Want to engage with local government? Here's how to see proposed legislation
Participating in city council discussions and attending council meetings provides an excellent opportunity to engage with and stay informed about local government.
Eager to heighten your engagement?
The City of Rochester website posts the meeting agenda weeks before the monthly city council meetings, during which proposed legislation undergoes voting.
City residents can access council meeting agendas, meeting minutes, and monthly compilations of adopted laws, ordinances, and resolutions on the website.
After each calendar year, the meeting minutes are consolidated and released as the council's annual proceedings, available on the website alongside the annual proceedings.
The following documents are accessible to the public:
Meeting Agenda
These records contain past council meetings and provide an official collection of proposed legislation deliberated by the city council during the respective session. Any additional legislation may be included in the agenda for the ongoing meeting cycle before the council meeting.
Special Council Meeting
Special meetings, which evaluate proposed legislation requiring timely consideration by the council before the next regularly scheduled council meeting, can be convened by the Mayor, the Council President, or any three council members.
Council Meeting Minutes
These records have minutes documenting city council actions on resolutions, local laws, and ordinances discussed during council meetings. The council formally approves the minutes from the preceding monthly meeting, and they are subsequently made accessible on the internet.
Annual Proceedings of Council
These records document the city council's actions on resolutions, local laws, and ordinances under consideration. Councilmembers enter all ayes, nays, and abstentions into the record. Each volume, complete with a comprehensive subject index at the book's end, is published in paper copy and posted on the internet, typically a few months after the conclusion of each calendar year.
Here is the proposed legislation for December 19th's city council meeting: https://www.cityofrochester.gov/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=21474853557
More: Want to speak at a Rochester City Council meeting? Here's how
Contact Robert Bell at: rlbell@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter: @byrobbell & Instagram: @byrobbell. This coverage is only possible with support from our readers.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: How to access city council's proposed legislation in Rochester NY
