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Regular City Council Meeting Monday, January 09, 2017 Page 18 Mayor Roe opined it would help to have the discipline to identify ineetings as work sessions to avoid action items on those nights that could prolong meetings fiirther. Specific to institutional history, Mayor Roe opined that it was iinportant not to get into past habits developed before his tenure on the City Council, where work sessions provided some an opportunity to fill that time with topics not rele- vant to the priorities of the Council and City and some of those topics not neces- sarily well-vetted beforehand. However, Mayor Roe opined that this city council was more focused and held substantive discussions; and further opined that pick- ing designated work session meetings was an improvement. Mayor Roe stated that he could not support adding more frequent or shorter meetings for work ses- sions. Councilineinber McGehee stated that she and soine residents found it confusing when action was taken at a work session when it was understood prior to that that the purpose was only for discussion of that itein and that no action would be talc- en. Councilmeinber McGehee noted this had been her intent in her earlier sugges- tion to pick a specific topic or topics ahead of time to provide public notice and allow an open dialogue between residents and their elected representatives, inost effectively at a work session, and allowing those interested in a particular topic or presentation to attend and share their thoughts or opinions, allowing them to en- gage in a ineaningful way with their governinent. Mayor Roe noted one model for that dialogiie would have been the recent pet shop licensing discussion, with two different occasions for feedbacic and dialog�.ie. However, Mayor Roe opined that it remained challenging for the City Council on how best to conduct that dialogiie and not allowing some inembers of the public continuous participation rather than the decision-makers talcing action. Mayor Roe questioned if every work session needed that dialogue component, when the public had an opportunity for input on most issues at some point. Councilmember Etten stated his understanding Councilmember McGehee's inter- est in and past discussions about the City Council leaving the Council Chambers to be more approachable, whether annually or semi-annually. However, for to- night's focus, Councilmember Etten opined that if the discussion was in inalcing ineetings more efficient, that continual dialogi.ie didn't work with that goal. Councilmeinber Etten stated that he was open to ways for that dialogue to occur outside ineeting tiine whether by individual council meinbers, but not resulting in the goal of fiirther lengthening potential meeting times or extending them as part of the regular format and function. While being open to moving off-site, Councilmember McGehee noted the chal- lenges with caineras and transparency. Mayor Roe suggested fiirther thought and follow-up on it as a separate issue from tonight's focus.