Effective Local Government
Guest post by Bob Jean, ICMA/WMCA Senior Advisor Got a really hot issue and a divided community? Too often, if you hold a traditional public hearing to deal with it, you run the risk that each side will simply line up and use their three minutes to tell the Council how terrible they are no…
The City of Olympia has given us permission to share this quick-guide poster, which you may adapt for your own meetings.
A reader writes, “The city council has never used much parliamentary procedure in our meetings. People speak when they want and sidebar discussions are common. How to ease the council into more parliamentary procedure without confusing them?” It’s a great question. Here are three steps you can take to get your council or board to…
High drama in the House of Commons as Member of Parliament expelled for the day.
Jurassic Parliament strongly recommends that local governments establish a policy requiring elected officials to put away their cell phones while on the dais.
City councilmembers and nonprofit board leaders should not get chummy—too familiar—with their constituents or regular members. Here’s why.
Staff interaction in local government meetings can be effective or disastrous.
The Washington Citizen’s Commission on Salaries for Elected Officials chooses half its 20 members by lottery.
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…What exactly was moved? If the remarks or proposal were vague, it is not clear what was intended. We recommend that people NOT use this phrase. However, if someone does say, “So moved,” the chair…
“Can City Council President Ben Stuckart really shut down a meeting whenever he wants?” runs the catchy headline. The answer, of course, is NO!
