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Notice/Advertisement Title: Rules and Regulations regarding the use of Consent Actions on the Consent Agenda
Contact Name: Charmaine Chambers
Contact Telephone Number: (614) 645-6553
Contact Email Address: cdchambers@columbus.gov
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Rules and Regulations regarding the use of Consent Actions on the Consent Agenda
2.3 CONSENT AGENDA: The following are the rules and regulations regarding the use of Consent Actions on the Consent Agenda:
1) The purpose of the City Council agenda is to provide an outline for the orderly and efficient conduct of their weekly business meetings. The agenda sets forth the specific items of business and the order in which Council will consider them. This helps all interested parties monitor and understand the actions City Council takes.
2) A consent action is a procedure, which when incorporated as part of the regular City Council agenda, is designed to facilitate operational and non-controversial matters on the agenda swiftly and efficiently. Use of a consent action will let City Council members conduct business more efficiently and help produce Council decisions which are open, responsive and accountable to the people of the City.
3) In accordance with Section 111.14 of the Columbus City Code, ordinances and resolutions to be identified as consent actions will be presented by the City Clerk to Council on the Agenda. As the agenda is prepared each week, Council and staff will recommend items for consent actions. Not all legislation is a candidate for consent action. Legislation that will not be considered for a consent action include:
a) Budget adoption
b) Legislation which will be amended
c) City Code Changes
d) Legal Settlements
e) Late agenda items
f) Legislation which is known to be Controversial
g) Labor Agreements and related instruments
h) Zoning legislation
i) Legislation that is planned as a topic of discussion during the City Council meeting
**Note: The following legislation will also not be considered for consent action:
Expenditures of $1,000,000.00 or more
Waivers of competitive bidding
Tax abatements
TIF agreements
Eminent domain actions
4) Consent action shall be taken only upon emergency legislation or second readings of 30-day legislation. Items identified as consent actions shall be read together as a group and approved with one motion and one roll call vote. A request by a member of council to remove legislation from consent action shall automatically be deemed granted without the need for a motion and vote of the entire Council.
5) The motion to approve or adopt shall be by reference to the assigned number of each ordinance or resolution so designated.
6) Any legislation approved as a consent action will appear in the minutes of Council and it shall be noted that it was approved as a consent action
7) The public’s ability to fill out a speaker slip and address Council concerning legislation presented as a consent action is not affected by this procedure.
8) To clearly identify the legislation that is proposed for consent action a header reading “Consent Actions” will appear after First Readings, but before “Second Readings of 30-day, Postponed and Emergency Legislation”. The Council President will present items identified as consent actions with the recommendation for approval by a single motion and vote. The balance of the agenda format remains the same.
9) Consent agenda procedures will be evaluated constantly for on-going improvement and changes as both Council and the public become more familiar with this legislative tool. Any changes to the Consent Actions format, use, and purpose will be published in The City Bulletin as amendments to these procedures in accordance with Columbus City Codes.