Letter to the Editor: The purpose behind the revisions to the Rules of Council

The purpose behind the revisions to the Rules of Council –

As the proposed resolution states, the current Rules of Council have not undergone any substantial revisions in over 10 years.

My educational and professional background, among many things, deals with process improvement. That involves not only the analysis of a process but also the psychology behind how the process works and how the stakeholders interact. The goal is to develop a revised or new process that fosters increased quality of work and increased productivity.

I just want to be clear that the proposed revisions are not solely in response to how council conducted itself during the June 25^th council meeting. They are also not directed at any councilor in particular.

It is based upon months of analyzing the council process and the interactions of everyone that enters the council chambers for a council meeting. And it is designed to be a guide and reference for running productive meetings.

It is not designed to limit the ability to speak but designed to encourage fairness and decrease uncivil behavior.

The revisions are primarily regarding the structure of the current Rules of Council. The current resolution has sections on the Charter; additional rules pursuant to the provisions of the Charter, that includes “Duties of the Chair; On Debate; and Miscellaneous” sub-sections; records of votes; minutes of a closed session; appointments to board and commissions; and the Standards for Professional Conduct for Newport City Council Members.

The Revised Rules of Council resolution kept all that existing information (excluding the boards and commissions paragraphs), and restructured the document into sections specific to Governing Procedures of Council; Newly Elected Councilors; RI Code of Ethics; Code of Conduct; and Council Meetings.

Additional information that was included are as follows:

· Charter references to the Duties of the Chair

· Robert’s Rules of Order regarding conduct

· Newly Elected Councilors caucus training

· RI Code of Ethics specific to conflicts of interest and recusals

· Code of Conduct

· RI General Laws specific to closed meetings

The protocols regarding citizen participation, specifically the Citizen’s Forum, were already contained in the current Rules of Council. The details of that have not changed.

The rules do not give the Chair enhanced powers but simply detail what the Charter and Robert’s Rules of Order already state.

The changes that are proposed are based upon issues that have come up during the meetings since the start of the term. They are designed to provide a more efficient structure, a more civil and respectful atmosphere, and more productive meetings.

Stephanie Smyth

Newport City Councilor