When an issue comes before council, sometimes even the most well-informed folks have trouble following it through the system. This can make it particularly hard to know how and when to engage with council on the issues that are important to you. We often hear frustrations from residents who feel left out of the process or feel surprised by the seemingly rapid passage of certain ordinances.
Liz Sheehan
As your elected officials, we want to help clarify the processes we follow and encourage your engagement with your government. In this column, I’ll briefly break down the committee process, and future columns will provide more details about each of our committees.
Arguably, the most opportune time to advocate for amendments or passage, or to raise your concerns about an issue is while the item is working its way through a committee.
When a councilmember brings forward an issue (or “item”) for consideration, it is assigned to one of the four standing committees: General Government & Social Services; Planning & Public Safety; Environmental Quality & Public Works; and Budget, Finance & Economic Development (the city compiles information about all committees online at www.lexingtonky.gov/index.php/council-committees).
The chairperson of each committee is responsible for setting the agenda for any given meeting. Government staff typically work with councilmembers to conduct research and prepare presentations for the committee to inform the discussion. Committee members discuss, amend and decide whether to “vote out” the item to the full council for consideration.
The item is then “reported out” during a Tuesday work session of the full council by the committee chair. Council then determines if they will move the item forward by putting it on a Thursday council meeting schedule or keep the item in committee for further work. Once put on the schedule for a full council meeting, every item will receive two separate readings and then a final vote. Typically, these readings will happen at two separate meetings; however, exceptions can be made.
Our friends at CivicLex (www.civiclex.org) have also begun hosting committee watch parties at the University of Kentucky, and the organization sends out regular updates through its e-newsletter. Being empowered to engage on an issue you care about, and advocate for your position while it is being crafted, can hopefully further encourage you to feel a part of the legislative process. Be sure to check future editions of Civic Connections for more detailed overviews of each standing committee.