Regular meetings, work sessions and special meetings
How Milton works · Lesson 9
Milton City Council meets three ways, and each has its own rules for notice and for when you can speak. All of it is in the city code’s chapter on Council meetings (Secs. 2-39 to 2-63).
Three kinds of meetings
| Meeting | When | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Regular | 6 p.m., first and third Mondays, City Hall | Council votes. Notice is posted at least a week ahead and on the city website. General public comment is allowed only here. |
| Work session | 6 p.m., second Monday | Discussion of “important topics.” Comment on agenda items is limited to two minutes per person and ten minutes per item, unless a majority of Council waives the limit. |
| Special | Called by the mayor or at the request of three councilmembers | At least 24 hours’ posted notice, plus notice to the city’s legal newspaper. In a true emergency, less notice is allowed, and the minutes must say why. |
Secs. 2-51, 2-52 and 2-59(1)a.
Who votes, and how many it takes
- The mayor presides and votes. The code calls the mayor “a voting member of the elected body” (Sec. 2-45). The city attorney serves as parliamentarian (Sec. 2-48).
- A quorum is four of the seven, counting the mayor. Without it, the meeting can’t go on (Sec. 2-44).
- A motion passes with at least four votes from the members present, counting the mayor (Sec. 2-57).
- Members must vote unless they have a conflict of interest, and then they have to explain the abstention on the record (Sec. 2-58).
How an item gets on the agenda
The City Manager and the city clerk prepare the agenda. The mayor, the City Manager, the city attorney, or two councilmembers acting together can add an item. Items are due by 5 p.m. at least three working days before the meeting, and the agenda is posted at least 24 hours ahead. Council can add, drop or reorder items at the meeting by majority vote, and a late item is only for a true emergency (Sec. 2-54).
The order of a regular meeting
Call to order, roll call, pledge, approving the agenda, general public comment, the consent agenda, reports, first presentations, public hearings, zoning, unfinished business, new business, mayor and council reports, staff reports, an executive session if needed, and adjournment (Sec. 2-53). Meetings stop at midnight; anything left over moves to the next meeting unless Council votes to keep going (Sec. 2-63).
After the meeting
- A summary of what was acted on and who was there is due within two business days (Sec. 2-60).
- The minutes record every motion, who made and seconded it, and how each member voted. They become official when Council approves them, usually at the next meeting (Sec. 2-61).
Quick check
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When can you make a general public comment, on any city topic?
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How many members make a quorum of Milton City Council?
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Who can add an item to a Council agenda?
