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5. City Council Meeting Procedures.The 'Mayor. City Council and staff extend to you a warm welcome to tonight': meet- ing. Public hearings. whether held by the Council or City Commissions. provide the opportunity for any resident to fully present his or her position on the issue. The Council will also provide an opportunity for public comment on any item of public interest. Councilmembers have received back- ground information related to tonight's agenda and have prepared themselves for tonight s decision- making process. In some cases Council may have also dis- cussed these items at a previous Worksession. Background information includes the minutes of any related Council or Commission meetings. staff re- ports. and submittals by petitioners and other interested parties. When the Council considers issues that have been the subject of previous public hearings. it does not conduct another hearing. The public hearing record is thoroughly reviewed prior to the Council meeting. Comments on matters that have been the subject of previous public hearings are welcome so that all relevant information can be considered by the Citv Council in its decision - making process. However. additional comments should be succinct and to the point. The Council has a mandatory adjournment time of 11:30 p.m. General Hearing Procedures I The Consent Agenda The Burnsville City Council uses a CONSENT AGENDA procedure for routine, non - controversial items needing little or no deliberation. Those items are identified on the agenda and are approved as a block with one vote unless a councilmember or citizen requests that an item be considered separately. Public Hearings/Public Comment Items on the agenda identified as PUBLIC HEARINGS, are formal proceedings that give citizens an opportunity to express their concerns on a specific issue. By law, the Council is required to hold public hearings on the annual budget, public improvement projects, and levying of spe- cial assessments. Although development review items are not required to have a formal public hearing, the Coun- cil affords the public the opportunity to speak to these issues. These items have been allotted a certain amount of time based on the complexity of the issue, length of presentation, public participation expected, and antici- pated Council deliberation. The. Council usually tries to complete action on each is- sue the night it is placed or; the agenda. However, there may be times when the allotted time for the item has run out before a decision has been made. Depending on the situation, the hearing or discussion may be continued to later in the meeting or to a future meeting date allowing other items to be heard on schedule. It is the goal of the Council to hear each item at the time it is scheduled on the agenda. S17lce all regular C O U ncil meeti are televised Guidelines for Addressinz the Council Persons attending a City Council meeting may address the Council during time specified for a specific item on the agenda. Presentations concerning agenda items will be heard only upon approval of the Mayor. An individual wishing to address the Council should approach the podium, wait to be acknowledged by the Mayor to speak, and clearly state his/her name and address before making general remarks. All remarks should be directed to the Mayor. The Mayor may wish to refer any questions to the proper Councilmember or to staff. Large groups are encouraged to express their views through a single spokesperson rather than individu- ally. Comment cards may be used for items when extensive public participation is anticipated. Individuals who wish to give comments should submit a completed card to the City Clerk. The Mayor will call the person for- ward when it is his /her turn to speak. If a person does not want to speak, a written statement can be submit- ted on a comment card. To maintain order, applause or other unnecessary dis- turbances are discouraged. Petitions should be presented to the City Clerk. Members of the audience are encouraged to speak be- fore the Council but they cannot make motions or oth- erwise participate in the meeting. h annel 16, it is important to use the microphone. Voting Three members of the Council must be present to transact official busi- ness. Most resolutions and motions of the Council are adopted by a major- ity vote of those Councilmembers present. Some actions require more votes, such as an ordinance related to zoning regulations, which requires a 4/5 vote of the entire Council. In addition, two public readings are required of ordinances not related to zoning. The publication of an ordinance in the official City newspaper is required before it actually takes effect. Only members of the City Council may vote on decisions before them. The Council takes the comments by citizens, staff, and Commission discussion and recommendations, and the interests of the general public into account when making decisions. Meeting Dates Regular City Council meetings are held at 7:00 p.m. on the first and thud Mondays of each month in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 100 Civic Center Parkway. (Occasionally meeting dates are changed to avoid con- flicts with holidays or other events. Consult the City Clerk's Office for information on specific meeting dates). Informal City Council worksessions are held on the second and fourth Tues- days of each month at 7:00 p.m. at City Hall. Worksessions are held for discussion only, so no action is taken at these meetings. The public is also welcome to attend these informal meetings. Minutes Official minutes of Council meetings are prepared and kept by the City Clerk and are reviewed and approved by the City Council (usually at the next regular meeting). Copies of approved minutes are available at the City Clerk's office. Members of City Staff who generally attend Council Meetings Greg Konat, City Manager ........ ............................... 895 -4465 Susan Olesen, City Clerk .......... ............................... 895 -4491 Tom Hansen, Deputy City Manager ........................ 895 -4466 Mike DuMoulin, Deputy City Manager ................... 895 -4630 Steve O'Malley, Deputy City Manager .................... 895 -4535 Chuck Ahl, City Engineer .......... ............................... 895 -4544 Barbara Anderson, City Planner .............................. 895 -4456 Elliott Knetsch, Legal Counsel .. ............................... 452 -5000 The City of Burnsville does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age disabilitv in the admission or access to, or treatment in its programs, activities or services.