City Council

City of Medical Lake POLICY & PROCEDURES City Council Policies & Procedures Legisla�ve Policy 11.101 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. GENERAL RULES 1.1 Mee�ngs to be Public 1.2 Quorum 1.3 Atendance; Excused Absences 1.4 Remote Atendance 1.5 Staff Atendance 1.6 Mee�ng Minutes 1.7 Right of the Floor 1.8 Rules of Order 1.9 Council Communica�on and Ballot Endorsement 1.10 Viola�on of City Ordinances 1.11 Rules of Procedure Review 2. TYPES OF MEETINGS 2.1 Regular Council Mee�ngs 2.2 Special Mee�ngs 2.3 Off-Site Mee�ngs 2.4 Study Sessions and Workshops 2.5 Execu�ve Sessions 2.6 Atendance of Media at Council Mee�ngs 3. CHAIR AND DUTIES 3.1 Chair 3.2 Call to Order 3.3 Preserva�on of Order 3.4 Points of Order 3.5 Ques�ons to Be Stated 3.6 Mayor- Powers 4. ORDER OF BUSINESS AND AGENDA 4.1 Order of Business 4.2 Council Agenda Items 4.3 Council Agenda Modifica�on 10 4.4 Mayor and Council Member Comments and Concerns 5. CONSENSUS AND MOTIONS 5.1 Consensus Votes 5.2 Mo�ons 5.3 Votes on Mo�ons 5.4 Failure to Vote on a Mo�on 5.5 Mo�ons to Reconsider 6. PUBLIC HEARING PROCEDURES 6.1 Speaker Sign-In 6.2 Conflict of Interest/Appearance of Fairness 6.3 The Public Hearing Process 7. DUTIES AND PRIVILEGES OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS 7.1 Mee�ng Par�cipa�on 7.2 Comments from Ci�zens 7.3 Manner of Addressing City Council—Time Limit 7.4 Personal and Slanderous Remarks 7.5 Writen Communica�ons 7.6 Comments in Viola�on of the Appearance of Fairness Doctrine 7.7 “Out of Order” Comments 8. FILING COUNCIL VACANCIES AND SELECTING MAYOR PRO TEMPORE 8.1 No�ce of Vacancy 8.2 Applica�on Procedure 8.3 Interview Process 8.4 Selec�on of Council Member 8.5 Selec�ng Mayor Pro Tempore 9. CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEES 9.1 Commitee Opera�ng Procedures 9.2 List of Council Commitees 9.3 Commitee Membership 9.4 Commitee Chair Selec�on 9.5 Commitee Mee�ngs 9.6 Council Liaisons 10. COUNCIL RELATIONS WITH MAYOR AND CITY STAFF 10.1 Mutual Respect 10.2 Council Members and Department Opera�ons 11. SUSPENSION AND AMENDMENT OF THESE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES 11.1 Suspension of These Policies and Procedures 11.2 Amendment of These Policies and Procedures 11 MEDICAL LAKE CITY COUNCIL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES These policies and procedures shall be considered the Policies and Procedures for the City of Medical Lake City Council opera�ng under the Mayor/Council form of government. 1. GENERAL RULES 1.1. Mee�ngs to be Public: All official mee�ngs of the City Council (“Council”) shall be open to the public with the excep�on of execu�ve sessions as provided for in RCW 42.30, or as amended. 1.2. Quorum: Four (4) Council members shall cons�tute a quorum and be necessary for the transac�on of business. If a quorum is not present at a mee�ng, those in atendance will be named and they shall adjourn to a later �me, but no adjournment shall be for a longer period than un�l the next regular mee�ng. 1.3. Atendance, Excused Absences: RCW 35A.12.060 provides that a Council member shall forfeit his/her office by failing to atend three (3) consecu�ve regular mee�ngs of the Council without being excused by the Council. Members of the Council may be so excused by complying with this sec�on. The Council member shall contact the Mayor, City Administrator, or City Clerk prior to a mee�ng and state the reason for the Council member’s absence. The Mayor, City Administrator, or City Clerk shall inform the Council of the Council member’s absence, state the reason for such absence and inquire if there is a mo�on to excuse the member. Upon passage of such mo�on by a majority of members present, the absent member shall be considered excused and the recorder will make an appropriate nota�on in the minutes. If the mo�on is not passed, the recorder will note in the minutes that the absence is unexcused. It is also understood that during an emergency, it is not always possible for a Council member to no�fy the Mayor, City Administrator, or City Clerk of the Council member’s absence in advance of a mee�ng. If this situa�on occurs, a mo�on to excuse the absent Council member can be made at the next regularly scheduled Council mee�ng, and the vote will be reflected in the minutes. 1.4. Remote Atendance: From �me to �me, it is not possible for a Council member to atend a Council mee�ng in person. In such instances, the City would benefit from a Council member’s par�cipa�on by means of remote communica�on. The Council recognizes the benefits of fullest prac�cable atendance and par�cipa�on by its members. Atendance from remote loca�ons is intended to be an alterna�ve and rela�vely infrequently used method for par�cipa�on by Council members. Remote atendance may occur as follows: (a) No�ce shall be given to the City Clerk of a Council member’s remote atendance at a Council mee�ng via remote communica�on in limited instances, including emergencies that require immediate ac�on or remedy. 12  (b) In no event shall a Council member’s remote atendance occur unless sa�sfactory communica�on equipment is available for such atendance. Sa�sfactory communica�on equipment shall mean any telephone or other remote atendance device equipped with a speaker func�on capable of broadcas�ng the Council member’s voice atending clearly and sufficiently enough to be heard by those in atendance at the mee�ng(e.g. Zoom Microso� Teams, or similar pla�orm). Further, the sa�sfactory communica�on equipment must allow the Council member to pose and answer ques�ons, as applicable, from �me to �me. Remote atendance shall also require a technical transmission check-in prior to a mee�ng. (c) During any mee�ng that a Council member is atending via remote communica�on equipment, the Mayor shall state for the record that a par�cular Council member is atending via remote communica�on equipment and the reasons for such atendance. (d) Council members atending via remote communica�on equipment may par�cipate and vote during the mee�ng as if they were physically present at the mee�ng. (e) Council members atending via remote communica�on equipment shall comply with all rules and procedures as if they were physically present at the mee�ng and shall endeavor to listen in a “mute” status un�l ready to individually speak. (f) In the event of execu�ve sessions, the Council may permit par�cipa�on from remote loca�on(s) only when the Council may, on a case-by-case basis, consider such par�cipa�on to be necessary and the Council is confident in the security of such remote communica�on(s). Remote par�cipa�on by all Council members may be allowed if required or authorized by state law or order of the Governor of the State of Washington. 1.5. Staff Atendance: The City Administrator shall atend all mee�ngs of the Council unless excused by the Mayor. The City Administrator may make recommenda�ons to the Council and shall have the right to take part in discussions of the Council within the limita�ons expressed in these procedures. The City Atorney shall atend all mee�ngs of the City Council unless excused by the Mayor. The City Atorney shall, upon request, give an opinion, either oral or writen, on legal ques�ons. The City Atorney is bound by a professional code of ethics and may require study �me before an opinion is rendered. If necessary, items requiring an opinion may be put on the table for discussion and/or determina�on at a later mee�ng. The City Atorney shall act as the Council’s parliamentarian, unless Council appoints one of its members to fill that role. The statutory posi�ons of City Clerk and City Treasurer have been combined by City ordinance and are filled by the City’s Finance Director. The City Clerk, or designee, shall atend all regular and special Council mee�ngs to keep the minutes and perform other du�es as may be needed for the orderly conduct of a mee�ng. The City Clerk may be excused from atendance by the City 13  Administrator. If there is no City Clerk or designee to carry out the du�es of the City Clerk, they will be performed by the City Administrator. City Department Directors shall atend the Council mee�ngs unless excused by the City Administrator. The City Administrator may excuse a City Department Director if no agenda items affec�ng that department are docketed. Other City staff will be required to atend the Council mee�ng only upon request of the Mayor or City Administrator. Over�me provisions of the personnel rules and labor agreement will be in effect. Staff may be requested to atend for recogni�on and may atend of their own free will as long as they are not carrying out the du�es of their posi�on, and in such circumstances the over�me provisions of the personnel rules and labor agreement will not be in effect. 1.6. Mee�ng Minutes: A journal of all proceedings of the Council shall be kept by the City Clerk and shall be entered in a book cons�tu�ng the official record of the Council. The journal of proceedings (minutes) shall be open to public inspec�on. 1.7. Right of the Floor: Any Council member desiring to speak shall be recognized by the Chair and shall confine his/her remarks to one (1) subject under considera�on, or to be considered, a�er being recognized by the Chair 1.8. Rules of Order: Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised, or as amended, shall be the guideline procedures for the proceedings of the Council. If there is a conflict, these Council Policies and Procedures shall control. 1.9. Council Communica�on and Ballot Endorsements: (1) Any �me Council members communicate with the public, they shall include a disclaimer that they are speaking only for themselves and not speaking for any other member, or the Council as a whole. Personal opinions and comments which differ from the Council majority may be expressed if the Council member clarifies that the statements do not represent the Council or City’s posi�on. (2) The Council, as a whole, will not endorse those measures placed on a ballot for the vote of the people. Individual endorsement by Council members shall only be made and stated as an individual ci�zen. 1.10. Viola�on of City Ordinances: Council members concerned with or made aware of a poten�al viola�on of a City ordinance shall contact the Mayor or appropriate City department head and explain the poten�al viola�on and/or its loca�on, if applicable. Council members shall not act as an enforcement agent for any poten�al viola�on. 14  1.11. Rules of Procedure Review: The City Clerk will schedule a workshop to review Council Policies and Procedures during January of every year, or at such �me as the Council deems necessary. 2. TYPES OF MEETINGS 2.1. Regular Council Mee�ngs: The Council shall meet on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 6:30 pm. When a Council mee�ng falls on a holiday, the Mayor may designate an alternate day for the mee�ng or cancel the mee�ng. The Council may reschedule regular mee�ngs to a different date or �me by mo�on. The loca�on of the mee�ngs shall be the Council Chambers at City Hall, unless specified otherwise by a majority vote of the Council. All regular and special mee�ngs shall be open to the public. (MLMC 2.04.040) 2.2. Special Mee�ngs: Special mee�ngs may be called by the Mayor or any three (3) members of the Council. The City Clerk shall prepare a no�ce of any special mee�ng sta�ng the �me, place, and business to be transacted. The City Clerk shall atempt to no�fy each member of the Council, either by telephone or otherwise, of the special mee�ng. The City Clerk shall give at least twenty-four (24) hours’ no�ce of the special mee�ng to each local newspaper of general circula�on and to each local radio and/or television sta�on which has filed with the City Clerk a writen request to be no�fied of special mee�ngs. No subjects other than those specified in the no�ce shall be considered. The Council may not make final disposi�on on any mater not men�oned in the no�ce. Special mee�ngs may be called in less than twenty-four (24) hours, and without the no�ce required in this sec�on, to deal with emergencies involving injury or damage to persons or property or the likelihood of such injury or damage if the no�ce requirements would be imprac�cal or increase the likelihood of such injury or damage. (MLMC 2.04.030) 2.3. Off-site Mee�ngs: The Council may choose to hold mee�ngs at another loca�on. Such mee�ngs may be held outside the jurisdic�on upon approval of the Council. Mee�ngs held at another loca�on shall sa�sfy the public no�ce requirements of a special mee�ng. 2.4. Study Sessions and Workshops: The Council may meet informally in study sessions and workshops (open to the public), at the call of the Mayor or of any three (3) or more members of the Council, to review forthcoming programs of the City, receive progress reports on current programs or projects, receive other similar informa�on from City department heads or conduct procedures workshops, provided that all discussions and conclusions thereon shall be informal and do not cons�tute official ac�ons of the Council. Study sessions and workshops held by the Council are considered “special mee�ngs” of the Council, and the no�ce requirements set forth in RCW 42.30 must be provided. 15  2.5. Execu�ve Sessions: Execu�ve sessions or closed mee�ngs may be held in accordance with the provisions of the Washington State Open Mee�ngs Act (RCW 42.30). Such topics include: (1) personnel maters; (2) considera�on of acquisi�on of property for public purposes or sale of city-owned property; and (3) poten�al or pending li�ga�on in which the City may be a party. The Council must keep confiden�al all writen materials and verbal informa�on provided to them during any Execu�ve Session to protect the best interests of the City. The Council may hold an execu�ve session during any regular or special mee�ng. Before convening into an execu�ve session the Chair shall publicly announce the purpose for excluding the public from the mee�ng and the place and �me when the execu�ve session will commence and conclude. If the Council wishes to adjourn at the close of a mee�ng from an execu�ve session, that fact will be announced along with the es�mated �me for the execu�ve session. The announced �me limit for execu�ve sessions may be extended to a stated later �me by the announcement of the Chair, or designee. 2.6. Atendance of Media at Council Mee�ngs: All official mee�ngs of the Council and its Commitees shall be open to the media, freely subject to recording by radio, television and photographic services at any �me, provided that such arrangements do not interfere with the orderly conduct of the mee�ngs. 3. CHAIR AND DUTIES 3.1. Chair: The Mayor, if present, shall preside as Chair at all mee�ngs of the Council. In the absence of the Mayor, the Mayor Pro Tem shall preside. In the absence of both the Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem, the Council shall elect a Chair. 3.2. Call to Order: The mee�ngs of the Council shall be called to order by the Mayor or, in the Mayor’s absence, by the Mayor Pro Tem. In the absence of both the Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem, the mee�ng shall be called to order by the City Clerk or Clerk’s designee for the elec�on of a temporary Chair. 3.3. Preserva�on of Order: The Chair shall preserve order and decorum, prevent atacks on personali�es or character and confine members in debate to the ques�on under discussion. Council members and the public shall adhere to the legi�mate orders of the Chair. 3.4. Points of Order: The Chair shall determine all points of order, subject to the right of any Council member to appeal to the Council. If any appeal is taken, the ques�on shall be “Shall the decision of the Chair be sustained?” 3.5. Ques�ons to be Stated: The Chair shall state all ques�ons submited for a vote and announce the result. A roll call vote shall be taken upon all ques�ons. 16  3.6. Mayor - Powers: The Mayor may not make or second mo�ons but may par�cipate in debate to the extent that such debate does not interfere with chairing the mee�ng. 4. ORDER OF BUSINESS AND AGENDA 4.1. Order of Business: The order of business for all regular mee�ngs shall be transacted as follows unless the Council, by majority vote of the Council members present amend the order: (1) Call to Order, Pledge of Allegiance, and Roll Call (2) Agenda Approval (3) Interested Ci�zens: Audience requests and comments (4) Reports: Council Comments, Mayor, and City Staff (5) Workshop Discussions (6) Ac�on Items: Consent Agenda (7) Public Hearings (8) Resolu�ons (9) Ordinances (10)Execu�ve Session (11)Interested Ci�zens (12)Adjournment Notwithstanding the above, the Mayor may direct the City Clerk to alter the designated format from �me to �me, specifically for the purposes of expedi�ous mee�ng management. The Consent Agenda may contain items which are of a rou�ne and non-controversial nature and may include, but are not limited to, the following: mee�ng minutes, payroll, claims, budget amendments, and any item previously approved by Council with a unanimous vote and which is being submited to Council for final approval. Any item on the Consent Agenda may be removed and considered separately as an agenda item at the request of any Council member. 4.2. Council Agenda Items: An item may be placed on a Council mee�ng agenda by the Mayor and/or City Administrator, according to the Council agenda prepara�on schedule, by recommenda�ons from Council Commitees and requests of Council members. 4.3. Council Agenda Modifica�ons: The Mayor shall set the agenda for all regular Council mee�ngs. At the start of each mee�ng, before any discussion, the Council or Mayor may propose to amend the agenda. A majority of the Council members present must vote by mo�on to accept modifica�ons to the agenda. 4.4. Mayor and Councilmember Comments and Concerns: The agenda shall provide a �me when the Mayor (“Mayor’s Reports”) or any Council member (“Council Comments”) may bring before the Council any business that he/she feels should be 17  deliberated upon by the Council. These maters need not be specifically listed on the agenda, but formal ac�on on such maters may be deferred un�l a subsequent Council mee�ng, except that immediate ac�on may be taken upon a vote of a majority of all members of the Council. There shall be no lectures, speeches, or grandstanding. 5. CONSENSUS AND MOTIONS 5.1. Consensus Votes: When a formal mo�on is not required on a Council ac�on or opinion, a consensus voice vote will be taken. The Chair will state the ac�on or opinion and each Council member will state the Council member’s name and vote by saying “aye” or “nay”. 5.2. Mo�ons: No mo�on shall be entertained or debated un�l duly seconded and announced by the Chair. The mo�on shall be recorded and, if desired by any Council member, it shall be read by the Clerk before it is debated and, by the consent of the Council, may be withdrawn at any �me before ac�on is taken on the mo�on. 5.3. Votes on Mo�ons: Each Council member present shall vote on all ques�ons put to the Council except on maters in which they have been disqualified for a conflict of interest or under the appearance of fairness doctrine. Such Council member shall disqualify themselves prior to any discussion of the mater and shall leave the Council Chambers. When disqualifica�on of a Council member(s) results or would result in the inability of the Council at a subsequent mee�ng to act on a mater on which it is required by law to take ac�on, any Council member who was absent or who had been disqualified under the appearance of fairness doctrine may subsequently par�cipate, provided such member first shall have reviewed all materials and listened to all tapes of the proceedings in which the Council member did not par�cipate. 5.4. Failure to Vote on a Mo�on: Any Council member present who fails to vote without a valid disqualifica�on shall be declared to have voted in the affirma�ve on the ques�on. 5.5. Mo�ons to Reconsider: A mo�on to reconsider must be made by a person who voted with the prevailing side on the principal ques�on for considera�on and must be made at the same or succeeding regular mee�ng. No mo�on to reconsider an adopted quasi-judicial writen decision shall be entertained a�er the close of the mee�ng at which the writen findings were adopted. 6. PUBLIC HEARING PROCEDURES 6.1. Speaker Sign-In: Prior to the start of a public hearing, the Chair may require that all persons wishing to be heard sign in with the recorder, giving their name and whether they wish to speak as a proponent, opponent, or from a neutral posi�on. Any person who fails to sign in shall not be permited to speak un�l all those who signed in have given their tes�mony. The Chair, subject to the 18  concurrence of a majority of the Council, may establish �me limits and otherwise control presenta�ons. (Suggested �me limit is three (3) minutes per speaker or five (5) minutes when presen�ng the official posi�on of an organiza�on or group.) The Chair may change the order of speakers so that tes�mony is heard in the most logical groupings (i.e. proponents, opponents, adjacent owners, etc.). 6.2. Conflict of Interest/Appearance of Fairness: Prior to the start of a public hearing the Chair will ask if any Council member has a conflict of interest or appearance of fairness doctrine concern which could prohibit the Council member from par�cipa�ng in the public hearing process. A Council member who refuses to step down a�er challenge and the advice of the City Atorney, a ruling by the Mayor or Chair and/or a request by the majority of the remaining Council members to step down is subject to censure. The Council member who has stepped down shall not par�cipate in the Council decision nor vote on the mater. The Council member shall leave the Council Chambers while the mater is under considera�on, provided, however, that nothing herein shall be interpreted to prohibit a Council member from stepping down in order to par�cipate in a hearing in which the Council member has a direct financial or other personal interest. 6.3. The Public Hearing Process: The Chair introduces the agenda item, opens the public hearing and announces the following Rules of Order: (1) All comments by proponents, opponents or other members of the public shall be made from the podium if atending in person, or as recognized by the Chair if atending by remote atendance; any individuals making comments shall first give their full name and state if they are a resident of the City of Medical Lake to ensure an official recorded transcript of the public hearing (2) No comments shall be made from any other loca�on. Anyone making “out of order” comments shall be subject to removal from the mee�ng. If you are disabled and require accommoda�on, please advise the Chair or mee�ng host. (3) There will be no demonstra�ons (i.e. applause) during or at the conclusion of anyone’s presenta�on. (4) These procedures are intended to promote an orderly system of holding a public hearing, to give every person an opportunity to be heard, and to ensure that no individual is embarrassed by exercising the right of free speech. The Chair calls upon City staff to describe the mater under considera�on. The Chair calls upon proponents, opponents and all other individuals who wish to speak regarding the mater under considera�on. 19  The Chair inquires as to whether any Council member has ques�ons to ask the proponents, opponents, speakers or staff. If any Council member has ques�ons, the appropriate individual will be recalled to the podium. The Chair con�nues the public hearing to a �me specific or closes the public hearing. 7. DUTIES AND PRIVILEGES OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS 7.1. Mee�ng Par�cipa�on: The public is welcome at all Council mee�ngs and are encouraged to atend and par�cipate prior to the delibera�ons of the Council. Recogni�on of a speaker by the Chair is a prerequisite and necessary for an orderly and effec�ve mee�ng, be the speaker an atendee, Council member or City staff member. Further, it will be expected that all speakers will deliver their comments in a courteous and efficient manner and will speak only to the specific subject under considera�on. Anyone making out-of-order comments or ac�ng in an unruly manner shall be subject to removal from the mee�ng. Use of cellular telephones is prohibited in the Council chambers. 7.2. Comments from Ci�zens: Under agenda item "Interested Ci�zens", ci�zens may address any item they wish to discuss with the Mayor and Council. They shall first obtain recogni�on by the Chair, state their name and the subject of their comments. The Chair shall then allow the comments, subject to a three (3) minute limita�on per speaker, or other limita�ons as the Chair or Council may deem necessary. Following such comments, if ac�on is required or has been requested by Council member(s), the Chair may place the mater on the current agenda, a future agenda, or refer the mater to City staff or Council commitee for ac�on or inves�ga�on and to report at a future mee�ng. Ci�zen/group presenta�ons scheduled on the agenda to address the Council will be requested to step to the podium, or by other remote communica�on equipment and give their name for the record. Presenta�ons should be prearranged through the Mayor’s Office and be limited to the �me alloted, not to exceed twenty (20) minutes, with ten (10) minutes allowed for a ques�on/answer period a�er the presenta�on. 7.3. Manner of Addressing the Council – Time Limit: Each person addressing the Council shall step up to the podium or by other remote communica�on equipment, give the person’s name and state if they are a resident of the City of Medical Lake in an audible tone of voice for the record and, unless further �me is granted by the Council, shall limit the person’s remarks to three (3) minutes. Agenda items “Interested Ci�zens” shall be limited to a total of thirty (30) minutes each unless addi�onal �me or less �me is agreed upon by the Council. All remarks shall be addressed to the Council as a body and not to any member thereof. No person, other than the Chair, members of the Council and the person having the floor, shall be permited to enter into any discussion, either directly or through the members of the Council. No ques�ons shall be asked of the Council members, except through the Chair. The Council will then determine the disposi�on of the issue (e.g. informa�on only, place on present agenda, workshop, a future agenda, assign to staff, assign to Council Commitee, or do not consider). 20  7.4. Personal and Slanderous Remarks: Any person making personal, imper�nent or slanderous remarks or who shall become boisterous and/or disrespec�ul while addressing the Council may be requested to leave the mee�ng and/or may be barred from further par�cipa�on before the Council during that Council mee�ng by the Chair. 7.5. Writen Communica�ons: Interested par�es, or their authorized representa�ves, may address the Council by writen communica�on in regard to any mater concerning the City’s business or over which the Council had control at any �me. The writen communica�on may be submited by direct mail or by addressing the communica�on to the City Clerk who will distribute copies to the Council members. The communica�on will be entered into the record without the necessity for reading such communica�on at a Council mee�ng. 7.6. Comments in Viola�on of the Appearance of Fairness Doctrine: The Chair may rule out of order any comment made with respect to a quasi-judicial mater pending before the Council or its Boards or Commissions. Such comments should be made only at the hearing on a specific mater. If a hearing has been scheduled, persons whose comments are ruled out of order will be no�fied of the �me and place when they can appear at the public hearing on the mater and present their comments. 7.7. “Out of Order” comments: Any person whose comments have been ruled out of order by the Chair shall immediately cease and refrain from further improper comments. The refusal of an individual to desist from inappropriate, slanderous or otherwise disrup�ve remarks a�er being ruled out of order by the Chair may subject the individual to removal from the Council chambers. These rules are intended to promote an orderly system of holding a public mee�ng and to give every person an opportunity to be heard. 8. FILLING COUNCIL VACANCIES AND SELECTING MAYOR PRO TEMPORE 8.1. No�ce of Vacancy: If a Council vacancy occurs, the Council will follow the procedures outlined in RCW 35A.13.020. To fill the vacancy with the most qualified person available un�l an elec�on is held, the Council will widely distribute and publish a no�ce of the vacancy and the procedure and deadline for applying for the posi�on. 8.2. Applica�on Procedure: The Council will draw up an applica�on form which contains relevant informa�on for the vacant posi�on. The applica�on form will be used in conjunc�on with an interview of each candidate to aid the Council’s selec�on of the new Council member. 8.3. Interview Process: 21  All qualified candidates who submit an applica�on by the deadline will be interviewed by the Council during a regular or special Council mee�ng open to the public. The order of the interviews will be determined by drawing names. In order to make the interviews fair, applicants will be asked to remain outside the Council Chambers while other applicants are being interviewed. Applicants will be asked to answer ques�ons submited to them in advance of the interview and ques�ons posed by each Council member during the interview process. The Council members will ask the same ques�ons of each candidate. Each candidate will then be allowed two (2) minutes for closing comments. Comments and responses about other applicants will not be allowed. 8.4. Selec�on of Councilmember: The Council may recess into execu�ve session to discuss the qualifica�ons of all candidates. Nomina�ons, vo�ng and selec�on of a person to fill the vacancy will be conducted during an open public mee�ng. 8.5. Selec�ng Mayor Pro Tempore: The Mayor Pro Tem will be selected by the Council members at the first regular Council mee�ng of the year. The Council member selected shall serve as Mayor Pro Tem for a period of one (1) year, unless the appointment is resigned by the Council member or the Council posi�on becomes vacant. 9. CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEES 9.1. Commitee Opera�ng Procedures: The purpose of City Council Commitees is to facilitate the orderly flow of administra�ve/policy informa�on and Council business from the administra�on through the legisla�ve body. It allows those elected officials who are members of the par�cular Council Commitee to develop a more detailed knowledge of issues and services in the Commitees’ func�onal area. 9.2. List of Council Commitees: The following Council Commitees have been created by the Mayor for purposes of giving Council the opportunity to learn services and opera�ng issues in depth for the development of policy and budgets, for providing informa�on for good decision making, and to develop the exper�se in the organiza�on to share with other Council members. The following Council Commitees may change from �me to �me to meet the needs of the City. (1) Finance (2) Public Safety (3) General Government (4) Parks and Recrea�on 9.3. Commitee Membership: The Council Commitee members are appointed by the Mayor on an annual basis, or more frequently as the need arises. Each standing Council Commitee is composed of three (3) Council members and is staffed by the City Department Director who holds direct responsibility for the func�ons that the Commitee represents. 22  9.4. Commitee Chair Selec�on: At the first Council mee�ng of each year, the respec�ve Council Commitee selects a Chair from among the Council members appointed to that par�cular Council Commitee. The Chair takes responsibility for making the Commitee Report to the Council and any mee�ng coordina�on which is necessary. 9.5. Council Commitee Mee�ngs: Council Commitee mee�ngs are not, by nature, public mee�ngs – a quorum of the Council is not present, the Open Public Mee�ngs Act does not apply, and legisla�ve recommenda�ons are advisory to the Council as a whole. The Council Commitee should feel free to invite anyone who would improve the quality of the policy decision, as long as it is not another Council member. If the input of another Council member is required, the item should be discussed in a City Council mee�ng. 9.6. Council Liaisons: Council members are assigned to various outside agencies to serve as the liaison for the City. Liaisons should atend the outside agency’s mee�ngs regularly and report back to the Council. Such organiza�ons include the following, subject to change: Spokane Transit Authority (STA), Spokane Regional Transporta�on Council (SRTC), Spokane County Growth Management Steering Commitee of Elected Officials (SCEO), and the Spokane County Housing and Community Development Advisory Commitee (HCDAC). 10. COUNCIL RELEATIONS WITH MAYOR AND CITY STAFF 10.1. Mutual Respect: There will be mutual respect among the Mayor, City staff, and Council members of their respec�ve roles and responsibili�es. 10.2. Council Members and Department Opera�ons: The Mayor carries statutory authority to carry out the policies of the Council and operates the execu�ve branch of government. The City Administrator is given certain authority by ordinance to coordinate and operate City services. Individual Council members or Council Commitees shall not atempt to change or interfere with the opera�ng rules or prac�ces of any City department. This does not prevent the effects of opera�ng rules or prac�ces on policy from being taken up by a Council Commitee or the Council. 11. SUSPENSION AND AMENDMENT OF THESE POLICES AND PROCEDURES 11.1. Suspension of These Policies and Procedures: Any provision of these policies and procedures may be temporarily suspended by a vote of a majority of the Council. 11.2. Amendment of These Policies and Procedures: 23 These policies and procedures may be amended or new policies and procedures adopted by a majority vote of all Council members, provided that the proposed amendments or new policies and procedures shall have been introduced into the record at a prior Council mee�ng. 24