City Council

• Regular meetings
  • First and third Mondays, 7 pm
• Workshop meetings
  • Third Monday, 5 pm
• Meetings will be on a Tuesday if a holiday falls on the Monday

• Agendas and packets are available the Thursday before a meeting
• Minutes are typically reviewed and approved at the next meeting
• Residents can view meetings online or on channel 16

The city council has the following powers and duties:

• Appoints the city manager
• Legislates and sets policy for the city
• Establishes and approves budget, tax levy, and capital improvement program
• Reviews and approves development projects
• Adopts ordinances and land use regulations
• Appoints committee and commission members
• Develops multi-year goals
• Participates in intergovernmental relations

Regular meetings

Regular council meetings are held on the first and third Monday of each month at 7 pm. A meeting may be on a Tuesday if a holiday falls on that Monday. Meetings will not go later than 11 pm. The council needs to make a formal motion to extend the meeting past 11 pm.

Workshop meetings

Workshop meetings are held on the third Monday of each month at 5 pm. These are typically more informal and allow the council to have in-depth discussion on broader policy issues, projects, goals, and objectives. These meetings are not broadcast and the council does not take formal action.

Special meetings

The mayor or any two councilmembers may call a special meeting as needed. The city needs to give at least three days’ notice to councilmembers and the public. Notices need to state the purpose of the special meeting and be mailed to councilmembers.

Emergency meetings

The mayor or any two councilmembers may call an emergency meeting per Minnesota Statutes, 13D.04, subd. 3. The city needs to notify each councilmember via phone call or e-mail.

Closed meetings

The Minnesota Open Meeting Law allows some meetings to be closed to the public for certain reasons. Before closing the meeting, the city council must make a statement for the record on why they are going into a closed session.

The city council may go into closed session for the following items:

• Personnel matters including labor negotiations, performance reviews, or misconduct allegations or charges
• Sale or purchase of property including:
  • Determine asking price of a city-owned property
  • Review of confidential appraisal data
  • Develop or consider offers or counteroffers
    • All meetings held under this category must be recorded and made public after the sale is completed or abandoned.
    • The recording must be saved for eight years.
• Security reports and emergency response procedures
  • All meetings in this category must be recorded and saved for four years.
• Attorney-client privilege

The city council must go into closed session for the following items:

• To protect the identity of victims or reporters of:
  • Criminal sexual conduct
  • Domestic abuse
  • Child abuse
  • Abuse of vulnerable adults
• During active investigations of allegations related to law enforcement misconduct
• During discussions of educational, health, medical, welfare, or mental health data that are not public data
• If a discussion includes an individual's medical records
• During preliminary meetings to consider internal misconduct

A meeting must be open if the person who is the subject of the meeting requests it to be.

Location

All meetings will take place in the council chambers. If a meeting is held somewhere else, the city needs to follow the notice requirements for special meetings.

Official newspaper

The council will designate the official newspaper at the first meeting of the year. The official newspaper will be used for all notices the city is legally required to publish.

Presiding officers

The mayor will chair council meetings. If the mayor is absent, the acting mayor will chair. If both the mayor and acting mayor are absent, the council will elect a councilmember as temporary chair.

Quorum

Three councilmembers constitute a quorum. No official action may be taken without a quorum.

Order of business

The mayor or designee will call the meeting to order at the published start time. The mayor or designee will call the roll and note any absences. As long as a quorum exists, the city council will proceed to the rest of the agenda as follows:

1. Call to order
2. Roll call
3. Approval of agenda
4. Proclamations and recognitions
5. Citizens comments
6. Council comments
7. Consent agenda
8. Public hearings
9. General business
10. Special order of business
11. Adjournment

Adjournment

A motion to adjourn shall always be in order and decided without debate.

Consent agenda

The consent agenda is for items that are routine, non-controversial, and do not require council discussion. This includes but is not limited to:

• City council, commission, and committee minutes
• Claims
• Monthly staff reports
• Setting dates and times for public hearings
• Routine licenses
• Project specifications
• Quotes for routine items

The city manager has the discretion to determine what is and is not included on the consent agenda.

No item on the consent agenda may be debated. Additionally, the motion to approve the consent agenda should not be debated. The mayor or acting mayor will ask if anyone would like an item to be pulled for discussion before the council approves the consent agenda. Pulled items will be discussed and acted on after approving the amended consent agenda.

Agenda

All items for the agenda need to be submitted to the city manager for approval. Items are due by the end of the Tuesday before the council meeting. The city manager may approve items after the deadline.

The council will typically not consider items that are not on the agenda. One exception is if the council decides to take action on concerns presented during citizen comments.

The agenda and packet will be published at least three days before the council meeting.

Minutes

The city manager will keep a record of all council meetings. Unless requested by a councilmember, the minutes will not be read at the council meeting.

The council may amend the minutes through a motion. The amending motion will be included in the minutes for the next meeting.

• Chair all official meetings
• Preserve strict order and decorum at all meetings
• State every question coming before the council
• Announce the final decision on all items
• Decide questions of order
  • Can be appealed through a majority vote
    • Council will then determine questions of order
• Vote on all items
• Decide the order for roll call votes
• Direct reports, letters, petitions, etc. to be entered into the official record
  • Needs to state: “With the consent of the council, I direct the [item] be received and placed into the minutes.”

Rule 1

The mayor or acting mayor may move, second, and debate from the chair. They will be subject to the same limitations of debate that are imposed on all councilmembers. They will not be deprived of any rights and privileges of a councilmember because they are the chair.

Rule 2

Every person who wishes to speak on an item needs to address the chair. Once the chair recognizes them, they can only speak on the item being discussed. They also need to avoid inappropriate language.

Rule 3

Once a councilmember is recognized, they should not be interrupted when speaking unless it is for:

• A call to order
• To vote on a motion to close a debate
• Otherwise provided herein

If speaking when called to order, a councilmember should stop speaking until the question of order is determined and if in order should be permitted to proceed.

Rule 4

Any councilmember may make a non-debatable request to have a letter, report, petition, etc. not in the meeting packet received for inclusion in the minutes. When making such a request, the item may be formally received into the minutes only with a majority vote of the council.

Rule 5

A motion to reconsider any action taken by the council may be made only at the meeting at which such action is taken or the next regular meeting. The motion must be made by one of the prevailing side. The second can be made by any councilmember. The motion will have precedence over all the other motions or while a councilmember has the floor. The motion shall be debatable.

Rule 6

A councilmember may request, through the chair, that the following be entered into the minutes:

• Any abstract of any statement on any subject under consideration by the council
• Reason for dissent from or support of any action

Unless the council, by motion, objects, such statements shall be entered into the minutes.

Rule 7

The city manager may be directed by the chair, with consent of the council, to enter into the minutes a synopsis of the discussion or any question coming regularly before the council.

If you wish to address the council, you will need to get permission from the chair. After receiving permission, you need to:

• Stand at the podium and give your name and address for the record
• Limit remarks to three minutes
  • Chair may extend it at their discretion
• Direct your remarks to the entire city council, not a single member
  • Personal attacks on councilmembers, staff, or the public are not allowed.
• Ask questions through the chair only

No one else may enter the discussion without the chair’s permission.

If speaking under the citizen comments part of the meeting:

• Follow the above rules.
• It is not appropriate to use this time to make political speeches.
  • This includes threats of political action.
• The council will not generally engage in debate or dialogue during citizen comments.
  • They may refer the item to staff or ask that it be put on a future agenda.
• You cannot comment on the same item more than two times within a 12-month period.
  • The chair has the right to make this determination.

General rules of order

The city council follows a modified version of Roberts Rules of Order for any formal actions. The city manager may provide a copy of these rules for use by the chair and councilmembers.

These rules:

• Promote cooperation and harmony so people can work together effectively to accomplish goals
• Guarantee each individual an equal right to propose motions, speak, ask questions, and vote
• Protect the rights of minority points of view
• Give the minority the same consideration and respect as those in the majority
• Encourage the full and free discussion of every motion presented
• Ensure that the meeting is fair and conducted in good faith

Voting

Silence will be recorded as an affirmative vote unless a councilmember indicates that they are not voting.

A motion will pass if a majority of the councilmembers in attendance vote in favor, unless otherwise prescribed by law.

Council decorum

While the council is in session, all councilmembers must preserve order and decorum. Councilmembers shall not:

• Delay or interrupt the proceedings or the peace of the council
• Disturb other councilmembers while speaking
• Refuse to obey the orders of the council or its chair
  • Except as otherwise provided herein

The city manager or a councilmember may request a deputy from the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office to attend meetings. The deputies shall carry out all orders and instructions given by the chair or a majority of the council for the purpose of maintaining order and decorum. This may include removal or arrest of individuals.

Employee conduct

Staff may take part in the discussions of the city council and may recommend measures deemed necessary for the welfare of the people and efficient administration of city affairs. The city manager shall have all the right, powers, and duties prescribed by Minnesota Statutes. However, it is recognized that the city council is the policy making body for the city.

Staff shall:

• Confine discussions at council meetings to statements of fact
• Make recommendations based upon knowledge and experience and explanations for the same and any matters pertaining to administration

The city attorney may not take part in discussion except to answer questions, comment on matters involving legal cases and procedure, and present factual material.

The above shall not be constructed to limit the appearance of staff or member of the public, for or against an issue being discussed by the council if the staff member has an interest in the outcome.

Ordinances, resolutions, motions, and reports

City staff may present ordinances, resolutions, and other matters to the city council for consideration. Every ordinance and resolution shall be presented in writing as part of the city council packet.

After a motion and second has been made, the city council shall discuss the item. After discussion, the city council will vote on the matter. The chair may ask for a roll call vote.

All ordinances, resolutions, and reports shall be filed with the city manager and made part of the minutes by reference.

Proclamations

The mayor, on behalf of the city council, may issue proclamations that recognize and raise awareness for programs, events, activities, organizations, groups, causes, and individuals that enhance Shoreview’s quality of life.

The subject of the proclamation must be:

• Of local significance and impact Shoreview’s quality of life; or
• Of historical significance to the Shoreview community; or
• Related to services, initiatives, or programs that the city is responsible for; or
• Call attention to or highlight:
  • Significant community events, services, or programs
  • Special periods of observance or celebration

The following will not be considered:

• Political, religious, or lifestyle ideologies
• Contentious or divisive causes within the community

Only one proclamation is allowed per subject per year.

Requests

Requests for proclamations can be made to the administration department. They need to be made at least two weeks before the city council meeting where it will be presented. Requests need to include:

• Contact person’s name, address, and contact information
• Subject information:
  • Name and date of the day, week, month or event to be recognized
  • Summary and background, including how it meets the above criteria
  • Sample proclamation or sufficient information to help staff prepare the proclamation
  • City council meeting date for it to be presented

The administration department will process the request, schedule it for presentation, and provide copies to interested parties.

Waiver

These rules or parts thereof may be waived by a four-fifth consent of all councilmembers.

Publication and availability of rules

These rules and procedures shall be available at all city council meetings and on the city’s website.

Changes to rules

The city council may change these rules and procedures by resolution.