Meeting Process 

 

• Meetings will be led by a professional, neutral facilitator. 

• Five members will constitute a quorum. 

• A schedule of established meeting times will be established and adhered to.

• Every effort will be made to ensure that meetings start and end on time.

• Summary minutes will be provided, reflecting key agreements from the previous meeting.

• Background materials will be provided at least one week ahead of each meeting to allow adequate time for review. 

• Information requests will be limited to items that can reasonably be provided by staff.

• Proposed modifications to the Sensitive Lands program will be voted on, with the results of all final votes noted in staff reports and recommendations. 

• Because the work group has been established by staff to advise staff, individual members may not present themselves as speaking for the task force at the Planning Commission, City Council, or to the media.  Members are welcome to participate in public meetings and discussions as private citizens. 

• Non-members may attend meetings as observers and provide written comments for distribution to group members, but may not otherwise participate in the deliberation.

• At key points in the process, public meetings or other forums may be organized by staff to provide status reports and/or opportunities to comment on the work group’s recommendations.

 

Procedural Ground Rules

 

• Come prepared, ready to discuss the materials provided.

• Adhere to the agreed-upon agenda.

• Listen actively, without interrupting.
• Participate fully and allow and encourage others to participate

- Be open and honest

- State your opinion once - wait for others before speaking again

- Avoid speech-making and repetition

- Respect all opinions

- Silence = Agreement

• Treat each other with respect as colleagues:

  - Hard on problems/soft on people

- Disagree without being disagreeable

  (No blaming, name calling or personal attacks)

- Work together to find mutually beneficial solutions

  (It is not enough to say “no”; offer alternatives)

- Do not form any sub-groups or hold side meetings. 

- Avoid side conversations.

- Maintain a sense of humor.

- Strive for agreement and consensus.

- Honor decisions made, and do not re-open issues once resolved. 

- Seek to make decisions within the agreed-upon time frame.