City staff presented recommended wording changes to the council’s rules of order and procedure and solicited council direction on a set of recurring questions: when a council member may represent the council, whether council members’ city-identifying attire should be restricted at partisan events, how ad hoc or advisory committees should use city resources, and a staff-time threshold for council research requests.

Amy Neemer, city secretary, and Mr. Magner reviewed edits staff proposed including moving the online public-comment card deadline from 5 p.m. to 4 p.m. and codifying the meeting instructions read aloud at the start of meetings. On public comment timing, staff said the 4 p.m. change gives time to prepare materials for council while preserving the right of anyone present at the meeting to speak.

Council members offered differing views on political and partisan activities. Several councilmembers said the most practical approach is to read sections 1.2–1.3 together: the mayor or mayor pro tem represents the city for ceremonial matters, and individual council members who attend outside events are acting in a personal capacity unless formally designated. Some members urged clearer guidance on wearing city-identifying attire at partisan events to avoid creating the impression the council endorses a particular political activity.

The largest debate concerned ad hoc or advisory committees and the use of city staff and facilities. Council members generally supported allowing council members to meet with community groups, but asked for clarity about repeated, recurring meetings that require staff time, facility reservations or budget commitments. Staff suggested that committees requiring material staff time or budget approval should be presented as formal council items; council members asked staff to draft clarifying language and a reporting expectation so recurring groups would be transparent to the full council.

On staff time for research, the city manager said that work exceeding roughly three hours without prior council direction typically merits broader discussion because multiple council members could request similar research and the work could draw down resources for already-approved projects. Council asked staff to present draft wording that distinguishes occasional constituent work from more extensive research requests.

No formal vote was taken; staff will incorporate council direction and return a revised draft for adoption at a later meeting.