HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 11 Parliamentary ProcedureAGENDA ITEM SUMMARY Meeting Date: 9/19/2022
Meeting Type: Regular Meeting
Staff Contact/Dept.: Kristina Kraaz, CAO
Staff Phone No: 541-744-4061
Estimated Time: 5 Minutes
SPRINGFIELD Council Goals: Mandate
CITY COUNCIL
ITEM TITLE: PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE CODE CHANGE
ACTION
Conduct a first reading on the following ordinance:
REQUESTED:
AN ORDINANCE REPEALING SPRINGFIELD MUNICIPAL CODE SECTION
2.080 REGARDING PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE
ISSUE
The Council adopts generally uses Robert's Rules of Order to decide questions of
STATEMENT:
parliamentary procedure. SMC 2.080 and the Council Operating Policies and
Procedures currently reference Robert's Rules of Order Revised Edition, published
in 1971, which is no longer in print. The current version is Robert's Rules of Order
New Revised 12th Edition, published in 2020. There is no need to reference
parliamentary procedure in both the code and the Council Operating Policies and
Procedures; the City Attorney's Office recommends repealing the duplicative code
provision.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1 — Ordinance
DISCUSSION/
Section 12 of the 2001 Springfield Charter requires the City Council to annually
FINANCIAL
approve and maintain its operating policies and procedures, which are generally
IMPACT:
adopted by Council Resolution.
Section 4.1 of the Council Operating Policies and Procedures and SMC 2.080
require the Council to use Robert's Rules of Order Revised Edition for questions of
parliamentary procedure, unless provided otherwise by a conflicting law. The
Revised Edition was published in 1971 and is no longer in print.
The two references to Robert's Rules of Order in section 4.1 of the Operating
Policies and Procedures and SMC 2.080 are redundant and there is no need to
specify the requirement in two places. Most other requirements for City Council
meeting procedures are set forth in Council Operating Policies and Procedures,
making it more favorable location to adopt any requirements of parliamentary
procedure. Repealing SMC 2.080 will allow the Council to more easily ensure that
it is using the most current, available version of Robert's Rules in the future.
If this ordinance is adopted, the City Attorney's Office will include a change to
reference Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised 12`h Edition (2020) during the
next round of updates to the Council Operating Policies and Procedures, during
Spring 2023. This will ensure that Councilors, City staff, and members of the public
can readily access the most recent version of the rules to be used by the Council.
CITY OF SPRINGFIELD, OREGON
ORDINANCE NO.
(GENERAL)
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SPRINGFIELD MUNICIPAL CODE SECTION 2.080 REGARDING
PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURES
WHEREAS, the 2001 Springfield Charter provides in Section 12 that the Council shall approve and
maintain operating procedures and policies annually, and otherwise allows the Council to determine its
own meeting procedures except where state or federal law conflicts;
WHEREAS, Springfield Municipal Code section 2.080 currently proscribes Robert's Rules of Order
Revised Edition (1971) as governing all parliamentary questions before the Council that are not
otherwise provided for;
WH ERAS, Roberts Rules of Order Revised Edition is out of print, and Roberts Rules of Order Newly
Revised 12th Edition is currently the most up-to-date edition of Roberts'Rules and thus is more
available to the Council and to the public as a reference;
WHEREAS, SMC 2.080 is redundant to the procedural requirements for Council meetings set forth in
Section 4 of the Council Operating Policies and Procedures; and
WHEREAS, the Council finds most orderly and efficient to maintain its rules of parliamentary
procedure through the annual updates to the Council Operating Policies and Procedures, rather than
through updates to the Springfield Municipal Code, to more easily allow the Council to refer to the
latest edition Robert's Rules of Order,
NOW, THEREFORE, THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SPRINGFIELD ORDAINS AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Springfield Municipal Code section 2.080 is repealed.
Section 2. Severability Clause. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase or
portion of this Ordinance is, for any reason, held invalid or unconstitutional by a court of competent
jurisdiction, such portion shall be deemed a separate, distinct and independent provision and such
holding shall not affect the validity of the remaining portion hereof.
ADOPTED by the Common Council of the City of Springfield this day of ,
2022, by a vote of for and against.
APPROVED by the Mayor of the City of Springfield this day of , 2022.
ATTEST:
City Recorder
Mayor
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