HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES 081319-O - City Council Gov PolicyRESOLUTION NO. 08i31'l' v
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF GEORGETOWN, TEXAS,
ADOPTING AN AMENDED GOVERNANCE POLICY.
WHEREAS; on January 25, 1994 the City Council of the City of Georgetown passed and
approved Resolution No. 940125-UU adopting revised governance policies for City
Councilmembers and for their relation to Staff; and
WHEREAS, on July 10, 2012 the City Council approved Resolution No. 071012-Q
adopting revised governance policies; and
WHEREAS, the City Council reviewed and discussed amending the governance policy at
the May 28, 2019 City Council meeting; and;
WHEREAS, the City Council determines that the governance policy should be updated
and revised to include language asking Councilmembers to avoid publicly stating an
opinion on an item to be considered by the Council in situations where the Council is
serving as an appellate body; and
WHEREAS, the City Council determines that the governance policy should be updated
and revised to include language clarifying the process to address perceived violations of
the policy; and
NOW THEREFORE; BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
GEORGETOWN, TEXAS THAT:
The Governance Policy attached as Exhibit A is hereby adopted.
PASSED AND APPROVED this I jj - day of , 2019.
4kk
Dale Ross, Mayor
ATTEST:
z4n�&Khwf 1--le-
Robyn D smore, City Secretary
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Charlie Mc abb, City Attorney
CITY OF GEORGETOWN
CITY COUNCIL GOVERNANCE POLICY
INTRODUCTION
The Georgetown City Council, including Councilmembers and the Mayor, is the governing
body for the City of Georgetown. Therefore, it must bear the initial responsibility for the
integrity of governance. The Council is responsible for its own development (both as a body
and as individuals), its own discipline, and its own performance. By adopting this policy the
Council acknowledges its responsibility to each other, to the professional Staff, and to the
public. This policy will be reviewed annually.
GOVERNANCE GUIDELINES
The City Council will govern the City in a manner associated with a commitment to the
preservation of the values and integrity of representative local government and democracy, and
a dedication to the promotion of efficient and effective governing. The following statements
will serve as a guide and acknowledge the commitment being made in this service to the
community.
The City Council shall:
■ be responsive to the needs of the citizens and the Georgetown Community by providing
pro -active visionary and strategic leadership and focusing on the future rather than the
past;
■ recognize its responsibility to the future generations by developing goals that address
the interrelatedness of the social, cultural, and natural characteristics of the community;
• communicate and serve with respect, dignity and courtesy in relations with Staff, all
Councilmembers, members of the boards, commissions, committees, and the public;
• endeavor to keep the community informed on municipal affairs and encourage
communication between citizens and the City Council;
• strive to develop strong working relationships among Georgetown, Williamson County,
Southwestern University, Georgetown Independent School District, Georgetown
Chamber of Commerce, and other community and civic organizations;
■ be committed to improve the quality of life for the individual and the community; and
City of Georgetown
Governance Policies
Page 1 of 7
• be dedicated to the faithful stewardship of the public trust and seek to improve the
quality and image of public service.
GOVERNANCE PRINCIPLES
The office of elected official is one of trust and service to the citizens of Georgetown. This
position creates a special responsibility for the Georgetown City Councilmember, and the
following principles shall govern the conduct of each Councilmember. A Councilmember shall:
• be loyal to the interests of the citizens of Georgetown, superseding conflicting loyalty to
advocacy or interest groups, membership on other boards, employment with other
organizations, and personal interests as an individual citizen of the City;
• be dedicated to the highest ideals of honor and integrity in all public and personal
relationships and conduct themselves, both inside and outside the City's service, so as to
give no occasion for the distrust of their integrity, impartiality or of their devotion to the
best interests of the City and the public trust, to merit the respect and confidence of the
citizens of Georgetown;
• refrain from any activity or action that may hinder the ability to be independent,
objective and impartial on any matter coming before the Council, such as accepting gifts
or special favors;
• not condone any unethical or illegal activity, such as using confidential information for
personal gain or misusing public funds or time;
• recognize that public and political policy decisions, based on established values, are
ultimately the responsibility of the City Council;
• comply with the City's Ethics Ordinance (Chapter 2.20 of the Georgetown Municipal
Code) and other applicable rules governing the conduct of elected officials; and
■ conduct business in open meetings for transparency and direct accountability to the
citizens of Georgetown.
COUNCIL MEETINGS
Each Councilmember shall:
• be familiar with and follow the "Council Meeting Procedures" Ordinance
(Chapter 2.24 of the Georgetown Municipal Code);
City of Georgetown
Governance Policies
Page 2 of 7
• be familiar with and follow parliamentary rules applicable to the Council process and
procedure;
• effectively use the Consent Agenda;
• avoid publicly stating an opinion on an item to be considered by the Council in situations where
the Council is serving as an appellate body;
• be prepared for meetings and for discussion of the Agenda; and
■ be informed about action taken by the Council when the Councilmember is absent.
MAYOR'S ROLE
The Mayor is responsible for the integrity of the Council's process and is the authorized speaker
for the Council. The Mayor shall be the presiding officer at all meetings, shall preserve order
and decorum and encourage all Councilmembers to participate in discussion. The Mayor will
act as mediator in any conflict and will seek consensus of Councilmembers. The Mayor is
responsible for dissemination of ongoing information on Council procedures, current agenda
items and meetings.
COUNCIL COMMITTEES
In order for the Council to maximize its effectiveness it may choose to utilize any or all of the
following processes:
• Council Subcommittees or Ad -Hoc Committees assist the Council by preparing policy
alternatives and implications for Council deliberation.
• Citizen Advisory Committees assist the Council or Staff with technical expertise to
resolve specific policy decisions.
• Advisory Boards, Commissions, and Committees thoroughly investigate, discuss and
deliberate issues to make informed recommendations to Council.
COUNCIL EDUCATION AND TRAINING
The City Manager shall coordinate and facilitate the orientation of new Councilmembers.
Continuing education and training of Council is a priority. The Mayor and Councilmembers
are encouraged to attend continuing education and training programs focusing on
city/county/regional/state/national issues, policy and governance. The City Manager, City
Secretary and City Attorney shall coordinate and facilitate the continuing education and
training of Councilmembers.
City of Georgetown
Governance Policies
Page 3 of 7
NEWS MEDIA RELATIONS
News media is an important link between the Council and the public. The Council desires a
positive, professional working relationship with the media to inform and educate citizens about
the issues facing the City. The City Manager, or his/her designee, is the City's official media
relations representative on administrative and operational matters. The Mayor is the City's
official representative and primary spokesperson for the Council regarding policy issues.
COUNCIL RELATIONS WITH STAFF
The City of Georgetown recognizes the importance of a positive relationship between the City
Council and the City Manager. The effectiveness of the organization is dependent on the respect
of the flow of authority as established by the Charter: Public to Elected City Council to City
Manager to Staff. In order to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of the Council/Manager
form of government, the following guidelines shall be adhered to by the Council ("elected
officials"), appointed officials and Staff of the City of Georgetown.
Council authority is held collectively, not individually. The Mayor and Councilmembers have
no authority to speak for or act on behalf of the Council without Council action or direction
taken during an open meeting.
The City Manager is the Council's link to the City operating organization. The City Manager is
authorized to make decisions and take actions, as long as they are consistent with Council
policies, applicable ordinances and other law.
Items that may entail a change in daily operations or procedures shall go through the City
Manager. Items that entail a change in the overall policy or an ordinance of the City shall
require City Council approval.
The City Manager shall provide regular written updates to the City Council, City Attorney, and
City Secretary informing them of the progress on projects, City events, and items of concern
currently pending before the City.
The City Manager is responsible for facilitating communication between Council and Staff. For
purposes of this paragraph "Staff" does not include the City Attorney or the City Secretary.
Elected officials shall not give direction or orders to Staff. Communication between Council
and Staff shall be through the City Manager. Specifically:
• The City Manager shall delegate Council action and/or direction to Staff, and
shall coordinate appropriate Staff response to Council action and/or direction.
City of Georgetown
Governance Policies
Page 4 of 7
• Requests for Staff attendance at a meeting shall be made through the City
Manager. The City Manager must approve the request for Staff attendance at
the meeting.
• Requests for public presentations and public informational meetings
conducted or attended by Staff shall be made through the City Manager. The
City Manager must approve the public presentation or public informational
meeting.
• Requests for information or questions to Staff shall be made through the City
Manager. The City Manager will obtain the requested information or answers
from Staff and will provide the request/question and the responsive
information/answers to the Mayor and Councilmembers.
• Requests for work to be performed or for other items of an operational nature
either in a specific district, or city wide, shall be presented to the City
Manager.
Staff shall notify the City Manager of direct contact by an elected official concerning the above
communication matters.
The City Manager shall demonstrate professional and ethical behavior and shall be responsible
for the professional and ethical behavior of Staff. The City Manager is responsible for
appropriate education and training of Staff.
COUNCIL RELATIONS WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY
The City Attorney is the legal advisor for the Council, its committees, commissions and boards,
the City Manager, and all City officers and employees with respect to any legal question
involving an official duty or any legal matter pertaining to the affairs of the City. The City
Attorney represents the City, not individual Councilmembers, City officers or employees.
No Councilmember shall request or direct the City Attorney to initiate an action or prepare any
report that is significant in nature, or initiate any significant project or study without the
consent of a majority of the Council. The City Attorney shall determine whether or not a
matter is significant. The City Manager and City Secretary shall be informed of any project,
study, opinion or report prepared by the City Attorney s requested by the City Council. The
City Manager shall not prevent Councilmembers from communication with the City Attorney.
COUNCIL RELATIONS WITH THE CITY SECRETARY
City of Georgetown
Governance Policies
Page 5 of 7
The City Secretary is the record keeper of documents resulting from Council action including
the minutes, ordinances, and resolutions. The City Secretary, and/or his/her designee, shall
oversee Records Management within the City and ensure compliance with applicable local and
state laws.
The City Secretary shall serve Council as an administrative liaison and contact for citizens and
City Staff in addition to assisting the Mayor with ceremonial activities, proclamations, and
public appearances.
The City Secretary, and/or his/her designee, shall work with the Mayor and coordinate the
administration of Council appointed boards, commissions, and committees. The City Secretary
shall serve as the Staff Liaison to the City's Ethics Commission, and concurrently with the City
Attorney's office, assist in compliance and education related to local and state ethics
regulations.
The City Secretary is responsible for coordinating and managing the City's elections in
collaboration with the City Attorney and Williamson County and shall communicate with
current and prospective Councilmembers.
The City Manager and City Attorney shall be informed of any project, study, opinion or report
prepared by the City Secretary requested by the City Council. The City Manager shall not
prevent Councilmembers from communication with the City Secretary.
STAFF AND COUNCIL RELATIONS WITH
BOARDS, COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES
Staff support and assistance may be provided to advisory boards, commissions and committees.
Advisory bodies, however, do not have supervisory authority over City employees. While Staff
may work closely with advisory bodies, Staff members remain responsible to their immediate
supervisors and, ultimately, the City Manager. The members of the commissions, boards, or
committees are responsible for the functions of the advisory body. The chairperson is
responsible for committee compliance with the municipal code and/or bylaws. Staff members
are to assist the advisory boards to ensure appropriate compliance with the Charter, ordinances,
state and local laws and regulations.
Staff support includes: preparation of an agenda; preparation of reports providing a brief
background of the issues, a list of alternatives, recommendations, and appropriate backup
materials, if necessary; and preparation and maintenance of permanent minutes of advisory
body meetings. Advisory body members should have sufficient information to reach decisions
based upon a clear explanation of the issues. It is important to note that City Staff seeks to not
influence boards, commissions and committees in their decision making process. Staff should
provide information on options considered along with a summary of pros and cons of each
City of Georgetown
Governance Policies
Page 6 of 7
option. Any prior direction by City Council on a particular issue should be provided by Staff to
any board, commission or committee considering the issue.
The role of the City's boards, commissions and committees is to perform the specific functions
established in state statutes, City ordinances, resolutions, or minute orders as applicable and to
advise the City Council about the topics assigned.
If a Councilmember attends a meeting of a board, commission or committee, the member shall
not take part in the meeting nor address the board in any manner, whether by questions or
statements. A Councilmember shall not attempt to influence the decisions of boards,
commissions and committees, either directly or indirectly, nor express an opinion to a board,
commission or committee about its actions unless at a City Council meeting. This policy
provision does not apply to a Councilmember who is participating as a duly appointed member
of a board, commission or committee.
All instructions to board, commissions and committees by the City Council shall be in writing
or made on the record at a City Council meeting.
VIOLOATIONS OF THE GOVERNANCE POLICY
City Council shall hold themselves accountable for their conduct, behavior and effectiveness. If
at any time a Councilmember perceives an alleged violation of this policy, the alleged violation
may be placed on an Agenda for discussion by the full City Council.
City of Georgetown
Governance Policies
Page 7 of 7