A city council is the main law-making body for your city. It can enact ordinances and laws that determine everything from how to run your parks to what kinds of businesses you’ll find in your neighborhood, whether your local gas station can have gaming machines or not, how much it will cost to build new apartment buildings, and so on.
Typically, the mayor shares responsibility for policy with the council and has limited or no veto power. Council members may also choose to hire a city manager who handles administration and proposes an annual budget.
Most of a city council’s legislative work happens in committee meetings and hearings on topics like human services, infrastructure and government affairs. Every council member is assigned — through a voting process by the entire council — to serve on at least three standing, select or subcommittee committees. The council speaker, majority leader and minority leader are ex officio members of all committees.
In addition to discussing bills, city councils hold public meetings to hear from residents and stakeholders. If you want to address the council, make sure you attend a meeting designated for public comment or contact the council directly with questions about a specific topic. Avoid using profanity, threats, personal attacks or discriminatory language. Also, please keep clapping, cheering and waving signs to a minimum.
The Model prohibits council members from holding other elective office, such as a state legislator, at the same time as serving on the city council. However, it does not prohibit a council member from serving on the governing boards of regional and intergovernmental agencies.
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