she is abstaining from
voting or participating in debate on a particular matter for specified
reasons shall not subsequently be allowed to withdraw that abstention.
4.6 Tie votes shall be lost motions and may be reconsidered unless the tie is broken
by the Presiding Officer's vote, if permitted pursuant to RCW 35A.12.100/120.
4.7 A Councilmember may change his/her vote only if the request to do so
immediately follows the last vote cast and is prior to the time that the result of
the vote has been announced by the Presiding Officer or the City Clerk.
4.8 A motion to reconsider any action taken by the City Council may be made only
on the day the action was taken or at the next regular meeting of the City
Council.
4.8.1 A motion to reconsider may be made only by one of the Councilmembers
who voted on the prevailing side.
4.8.2 Nothing in this policy shall be construed to prevent any Councilmember
from making or remaking the same or any other motion at a subsequent
meeting of the Council.
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
RULES OF DEBATE, DECORUM, VOTING REQUIREMENTS AND PROCEDURES
p. 3
4.9 Rules of Decorum:
4.9.1 Councilmembers: While the Council is in session, all members must
preserve order, decency, and decorum, and no member shall delay or
interrupt the proceedings of the Council or disturb any member while
speaking, or refuse to obey the order of the Presiding Officer.
4.9.1.1 Discussion by members of the Council shall relate to the subject
matter at hand and shall be relevant and pertinent to allow for
the expeditious disposition and resolution of the business
before the body.
4.9.2 Employees: Members of City staff shall observe the same rules of the
order and decorum as applicable to the City Council.
4.9.3 Public Addressing Council: Any person making personal, impertinent, or
slanderous remarks or who becomes boisterous or in any way impedes
or interrupts the proceedings of the Council may be barred from further
audience before the Council by the Presiding Officer. An individual may
not return for the remainder of that meeting unless permission is
granted by a majority vote of the Council.
4.9.3.1 A commissioned representative of the Police Department shall
act as Sergeant at Arms for the purpose of maintaining order,
peace, and decorum at Council meetings.
4.9.3.2 Any Councilmembers may move to require the Presiding Officer
to enforce the rules, and the affirmative vote of a majority of
Council shall require him/her to do so.
5.0 DEFINITIONS:
N/A
6.0 PROCEDURES:
6.1 Rules of Debate:
6.1.1 Getting the Floor: Any Councilmember desiring to speak shall first
address the Presiding Officer, gain recognition, and shall confine remarks
to the question under debate. Members shall not engage in any
indecorous, abusive, or inappropriate language and shall avoid personal
attacks on any other members of the Council or City officials; or impugn
the integrity, honesty, and motives of such officials.
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
RULES OF DEBATE, DECORUM, VOTING REQUIREMENTS AND PROCEDURES
p. 4
6.1.2 Interruptions: A Councilmembers, once recognized by the Presiding
Officer, shall not be interrupted when speaking unless called to order by
the Presiding Officer, or unless a point of order or personal privilege is
raised by another Councilmember, or the speaker chooses to yield to a
question by another member of the Council. If a Councilmember is called
to order, he/she shall cease speaking immediately until the question of
order is determined; and, if the determined to be in order, he/she shall
proceed.
6.1.3 Limitation of Debate: No Councilmembers shall be allowed to speak
more than once upon any particular subject matter until every other
Councilmember desiring to do so has spoken. Each Councilmember shall
limit his/her remarks on a particular subject matter to not more than ten
(10) minutes.
6.1.4 Points of Order: The Presiding Officer shall determine all points of order,
subject to the right of any Councilmember to appeal to the City Council.
Upon an appeal, a majority vote shall conclusively determine a question
of order.
6.1.5 Point of Personal Privilege: The right of a Councilmember to address the
Council on a question of personal privilege shall be limited to cases in
which his/her integrity, character, or motives are questioned, or where
the welfare of the Council is concerned. Any Councilmember raising a
point of privilege may interrupt another Councilmember who has the
floor only if the Presiding Officer recognizes the privilege.
6.1.6 Privilege of Closing Debate: The Councilmember moving the adoption of
an ordinance, resolution or motion shall have the privilege of closing
debate.
6.1.7 Synopsis of Debate: Any Councilmember may request, through the
Presiding Officer, the privilege of having an abstract of his/her statement
on any subject under consideration entered into the minutes by a
majority vote of the Council.
6.1.8 Protest Against Council Action: Any Councilmember shall have the right
to have the reasons for his/her dissent from or protest against any action
of the Council entered in the minutes. Any such protest or dissent must
by in summary form to avoid unnecessary delay or interference with
Council business. Councilmembers must inform the City Clerk when there
is a desire to include such comments in the minutes.
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
RULES OF DEBATE, DECORUM, VOTING REQUIREMENTS AND PROCEDURES
p. 5
6.2 Addressing the City Council:
6.2.1 Manner of Addressing Council: Each person desiring to address the
Council shall proceed to the speaker's podium upon recognition from the
Presiding Officer. The speaker shall state for the record his or her name
and city of residence. Unless further time is granted by a majority vote of
the Council, speakers shall limit remarks to five (5) minutes. All remarks
shall be pertinent to the subject at hand. All remarks must be addressed
to the Council as a whole and not to any member individually. No
questions shall be asked of a Councilmember or member of the City staff
without permission from the Presiding Officer. If residents would like a
response or to be contacted, they should provide their name and
address, including email address, on a speaker card or the sign -in sheet
and submit it to the City Clerk. This allows for follow-up when a resident
desires it, but maintains confidentiality of private information.
6.2.2 Spokesperson for a Group: In order to avoid repetitious presentations
and delay in the business of Council, whenever any groups or persons
wishes to address the Council on the same subject matter, it shall be
proper for the Presiding Officer to request a spokesperson be chosen by
the group to represent their position. It is also appropriate for the
Presiding Officer to limit the number of persons addressing the Council if
additional matters are to be presented by any other member of such
group.
6.2.3 After Motion: After a motion has been made or a public hearing has
been closed, no member of the public shall address the Council from the
audience on the matter under consideration without first securing
permission from the Presiding Officer or a majority vote of the Council.
6.3 Voting Procedures:
6.3.1 Question to be Stated: After a motion has been properly offered and a
second is acknowledged by the Presiding Officer, the Presiding Officer
shall restate each question immediately prior to calling for the vote.
Following the vote, the Presiding Officer shall announce whether the
question carried or was defeated. In the case of a roll call vote, the City
Clerk shall announce the results of the vote. The Presiding Officer, may
at his or her discretion, publicly state the effect of the vote for the
benefit of the audience before proceeding to the next item of business.
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
RULES OF DEBATE, DECORUM, VOTING REQUIREMENTS AND PROCEDURES
p. 6
6.3.2 Roll Call Vote: In the case of a roll call vote, the sequence of the vote
shall progress according to the seating arrangement in a clockwise or
counter -clockwise order, with the direction alternating each month.
Voting shall always begin with the Council President. Should the Council
President be serving as the Presiding Officer or be absent, the roll call
vote shall begin with the Council President Pro Tempore.
6.3.3 Entry of Ayes and Nays on Record: At any time, at the request of any
member of the Council, any question shall be voted upon by roll call and
the ayes and nays shall be recorded in the minutes.
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
POLICY & PROCEDURE
Subject: Index: LEGISLATIVE
LEGISLATIVE ORDINANCES AND Number: 800-07
RESOLUTIONS
Effective Date: I Supersedes: Page: Staff Contact: Approved By:
12/10/2018 ( 11/16/2015 1 1 of 3 1 CAO
1.0 PURPOSE:
Resolution # on
To establish guidelines and procedures for the preparation, presentation, and
processing of City ordinances and resolutions.
2.0 ORGANIZATIONS AFFECTED:
City Councilmembers and the Administration
3.0 REFERENCES:
RCW 65.16.160
RCW 35A.12.130
RCW 35A.12.150
RCW 35A.12.160
4.0 POLICY:
4.1 All ordinances shall be prepared or reviewed by the City Attorney Department,
except bond ordinances which shall be prepared or reviewed by the City's bond
counsel.
4.1.1 No ordinance or resolution shall be prepared for presentation to the City
Council unless ordered by majority vote of the Council, requested by the
Mayor, or prepared by the City Attorney on his or her own initiative.
4.1.2 All ordinances and resolutions shall, before presentation to Council, be
approved as to form and legality by the City Attorney Department.
4.2 All ordinances and resolutions shall be examined and approved for
administrative review by the department administrator, or his or her authorized
representative, having jurisdiction over the matter.
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
LEGISLATIVE ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS
p. 2
4.3 At the time of adoption of an ordinance or resolution, it shall be read by title
only unless the full reading is requested by a majority vote of the Council.
4.4 Before any ordinance shall take effect, its title shall be published in the City's
official newspaper or otherwise advertised in accordance with the requirements
established by State law unless adopted as an emergency measure, which shall
take effect upon adoption.
4.5 The Mayor shall sign all ordinances, resolutions, contracts and other documents
approved by Council, and all such documents shall be duly attested to by the
City Clerk. In the event of the absence or unavailability of the Mayor, the
signature of the Council President may be used.
4.5.1 The Mayor shall have the power to veto ordinances passed by the City
Council and submitted to him or her for signature as provided in RCW
35A.12.130.
5.0 DEFINITIONS:
N/A
6.0 PROCEDURES:
6.1 Except as provided in this subsection, all ordinances and resolutions presented
for adoption by Council shall be reviewed by the appropriate Council committee
responsible for the subject matter.
6.1.1 When feasible, copies of proposed ordinances and resolutions shall
accompany an agenda bill when the subject matter is placed on the
consent agenda for referral to Council committee.
6.1.2 Resolutions shall be read and adopted at the time the Council committee
report is presented for reading and adoption, or as determined by
Committee.
6.1.3 Ordinances shall be placed on first reading at the time the Committee
report is presented for reading and adoption, or as determined by
Committee. Following first reading, the ordinance will be placed on the
Council agenda for second and final reading the following week, or when
all legal requirements are met. At the direction of the Chair, Committees
may recommend ordinances be prepared and then presented to the full
Council for reading and adoption when completed with the need to be
reviewed by the Committee.
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
LEGISLATIVE ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS
p. 3
6.1.4 Emergency ordinances may be reviewed and approved by Council
without Committee review.
6.2 No ordinance shall take effect until five (5) days after the date of publication
except when such ordinance may be subject to referendum, at which time the
ordinance shall not take effect until thirty (30) days after publication unless
adopted as an emergency measure, which shall take effect upon adoption.
6.2.1 Before any ordinance shall take effect, the title shall be published at least
once in a newspaper generally circulated within the City of Renton,
which shall be the City's official newspaper.
6.2.2 Whenever the City is required to publish legal notices containing the full
text of any proposed or adopted ordinance in the City's official
newspaper, the City may, upon the choice of the City Attorney, publish a
summary of the ordinance. Such summary shall be approved by the City
Council.
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
0`0
NkW
POLICY &PROCEDURE
Subject:
LOBBYING BY A COUNCILMEMBER
Date: I Supersedes: I Page:
12/10/2018 1 8/1/1985 1 1 of 2
1.0 PURPOSE:
Index: LEGISLATIVE
Number: 800-08
Staff Contact: Approved By:
CAO Resolution # on
To assure that the official policies of the City Council are properly and consistently
expressed by members of the City Council in all public forums.
2.0 ORGANIZATIONS AFFECTED:
City Councilmembers
3.0 REFERENCES:
RCW 42.17A.635
4.0 POLICY:
4.1 No testimony or statement, written or oral, from a member of the City Council
shall be in conflict with the policies set forth by formal Council action (motion,
resolution or ordinance) when such Councilmember is acting as an official
representative of the City.
4.2 When time constraints do not allow formal action by the City Council prior to
public testimony related to a particular issue, and when such statements made
by a Councilmember may have been interpreted to represent the position of the
City Council, a summary of the remarks or a copy of any written statement will
be provided to the full Council in a timely manner.
4.3 Councilmembers who testify or provide statements supporting his or her
personal position on a public issue shall not represent himself or herself as an
elected official with the City of Renton unless all information given is in
compliance with policy.
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
LOBBY BY A COUNCILMEMBER
p. 2
4.3.1 If, during the course of an appearance or verbal interchange, the fact
emerges that the person is an elected official, or it is likely that he or she
is recognized as an elected official, a disclaimer will be issued that the
information or testimony given represent his or her personal views and
not that of the City.
4.3.2 If information or testimony is given that is known to be contrary to
official policies of the City, then a statement to that effect will be given.
5.0 DEFINITIONS:
5.1 lobby and Lobbying: For the purposes of this policy, lobby and lobbying each
mean attempting to influence the acceptance, passage, or defeat of any
legislation or the adoption or rejection of any rule, rate, or other legislative
enactment that will or could have an impact on the City of Renton.
6.0 PROCEDURES:
6.1 All Councilmembers lobbying before the State legislature who expend funds in
such an effort shall file with the Public Disclosure Commission in accordance
with RCW 42.17A.635.
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
OR]
POLICY & PROCEDURE
Subject: Index: LEGISLATIVE
CITY COUNCIL REQUESTS FOR STAFF Number: 800-09
ASSISTANCE
Effective Date: Supersedes: Page: Staff Contact: Approved By:
12/10/2018 8/6/2007 1 of 3 CAO Resolution # on
1.0 PURPOSE:
To establish policy and procedures by which requests from the City Council for staff
assistance should receive the prior review and approval of the Mayor's office. This
policy will assure that:
1.1 Requests from Council are addressed in a timely and thorough manner.
1.2 Matters referred are transmitted to the appropriate department(s) for a
response, and;
1.3 Council requests are appropriate incorporated into the ongoing daily work
program.
2.0 ORGANIZATIONS AFFECTED:
All departments/divisions
3.0 REFERENCES:
RCW 35A.12
4.0 POLICY:
4.1 The Mayor, or the Chief Administrative Officer on behalf of the Mayor, shall
have the exclusive responsibility for directing the activities of the Administrative
staff of the City.
4.2 All substantial requests by Councilmembers for staff assistance shall be
transmitted to the Mayor's office for review, approval, and transmittal to the
appropriate department/division for action.
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
CITY COUNCIL REQUESTS FOR STAFF ASSISTANCE
p. 2
4.2.1 Questions or requests of a simple nature that do not require the
dedication of staff time or research may be posed directly to a
department administrator.
4.3 All requests for assistance from the City Council shall be addressed at the
earliest possible date.
5.0 DEFINITIONS:
5.1 Substantial Request: A request by a Councilmember or Council committee for
staff assistance requiring research and/or a technical analysis which was not
previously scheduled in the normal work program of the department.
6.0 PROCEDURES:
6.1 City Councilmembers shall refer substantial requests for assistance to the
Mayor's office for review, approval, and transmittal to the appropriate
department(s) for response.
6.1.1 Upon receipt of a request from the Mayor's Office, the department
administrator shall estimate the time required to respond or comply with
the request for assistance. Under normal circumstances, every effort
shall be made to respond within five (5) working days. If it is anticipated
that a response will not be forthcoming within five working days, the
Mayor or Chief Administrative Officer will provide the Councilmember an
estimate of the time required to respond to the request and the reason
for the delay.
6.2 All responses to substantial requests from the Council shall be in writing.
Responses should be sent to the Mayor's Office to assure that the content fully
addresses the intent of the request and that the information provided is
consistent with input from other sources.
6.3 The Mayor's Office shall be responsible for the distribution of responses to
Council requests.
6.3.1 All written responses to questions or requests for assistance shall be
distributed to the entire Council.
6.3.2 Verbal responses shall be conveyed, when deemed appropriate by the
Mayor, at a regularly scheduled City Council meeting as part of the
Administrative Report. Provided; however, that the Administration shall
comply with any City Council request to provide a written response to a
question or request for assistance.
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
CITY COUNCIL REQUESTS FOR STAFF ASSISTANCE
p. 3
6.4 Administrative staff who may be contacted directly by a Councilmember with a
substantial request for assistance should advise the Councilmember of the
applicability of this policy and recommend that he or she contact the Mayor's
Office for assistance.
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
FiRl
Nwor
POLICY & PROCEDURE
Subject: Index: LEGISLATIVE
FILLING COUNCIL VACANCIES Number: 800-10
Effective Date: Supersedes: Page: Staff Contact: Approved By:
12/10/2018 11/16/2015 1 of 5 CAO Resolution # on
1.0 PURPOSE:
To establish policy and procedures for filling a Council vacancy that is consistent with
State law.
2.0 ORGANIZATIONS AFFECTED:
City Councilmembers
3.0 REFERENCES:
RCW 42.12
RCW 42.30
RCW 35A.12
4.0 POLICY:
4.1 A Council position shall be officially declared vacant upon resignation, recall,
forfeiture, or death of a Councilmember, or for any other reason provided in
RCW 42.12.
4.2 The Council, by majority vote, shall appoint a qualified person to fill the vacancy
in the Council.
4.2.1 The appointee shall serve on the Council until such time as a person is
elected and certified to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the
unexpired term at the next regular municipal election.
4.3 Candidates for a Council vacancy must:
4.3.1 Be a registered voter of the City of Renton.
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
FILLING COUNCIL VACANCIES
p. 2
4.3.2 Have residency within the corporate limits of Renton at least one year
immediately prior to consideration for the vacancy.
4.4 A person shall be considered for filling the vacancy by submitting a letter of
interest by the specified date and time. Additional materials outlining the
person's interests and qualifications may also be submitted.
4.4.1 Candidates' submitted materials shall be made available in the City Clerk
Division for inspection by the public.
4.4.2 Candidates may submit letter of support with the letters of interest.
4.5 The City Clerk shall arrange for all announcements, interviews, and meetings
pertaining to a Council vacancy to be made public by publishing a notice in a
local newspaper of general circulation. Notice shall also be provided to each
local radio and/or television station that has a request to be notified on file with
the City. Notice of any special meetings shall be publicized 24 hours prior to the
scheduled meeting and must specify the time, place, and purpose of the
meeting. The requirements above do not preclude the continuation of a
publicized meeting to a time certain.
4.6 Interviews of selected candidates desiring to fill the vacant Council position shall
be conducted in a meeting open to the public in Council Chambers during a
regularly scheduled Committee of the Whole meeting. Minutes of the meeting
must be kept in order to meet the requirements of the Open Public Meetings
Act.
5.0 DEFINITIONS:
N/A
6.0 PROCEDURES:
6.1 If, for any reason, a vacancy in the Council occurs, the Mayor shall officially
acknowledge the vacancy at the next regularly scheduled Council meeting. If a
resignation, forfeiture or recall of a Council position occurs during a meeting,
official acknowledgment of the vacancy by the Mayor may take place in the
same meeting. Correspondence shall be logged into four categories:
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
FILLING COUNCIL VACANCIES
p. 3
6.1.1 After officially acknowledging a vacancy on Council, the Mayor shall
request and encourage all qualified persons who desire to be appointed
to the vacant position to submit a letter of interest to the City Clerk. The
Mayor shall also indicate that additional materials outlining the person's
interests and qualifications, and letters of support from individuals or
organizations, may also be submitted.
6.1.2 Within two weeks of the acknowledgment of the vacancy, the remaining
Councilmembers shall, at a Council meeting, 1) establish the date and
time by which letters and information must be submitted to the City
Clerk, and 2) establish a date and time for the Committee of the Whole
to review the submitted materials.
6.1.3 The day immediately following the Council meeting in which the Council
establishes a schedule for the submission of applications and review of
materials submitted, the City Clerk shall provide proper notice to local
media that:
a) Advertises the vacancy;
b) Requests qualified persons desiring to be appointed to the vacant
position submit letters of interest and supporting materials;
c) Lists the requirements and deadlines candidates must meet in
order to be considered for the vacancy; and
d) Provides notice of when the Committee of the Whole will review
the materials submitted.
6.1.4 The City Clerk shall prepare a packet for each Councilmember and the
Mayor consisting of candidates' submitted materials.
6.1.5 After receiving the packets, the Committee of the Whole shall meet in a
meeting open to the public in order to review and debate the
qualifications of the candidates, with no public testimony to be taken.
6.1.6 At the next regular Council meeting following completion of review and
debate of candidate materials, Council shall select by majority vote
either a candidate as the new Councilmember, or a slate of candidates to
be interviewed at the next Committee of the Whole meeting. If a new
candidate is selected, the City Clerk shall notify the candidates that a
selection has been made and the interview process is canceled. If a new
Councilmember has been selected under the process described in this
subsection, then the rest of the policy is inapplicable.
6.1.7 If Council selects candidates to interview, the City Clerk shall personally
notify each candidate of the date, time, and place of the interviews.
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
FILLING COUNCIL VACANCIES
p. 4
6.2 Each candidate will be interviewed at a Committee of the Whole meeting to be
held in the Council Chambers.
6.2.1 Each candidate will be asked one question per Councilmember in
attendance at the meeting.
6.2.2 A set of preselected questions, approved by Council, will be asked of
each candidate. Each candidate must respond to the same set of
questions.
6.2.3 Candidates' order of appearance at the interview shall be pre-
determined by Council.
6.2.4 The Council President may limit the length of each candidate's interview
to 30 minutes if the number of candidates exceeds six (6).
6.2.5 Upon completion of all interviews, Councilmembers may discuss the
qualifications of the candidates.
6.3 After completion of the interviews and discussion during the Committee of the
Whole meeting, the Council President shall, at the immediately following regular
Council meeting, call for nominations to fill the vacancy from the slate of
candidates interviewed.
6.3.1 Nominations shall be made beginning with the Council President and in
order of roll call for the month.
6.3.2 Balloting is done by roll call vote as outlined in Section 6.3.1. No secret
ballot is permitted.
a) Balloting will continue until a nominee receives a majority of four
votes.
b) At any time during the balloting process, Council may postpone
balloting until the next regularly scheduled Council meeting if a
majority vote is not reached.
6.3.3 All interviews, discussion, nominations, and votes taken by the Council
shall be conducted during a regular meeting.
6.3.4 The nominee receiving the majority vote is declared the new
Councilmember and shall be sworn in by the City Clerk or other
designated official at the next regularly scheduled Council meeting.
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
FILLING COUNCIL VACANCIES
p. 5
6.3.5 If Council does not elect a new Councilmember within 90 days of the
acknowledged vacancy an impasse shall be declared. In the case of an
impasse, the Council President shall submit a request, which shall include
the list of nominees, to the King County Council to fill the vacancy. The
King County Council shall have 180 days to fill the vacancy from the date
it was officially acknowledged.
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
POLICY & PROCEDURE
Subject: Index: LEGISLATIVE
COUNCIL EMAIL Number: 800-11
Effective Date: Supersedes: Page: Staff Contact: Approved By:
F
12/10/2018 8/6/2007 1 of 4 CAO Resolution # on
1.0 PURPOSE:
To facilitate email communication between and among Councilmembers, City staff,
residents, and others; to establish procedures for retention of email messages in
compliance with the Public Records Act, and to assist Councilmembers in complying the
Open Public Meetings Act and other applicable laws.
2.0 ORGANIZATIONS AFFECTED:
City Councilmembers
3.0 REFERENCES:
RCW 40.14
RCW 40.16
RCW 42.30
RCW 42.56
WAC 434.12A
Policy & Procedure 800-04
4.0 POLICY:
4.1 All Councilmembers' email communications in the City -hosted email system are
public records, and must be maintained, retained, and disposed of in accordance
with State law.
4.2 Emails are subject to public records disclosure per RCW 42.56.
4.3 All Councilmembers' email records generated in the conduct of City business are
the property of the City of Renton, regardless of where the records are located.
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
COUNCIL EMAIL
Pg. 2
4.4 Council email shall be maintained in compliance with the Public Records Act
through software applications and policies administered by the City Clerk
Division and the Information Technology Division.
4.5 Deletion of any public record, including email that has retention value, may be
illegal in the State of Washington and subject to criminal penalties.
4.6 Councilmembers must exercise caution when directly communicating with
fellow Councilmembers via email, so as to not unintentionally violate the Open
Public Meetings Act. To avoid a violation of the letter or spirit of the law, any
interactive email (i.e. email requiring or inviting two-way communication)
between or among a quorum of Councilmembers must be restricted to matters
that are not currently or likely to come before Council. A quorum means four
Councilmembers. Forwarding of informational materials between or among
Councilmembers on a "no comment" or "FYI only" basis is not a violation of the
law. Passive receipt of an email is also not a violation of the law.
4.7 Councilmembers who are serving in a quasi-judicial role (i.e. land use appeals)
must not engage in generating or reading substantive emails concerning the
matter on appeal. For purposes of this provision, a substantive email is one that
relates to a matter before the Council while acting in a quasi-judicial role and
has any information other than the scheduling or procedures of the hearing. Any
substantive emails received by a Councilmember must, without review by the
Councilmember, be routed to the Council Liaison to then be routed to the City
Attorney's office or to the counsel representing Council if the City Attorney's
office is not representing Council. If the substantive email contains or discusses
information that is not within the closed record, the quasi-judicial body may not
consider it. In the even the substantive email contains or discusses information
that is both within and without the closed record, only those parts of the email
that relate to information within the record may be considered by the judicial
body. Other parts must be redacted and not considered.
4.8 See Policy & Procedure 800-04 regarding the handling of Council
correspondence received from residents.
5.0 DEFINITIONS:
5.1 Council Action: "Action" under the Open Public Meetings Act means the
transaction of the official business of a public agency by a governing body
including, but not limited to, receipt of public testimony, deliberations,
discussions, considerations, reviews, evaluations, and final actions. "Final
Action" means a collective positive or negative decision, or an actual vote by a
majority of the members of a governing body when sitting as a body or entity,
upon a motion, proposal, resolution, order or ordinance.
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
COUNCIL EMAIL
Pg. 3
5.2 Electronic Mail (Email) System: A means of creating and sending messages
between computers using a computer network or over a modem.
5.3 Email Messages or Communications: Any communication that is broadcast,
created, sent, forwarded, replied to, transmitted, stored, held, copied,
downloaded, displayed, viewed, read or printed by one or several electronic
communications systems or services. This includes the contents of the
communication, the transactional information (metadata), and any attachments
associated with such communication.
5.4 Public Records: Any "writing" containing information relating to the conduct of
government or the performance of any governmental or proprietary function
prepared, owned, used or retained by any State or local agency regardless of
physical form or characteristics.
"Writing" as regards public regards, means handwriting, typewriting, printing,
photostating, photographing, and every other means of recording any form of
communication or representation, including, but not limited to, letters, words,
pictures, sounds or symbols, or combination thereof, and all papers, maps,
magnetic or paper tapes, photographic films and prints, motion picture, film and
video recordings, magnetic or punched cards, discs, drums, diskettes, sound
recordings, and other documents including existing data compilations from
which information may be obtained or translated.
5.5 Public Records Disclosure: Records requests and related process regulated by
RCW 42.56, whereby "each agency... shall make available for public inspection
and copying all public records, unless the record falls within the specific
exemptions of this section or other statute."
5.6 Quasi -Judicial Role: A quasi-judicial role occurs when Councilmembers are
performing a function as a member of an appellate body, determining the legal
rights, duties or privileges of a party to a hearing or other contested matter,
rather than matters affecting the public as a whole. An example is an appeal of a
land use ruling.
5.7 Records Management and Retention: The City's program for records
management, is facilitated by the City Clerk Division and is based on Records
Management Guidelines and the State records retention schedule issued under
the authority of the Washington State Local Records Committee through the
office of the Secretary of State, Division of Archives and Records Management in
compliance with RCW 40.14.
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
COUNCIL EMAIL
Pg. 4
5.8 Retention Value: The degree of importance attributed to a document measured
by the records retention schedules issued and approved by the Washington
State Local Records Committee.
5.9 Transitory Messages: Email messages which are a public record, but have no
State mandated retention value and can be deleted when its administrative use
has ended.
6.0 PROCEDURES:
6.1 Each Councilmember is responsible for complying with laws and regulations that
govern City email communications. Councilmembers are encouraged to send
and receive email messages related to City business through the City email
system. A copy of each such email message sent and received on other systems
should be forwarded to a City account for retention requirements.
6.2 The Council Liaison shall manage and maintain email messages for Council in
accordance with the City's email policy.
6.3 The City Attorney's Office shall provide current information and advice to the
Council President, the Council Liaison, and individual Councilmembers to assist
with email compliance when requested.
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
POLICY & PROCEDURE
Subject: Index: LEGISLATIVE
CONTRACTING AUTHORITY Number: 800-12
Effective Date: I Supersedes: I Page: Staff Contact: I Approved By:
12/10/2018 1 11/16/2015 1 1 of 5 1 CAO
1.0 PURPOSE:
Resolution # on
To maintain an efficient form of government, it is necessary for the Council to delegate
contract approval authority to the Mayor for specific types of contracts without prior
City Council review or subsequent ratification.
2.0 ORGANIZATIONS AFFECTED:
Mayor and departments/divisions
3.0 REFERENCES:
Applicable Administrative Policies (currently Policy & Procedure 250-02)
RCW 35A.11.010 and 020 (Council Authority and Powers of Council)
RCW 35A.12.065 (Pro Tempore Appointments)
RCW 35A.12.100 (Authority and Powers of Mayor)
Chapter 39.04 RCW (Public Works Procurement)
RCW 39.04.155 (Small Works Roster Contract Procedures)
RCW 39.04.280 (Competitive Bidding Requirements — Exemptions)
Chapter 39.34 RCW (Interlocal Cooperation Act)
4.0 POLICY:
4.1 All statutory bidding and contracting requirements, as set forth in State law shall
be followed.
4.1.1 The Mayor is authorized to establish and/or use a small works roster or
rosters and develop procedures for the administration thereof for all
contracts up to the maximum amounts established by RCW 39.04.155, as
it exists or may be amended or recodified in the future.
4.2 To assist in contract management and retention, all contracts should include a
date by which full performance of the contract shall be complete.
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
CONTRACTING AUTHORITY
p. 2
4.3 All contracts should, before presentation to Council, be approved as to form by
the City Attorney Department.
4.4 All contracts shall be memorialized in writing and filed in the City Clerk Division.
4.5 The City Council shall receive an informational list of all contracts every quarter.
This list shall include, but not be limited to, date of expiration, amount of
contract, department responsible for the contract, expected completion date of
contract, and summarized scope of work. Contract Amendments exceeding the
greater of $100,000 or 10% of the original contract amount shall be highlighted
within the list.
4.6 Except as otherwise specified herein, the Mayor or his or her designee has
authority to approve and sign the following types of contracts without need for
separate Council approval or ratification:
4.6.1 All contracts for which the Original Contract Value is less than $100,000.
4.6.2 All contracts settling claims, litigation or threatened litigation for which
the Original Contract Value, less any contribution from a City insurance
policy, does not exceed the lesser of $250,000 or the available balance in
the fund(s) from which the payment will be made.
4.6.3 All contracts awarded pursuant to small works procedures adopted and
administered by the Mayor pursuant to Section 4.1.1 herein.
4.6.4 All contracts, with an Original Contract Value between $100,000 and
$300,000 that contain specific intelligence information, the
nondisclosure of which is essential to effective law enforcement, so long
as sufficient funding is budgeted for the expenditure, and the Chair of
the Public Safety Committee is notified of the contract prior to its
execution so that he or she can, if he or she deems appropriate, request
such contract be brought to the full Council for approval.
4.6.5 Contract Amendments for which the Amendment Value does not exceed
$100,000.
4.6.6 Contracts and/or Contract Amendments specifically authorized by other
Council action.
4.6.7 Work Orders issued pursuant to RCW 39.10.450 so long as the
overarching Job Order Contract was previously approved by Council.
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
CONTRACTING AUTHORITY
p. 3
4.6.8 Annual technology hardware, software, or services renewal agreements
including annual license renewals, subscription services, support and
maintenance extensions, and general services renewals which do not
exceed $250,000.
4.7 Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Section 4.6 of this policy, the
following types of contracts require advance Council approval prior to the
Mayor or designee's signature:
4.7.1 Any contract for the sale or purchase of real estate.
4.7.2 Any contract to lease or otherwise encumber (e.g. via license or access
agreement) City -owned real estate for a period of more than one (1) year
unless the contract provides the City with an option to terminate the
lease early without cause or damages by providing no more than six (6)
months' notice of termination.
4.7.3 Public Works contracts that require award by the City Council pursuant
to Chapter 39.04 RCW.
4.7.4 Any contract that transfers risk to the City of third party claims arising
out of a contractor's misconduct or negligence if the risk transferred
thereby would not be covered by the City's insurance policies. Any such
provision in a contract that is not approved by the Council shall be void
and unenforceable.
4.7.5 Any interlocal agreement entered into under the express authority of
Chapter 39.34 RCW.
4.7.6 Any contract that, pursuant to applicable law, requires authorization
from the City Council.
4.7.7 Any Contract or Contract Amendment for which the Mayor is not
authorized to approve by Section 4.6 of this policy.
4.8 Work on a contract requiring City Council approval should not commence until
such approval has been granted as authorized in this policy. However, work
outside of the contract's original scope due to changed conditions on a public
works project may proceed prior to formal approval of a Contract Amendment if
the Mayor or designee determines such additional work is necessary to be
performed without delay in order to avoid increased costs or other
inefficiencies.
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
CONTRACTING AUTHORITY
p. 4
4.9 In the event an emergency situation arises which necessitates a deviation from
this policy or applicable bidding or procurement laws, the Mayor may, pursuant
to RCW 39.04.280, declare an emergency situation exists, waive competitive
bidding requirements, and award all necessary contracts on behalf of the City of
address the emergency situation. Within two weeks of awarding an emergency
contract, the Mayor shall provide Council with a written finding of the existence
of the emergency and notice of the contract(s) awarded pursuant to the
authority granted in this section. Such finding and notice shall be memorialized
with the City Clerk and published on the City's website and/or in the next
Council agenda packets, as the City Clerk deems appropriate.
5.0 DEFINITIONS:
5.1 Amendment Value: Amendment Value is the dollar value of all Consideration
provided by the City to the other contracting party or parties as consideration
for an individual Contract Amendment. Calculation of Amendment Value should
be calculated consistent with the guidelines for calculating Original Contract
Value.
5.2 Consideration: A value of exchanged or promised to be exchanged.
Consideration can be in the form of a service, money, and/or property, and can
also be a promise not to do something that the contracting party would
otherwise be lawfully permitted to do.
5.3 Contract: Any agreement (written, oral, or implied) with another entity that
legally binds the City to provide Consideration.
5.4 Contract Amendment: A modification or change in terms to a previously
executed Contract, regardless of form or label (e.g. addendum, amendment,
change order...).
5.5 Emergency: Unforeseen circumstance beyond the control of the City that either
a) present a real, immediate threat to the proper performance of essential
functions, or b) will likely result in material loss or damage to property, bodily
injury, or loss of life, if immediate action is not taken.
5.6 Mayor: The elected Mayor of the City of Renton, his or her designee(s), and/or a
pro tempore Mayor appointed temporarily pursuant to RCW 35A.12.065.
5.7 Original Contract Value: Original Contract Value is the dollar value of all
Consideration provided by the City to the other contracting party or parties in
the original contract. Calculation of Contract Value involving services or property
exchanged should include a reasonable estimate of the fair market value of
services and property provided by the City as Consideration.
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
CONTRACTING AUTHORITY
p. 5
6.0 PROCEDURES:
Procedural matters regarding bidding and contracting are the responsibility of the
Administration. This includes, but is not limited to, formally designating those who may
approve and/or sign contracts on the Mayor's behalf and developing/updating
procurement policies and procedures designed to comply with applicable laws.
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
POLICY & PROCEDURE
Subject: Index: LEGISLATIVE
REMOTE ATTENDANCE AT COUNCIL Number: 800-13
MEETINGS
Effective Date: I Supersedes: Page: Staff Contact: Approved By:
12/10/2018 1 3/15/2015 1 1 of 2 1 CAO
1.0 PURPOSE:
Resolution # on
To establish remote attendance guidelines for all types of City Council meetings.
2.0 ORGANIZATIONS AFFECTED:
City Councilmembers
3.0 REFERENCES:
RCW 42.30
4.0 POLICY:
4.1 It shall be the policy of City Council to allow its members to attend all types of
Council meetings by speakerphone or other audio/video equipment. The Council
President, at his or her discretion, may also call upon absent Councilmembers
willing to attend remotely to ensure a quorum of the Council so that City
business can be conducted in a timely manner.
5.0 DEFINITIONS:
5.1 Quorum: The minimum number of Councilmembers who must be present at a
meeting in order to transact Council business. Generally, a quorum consists of
four or more Councilmembers.
5.2 Remote Attendance: The use of telephones and/or other audio/video
equipment to hold a meeting with people who are in different locations.
5.3 Teleconferencing: The use of a telephone, video conferencing equipment or
other means of instant communication that allows a person to take part in
discussions as they happen.
RESOLUTION NO. 4363
REMOTE ATTENDANCE AT COUNCIL MEETINGS
p. 2
6.0 PROCEDURES:
6.1 Councilmembers who cannot be physically present at a Council, but are willing
to attend remotely, must notify the Council Liaison of his or her absence and
willingness and availability to attend Council meetings remotely.
6.2 If the Council Liaison becomes aware of a potential lack of quorum, he or she
will immediately notify the Council President. If the Council President
determines that a lack of quorum at a Council meeting will delay urgent and
important City business, he or she will, or direct the Council Liaison to, contact
all absent Councilmembers who have indicated that they are willing to attend
remotely. Such contact shall be made at least 30 minutes prior to the start of a
meeting.
6.3 The Councilmember attending remotely must ensure the equipment will allow
him or her to hear all speakers in the meeting room, and all persons in the
meeting room must be able to hear the Councilmember attending remotely.