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ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION — MAY 15, 2023 10 Mayor Grant added the timeline actually goes back to the mid- 1990s. The unwritten rule is that if they want something on the agenda as Council you send it to the mayor, and if you want something on the agenda as staff you send it to the city administrator. There have been a couple of cases where it hasn't been clear which agenda items were wanted on, but as long as it's understood it gets on the agenda. He doesn't filter requests; if you want it on the agenda it will be on the agenda. Councilmember Fabel stated we've had several problems with agenda setting in the several months that we've been here. Mayor Grant asked who was "we". Councilmember Fabel replied it was the Arden Hills City Council. He said on at least two occasions he's requested items be put on the agenda that were not added and he had to bring them up once the meeting started. As Mr. Larson pointed out in his comments, the establishment of an agenda is for the Council, there is nothing in law or any ordinances that would give the Mayor any different status than any other councilmember. He felt they should give all councilmembers equal access to the agenda, and he was partial to the Shoreview policy with some modifications. Shoreview's policy says items must be submitted to the city manager by Tuesday of the week prior to the meeting, he would add that there should only be matters brought by councilmembers that require action to take a vote. Regular council meetings are for the purpose of making decisions, other things would go to work sessions. Secondly, he would add that notice be provided to all councilmembers whenever another councilmember makes a request for a matter to be added to the agenda, and the location and sequence on the agenda be established by the city administrator. Finally, when there is a request to add an item to the agenda it would require the majority of the council to add it. Councilmember Holden said then they should have a meeting on the Thursday before the Council meeting to discuss what goes on the agenda. She gave the example of a storm coming through and are they going to wait seven days before they authorize clean up. The mayor of Shoreview goes through the agenda with the city manager, and helps with the administration of the agenda. If they are all going to be involved with it then they should have a meeting prior to the meeting to decide what's going to be on the agenda. Councilmember Rousseau asked if there was a storm issue would staff put something on the agenda? City Administrator Perrault replied that staff could put it on, and in a bad storm situation there would likely be a declaration of emergency by the Mayor. Councilmember Rousseau felt the open house item on the last agenda wasn't thoughtfully put together so she was concerned if they put it through they would miss the environmental aspect or the school situation. She thought that could have been pushed to a work session. Councilmember Holden said she put that on the agenda as an action item. If they were going to move forward with an open house they needed to plan it. Why have staff spend time planning it only to bring it forward and have it voted down?