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10.0. HRSR 09-23-2002 Itemy1O City of Elk -�-� River MEMORANDUM TO: Housing and Redevelopment Authority City Council ,-� r FROM: Pat Klaers, City A or DATE: September 23, 2002 SUBJECT: Regular Meeting Schedule Recently the Elk River City Council discussed its meeting schedule. Some issues have surfaced as it relates to the meetings that follow the EDA on the second Monday of the • month and the HRA on the fourth Monday of the month.Attached for your information is my memo to the City Council, dated September 9, 2002, on this topic. During the City Council discussion on its meeting schedule it was suggested that the HRA and the EDA consider meeting on the same evening (second Monday of the month) and that the City Council could then meet without timing conflicts on the first, third, and fourth Mondays of each month. Furthermore,it was suggested that the HRA begin its meeting at 5:30 p.m. and the EDA begin its meeting at 7:00 p.m. The Council considered meeting only twice per month but concerns were expressed about how late into the evening the two meetings would go and about being able to complete the normal workload with only two meetings per month. The basis of this second concern lies in the fact that essentially one Council meeting per month is dedicated to public hearings and planning items. This would leave only one other meeting per month for all other city business that needs to get accomplished. This meeting schedule issue is still in the discussion stage and nothing has been finalized. Options are still being explored and issues are being raised about the current proposal. Issues with having the EDA and HRA meet on the same night and then having the Council meet on three other nights per month include: 1. This puts a lot of pressure on the Director of Economic Development and her staff to get two agenda packets together and out within a week and may require two weeks • straight to be dedicated toward agenda packets. On a monthly basis this is not any additional work but it is, to a certain degree, condensed into a shorter timeframe. • 2. Overall, the HRA,EDA, and City Council are going from three Monday evening meetings (second, third,and fourth) to four Monday meetings (City Council on the first,third, and fourth, and HRA/EDA on the second). This "extended" meeting schedule creates more pressure on the city clerical staff, as they are doing packets almost every week of the year, and more pressure on the general administrative staff. Forty-eight meetings a year will not give the staff any breaks like it currently has on the first Monday of each month. This current break in the packet and meeting schedule is very much appreciated and needed as a recovery time and a time to get non-agenda packet work completed. The change a few years ago to three Mondays a month versus almost every Monday was much needed for conducting normal city business and it now appears that we are going backwards. One approach not discussed in detail on September 9 was to move the City Council meeting timeframe on the second and fourth Monday to 7:00 p.m. or 7:30 p.m. This would give the EDA and HRA adequate time to complete their business. Consistency in the City Council meeting timeframe is important in order to not confuse the public. If the City Council met on the second and fourth Mondays at 7:00 p.m. or 7:30 p.m. when they follow the HRA and EDA, and at 6:00 on their public hearing night, then there would be at least some assemblage of consistency; although it may still be somewhat confusing. The HRA is requested to discuss this issue on Monday, September 23, 2002, and • HRA/Councilmember Motin can provide an update to the City Council later in the evening. • S /0 . II/ Item 3. .A. &—B7 City of Elk _ River MEMORANDUM TO: Mayor and City Council FROM: Pat Klaers, City Admin . to __ (4 DATE: September 9, 20021 SUBJECT: City Council Schedule Lately there has been a fair amount of discussion at the staff level regarding the City Council meeting schedule. Most of the discussion relates to the timing of the City Council meeting that follows the EDA meeting on the second Monday of the month and the HRA meeting • on the fourth Monday of the month. Recently, the EDA and the HRA meetings have been rather lengthy. Additionally, there was a special EDA meeting on the third Monday of August that did not conclude by 6:00 p.m., and therefore caused the City Council meeting to be delayed. Generally,there are some members of the public in attendance at City Council meetings and when the EDA and HRA meetings run long,we are seeing frustrated citizens attend City Council meetings due to the timeliness of the meetings. Some items for the City Council to consider include having the City Council meet only on the first and third Mondays of the month; this would allow for only the EDA to meet on the second Monday of the month and for only the HRA to meet on the fourth Monday of the month. This would reduce the number of City Council meetings from three to two per month. The fifth Monday of the month (when there is a fifth Monday) would remain open for special meetings. Another option for the City Council to consider is requesting the HRA to meet on another day of the week, rather than Monday, such as the third Tuesday or any Thursday; and therefore free up this fourth Monday of the month for City Council meetings. In this manner, the City Council could meet the first, third, and fourth Mondays, and the EDA,the second Monday of the month. Council input on possible changes in the meeting day schedule would be appreciated. • Councilmembers are requested to bring their calendars to the September 9, 2002 meeting so that we can look at the meeting schedule for the balance of the year.