• City Council policies and procedures provide a valuable operational framework which, though non-legally binding, is generally followed absent more specific, policy-level direction from the City Council.
• The Vancouver City Council meets periodically to review its policies and make amendments as necessary.
• On April 1 and June 17, 2024, City Council reviewed and discussed opportunities to connect with residents through Community Communication Forums and provided direction to make specific changes to City Council Policy 100-32 as outlined more fully below.

The City Council’s operating policies and procedures were originally adopted in 1999. Periodic review and update to the policies are necessary to reflect changes in City policy as well as best practices in municipal governance and state law.

Vancouver City Council Policy 100-32 was last amended on January 9, 2023, by passage of Resolution M-4204.  At that time, the City transitioned from a longstanding practice of holding Community Communication Forums twice per month at City Hall, to holding Community Forums at various locations throughout the community on a quarterly basis. Since that time, the City Council has observed that the Quarterly Communication Forums have been very productive.

The City Council discussed its policies on April 1 and June 17, 2024, and expressed interest in making further refinements to Policy 100-32. Attached for City Council’s consideration are proposed modifications that, if adopted, would:

• Add approximately eight (8) community forum events to the City Council’s annual calendar to be held in months in which a (quarterly) community forum is not otherwise scheduled to occur. The additional Community Communication Forums would be held at the end of the last Regular Meeting of each month, last up to one (1) hour, and allow up to three (3) total minutes of testimony from each speaker on any lawful topic.

• Address minor grammatical updates for sake of consistency throughout the policy as indicated in the “track changes” version of Policy 100-32 (attached).

• Establish an effective date for the new Policy of August 1, 2024. If adopted, City Staff anticipate returning to City Council on August 5 with an updated annual calendar and holding the first Regular Meeting with a Community Communication Forum on August 26, 2024.