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CONSIDERATION OF ORDINANCE O-1718-45 UPON SECOND AND FINAL READING: AN ORDINANCE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORMAN, OKLAHOMA, AMENDING SECTION 2-104 OF CHAPTER 2 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF NORMAN TO CHANGE THE TIME FOR REGULAR SESSIONS OF THE CITY COUNCIL FROM 6:30 P.M. TO 5:30 P.M.; AND PROVIDING FOR THE SEVERABILITY THEREOF.
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BACKGROUND: During the Council retreat in August 2017, Councilmembers identified City Council Meeting Participation Opportunities/Agenda Protocols as a short-term goal for Council. When this goal was identified, some Councilmembers expressed an interest in moving some of the Council meeting times to earlier in the day. The City Council Oversight Committee discussed this further at its meeting on December 21, 2017.
The Open Meeting Act (25 O.S. §301 et seq.) requires that public bodies give notice by December 15 of the date, time and place of the regularly scheduled meetings of such public bodies for the following calendar year. The regular schedule for Council meetings that was filed last December includes a Study Session beginning at 5:30 p.m. on the first, third, and fifth Tuesday (if applicable) of each month, a Council Conference beginning at 5:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month, and a Regular Meeting beginning at 6:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month.
The start times of Council’s regular meetings are also specified in Section 2-104 of the City Code. Section 2-104 sets 6:30 p.m. as the start time for Council meetings on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month. Section 2-102 of the Code provides for Council conferences to be held prior to each regular meeting but does not specify a start time for the meeting. There are not any Code provisions addressing Study Sessions specifically. The Oversight Committee discussed moving regular Council meetings from 6:30 pm on the second and fourth Tuesday to 5:30 pm on the second and fourth Tuesday. This proposal was discussed by the full Council during the Conference on March 13, 2018 and it appeared a majority of Council was ready to move forward with the ordinance amendment that achieves this change in start time.
DISCUSSION: Ordinance O-1718-45 amends Chapter 2-104 of the City Code to change the start time of Council meetings on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month from 6:30 pm to 5:30 pm. If adopted, the City Clerk will amend the annual notice of regularly scheduled meetings accordingly.
RECOMMENDATION: Ordinance O-1718-45 is being forwarded to City Council for its consideration upon Second and Final Reading.