City Council Meeting Public Input BrochureCopyrighted
April 4, 2022
City of Dubuque Consent Items # 20.
City Council Meeting
ITEM TITLE: City Council Meeting Public Input Brochure
SUMMARY: City Clerk providing a copy of the City Council Meeting Public Input
Brochure, which will be included with City Council agendas at the City
Council meetings.
SUGGESTED Suggested Disposition: Receive and File
DISPOSITION:
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Type
Public Input Brochure Supporting Documentation
SHARING PUBLIC INPUT
WAYS TO SHARE
EASY AS 1 - % 3
IN PERSON
Come to a public meeting and approach the podium when public input is allowed.
ONLINE
Join the virtual meeting through the instructions on the agenda.
AHEAD OF TIME
Can't make the meeting? Submit written communication via letter or email ahead of time. The
front page of the agenda lists how you can submit written communication.
WHAT TO SHARE
YOUR NAME
State your name for the record.
YOUR RESIDENCE
Share your address so the council understands how matters may impact you and your neighborhood.
YOUR INPUT
Now is your chance to have your voice heard! Share what is on your mind.
HOW TO SHARE
5 MINUTES PER PERSON
Live public input is limited to 5 minutes per person and 30 minutes in total. Keep input concise
RELATED AGENDA ITEM
Make sure your input is related to the item on the agenda up for discussion (i.e. public hearings, etc.).
ADDRESSING THE MAYOR & COUNCIL
Please address the mayor and council by their title followed by their last name (i.e. Mayor Cavanagh)
Public input is received one resident at a time. Please be considerate as we work together to share ideas and
better our city.
p p You can also share your thoughts regarding any topic, at any time, by contacting the city
_ council. Scan the QR code or visit www.CityOfDubuque.org/CouncilContacts to submit a
0. form, send an email, or find phone numbers and addresses to submit public input. Thank
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you for being active in city government and making a difference!
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AGUIDE TO PROVIDING PUBLIC INPUT
Important decisions that impact the future of
our city are made every day. By sharing your
ideas, thoughts, and opinions through public
input, you can help inform these decisions by
city staff, the various city boards and
commissions, and the city council.
Learn more about CITY GOVERNMENT
these decisions and 101
your local government by kam
picking up the City
Government 101handout! NM
.CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS
The Dubuque City Council meets regularly on
the first and third Monday of each month in the
Council Chambers on the second floor of the
Historic Federal Building at 350 W. 6th Street.
The meetings begin at 6:30 p.m. and are also
broadcast live on CityChannel Dubuque
(Mediacom channels 8 and 117.2), and
streamed live and archived on the City's website
and Facebook. The council occasionally meets
informally in work sessions to review programs
and receive progress reports. Like city council
meetings, all work sessions are open to the
public. However, these sessions are meant to
for council to receive in-depth information with
no formal action to be taken, so public input is
usually not allowed.
BOARDS & COMMISSIONS MEETINGS
Dubuque's boards and commissions play an
important role in advising and providing
expertise to the city council and city staff in
specialized policy areas. The groups meet either
monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly, or as needed to
discuss specific issues facing the city.
UPCOMING MEETINGS CAN BE FOUND AT
Follow along with the agenda to participate in the meeting! All meetings begin and end
with the strike of the gavel.
PRESENTATIONS & PROCLAMATIONS
After the Pledge of Allegiance, the meeting starts with timely presentations and proclamations.
Proclamations are an opportunity to bring awareness to and recognize an important person or event.
Individuals or organizations present to receive the proclamation have the opportunity to share a few brief
thoughts and/or comments at the podium. The mayor then reads, signs, and presents the proclamation.
CONSENT AGENDA
The consent agenda is a group of items that is considered routine and is usually approved with one motion
and a simple majority vote. When directed by the mayor, anyone from the public or any of the council
members can ask to pull any item from the consent agenda for separate discussion prior to the vote.
rEMS SET FOR PUBLIC HEARING
Following the consent agenda are items to be set for public hearing. These items are to be scheduled and
discussed in a public hearing at a later date.
BOARDS & COMMISSIONS
During this time, the city council will review and appoint applicants to city boards and commissions.
Applicants being reviewed are invited to address the city council regarding their desire to serve. The council
will also make appointments during this time for applications they have reviewed at a previous meeting.
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LEARN EXACTLY HOW TO
PROVIDE PUBLIC INPUT
ON THE BACK PAGE!
ACTION ITEMS
PUBLIC HEARINGS
Next are public hearings concerning certain items of business, including certain
zoning issues, the sale or lease of city -owned property, and capital projects with an
estimated cost exceeding $100,000. There is an opportunity to provide public input
during each public hearing, before it is voted on by council.
PUBLIC INPUT
The mayor will then open the meeting up to public input. Anyone wishing to
address the council on action items on the agenda or on matters under the control
of the city council may do so. State law prohibits the city council from taking formal
action on public input that does not relate to an action item on the agenda.
After input, the council moves onto action items. These issues require separate discussion and action. Public
input is only allowed at the discretion of the mayor or by a majority vote of the city council. It is during this
part of the meeting that most ordinances are adopted. Ordinances are the laws under which the city operates.
COUNCIL MEMBER REPORTS
Council members can provide individual reports on matters of their ward or the city that they deem important.
L"mCityOfflubuque.org/Agendas
The city council will either adjourn the meeting or move to convene in a closed session. Closed sessions
concern confidential matters, and are governed by state laws and are not open to the public.