Effective Local Government
Choosing citizens by lottery: recipe for disaster?
The Washington Citizen’s Commission on Salaries for Elected Officials chooses half its 20 members by lottery.
Read MoreDon’t say “so moved” or “same sign”
It’s common for people to say “so moved” when they agree with something a speaker says. Often this is a kind of enthusiastic endorsement. BUT…
Read MoreYou can’t shut down a meeting whenever you want
“Can City Council President Ben Stuckart really shut down a meeting whenever he wants?” runs the catchy headline. The answer, of course, is NO!
Read MoreMunicipal clerks are the unsung heroes
May is the month when we celebrate municipal clerks, and Jurassic Parliament is delighted to join in offering kudos to these unsung heroes of our society. When you look under the hood of local government, you find clerks everywhere.
Read MoreGuidelines for Meeting Minutes in Local Government
Meeting minutes recording the actions taken by your council or board are a fundamental part of the meeting process. These are our guidelines for meeting minutes in local government.
Read MoreParliamentarian schools City Council
Readers may enjoy this article published by the Auburn Reporter about a recent Jurassic Parliament assignment. Parliamentarian schools City Council on how to be civil council
Read MoreGuidelines for Public Comment in Local Government
The public comment period is an essential part of local government meetings. These are our guidelines for public comment periods in local government.
Read MoreDon’t include detailed public comment in meeting minutes
When city councils, school boards or other public bodies hold their meetings, it is usual to reserve a time in the meeting for members of the public to speak to their elected officials. One common name for this is the public comment period.
Read MoreDon’t get into back-and-forth exchanges during public comment
When city councils, school boards or other public bodies hold their meetings, it is usual to reserve a time in the meeting for members of the public to speak to their elected officials. One common name for this is the public comment period.
Read MoreMotion to censure in Kaysville, Utah
Here in Salt Lake City for the Utah School Boards Association, I find an interesting news item. The Kaysville city council is scheduled to pass a motion to censure a council member and request his resignation at this evening’s meeting.
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