Council meetings explained

Boulder City is committed to maintaining openness and transparency. City council meetings are critical to our democracy. The city council is the legislative body that discusses and makes decisions on issues affecting our city. The purpose of a city council meeting is to enact ordinances, appropriate funds, set priorities, and establish policies.

Robert’s Rules of Order governs how these meetings are conducted, providing common rules and procedures for deliberation and debate. Designed to ensure meetings are handled constructively and with respect for time management, Robert’s Rules of Order facilitates open discussion and equal participation.

The processes of these meetings are guided by Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 241, also known as the Nevada Open Meeting Law (OML). City council meetings in Boulder City typically last between two to three hours, but many hours of planning and preparation go into them in the weeks beforehand. OML states, “Written notice of all meetings must be given at least three working days before the meeting,” except in emergencies. The notice must include an agenda listing the items to be considered during the meeting.

These agenda items are generally prepared by department directors or the city manager. City council members may also request items for council meetings. The city clerk and city attorney review these items to ensure compliance with current policies and laws before they are added to the agenda.

All agendas and supporting materials provided to members of the governing body are also available to the public and can be accessed on the city’s website at https://bcnv.primegov.com/public/portal/. The city clerk’s office strives to publish agendas and supporting materials ahead of OML requirements.

According to the OML, “All meetings of public bodies must be open and public, and all persons must be permitted to attend any meeting of these public bodies at a physical location or by means of a remote technology system.” Advances in technology allow meetings to be viewed on a computer or smartphone. All meetings are live-streamed at www.bcnv.org/streaming and are made available on-demand the next day with closed captioning.

Public participation

Public participation is highly encouraged. The public can participate by attending in person or calling in via telephone at 702-589-9629 during the public comment periods and public hearing portions of the meeting. Written public comments may also be submitted at least one hour before the start of the meeting to ensure they can be distributed and reviewed by the council.

There are two public comment periods during the meeting: one at the beginning of the agenda and one at the end. The first public comment period is limited to matters on the agenda. Each person is allowed up to three minutes to speak at the discretion of the mayor on a specific agenda item.

The second public comment period allows the public to speak on any subject. Again, each person is allowed up to three minutes to speak at the mayor’s discretion. All remarks must be addressed to the city council as a whole and not to individual members of the council, the audience, or city staff.

Agenda structure

Items on the agenda may include presentations, bills/ordinances, and regular business. Matters requiring action will include the term “for possible action” in the title.

The agenda is divided into two primary sections: the regular agenda and the consent agenda. The regular agenda includes a variety of items for open discussion, debate, and consideration. The consent agenda groups routine items together for approval by a single vote. If an item on the consent agenda requires further discussion, the council can vote to move it to the regular agenda. Additionally, items on the agenda may be taken out of order, combined with another item, or removed from the agenda entirely.

Some agenda items are required by ordinance or state law to include a public hearing, such as planning and zoning matters or utility rate adjustments. Public hearings are a way to gather public opinion and concerns on a topic before a decision is made. The opinions and evidence presented during public hearings become part of the record that decision-makers use in their deliberations.

Meeting details

Boulder City Council meetings are held on the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month at 5 p.m., except in July, November, and December. Meetings take place in the Council Chamber at City Hall, located at 401 California Avenue. Special meetings and workshops may also be called.

For more information, please contact the city clerk’s office at cityclerk@bcnv.org or 702-293-9208.