Mayor and City Council
Mayor Tom Hughes presides at the City Council meetings. In the Mayor’s absence, the Council President presides. (Charter Chapter III, Section 10)
The voters of the City of Hillsboro elect the Mayor and six City Council members. The City is divided into three wards. The term of office for the Mayor and City Council is four years. Two Council members must reside in each of the wards, but they are elected by the voters of the entire City. This is called elected at large. (Charter Chapters III and VII)
Meeting Information
The Hillsboro City Council meetings are convened in the Hillsboro Civic Center Auditorium on the first and third Tuesdays of the month at 7 PM. All City Council meetings are open to the public, except for items allowed to be discussed in Executive Session. All meetings follow the same agenda format, and generally follow Robert’s Rules of Order for public meetings. The preliminary agenda for the City Council is prepared the week before the City Council meeting and posted on the City web page. Meetings are broadcast live through Tualatin Valley Community Television. Many past meetings can be viewed as streaming video at http://www.tvctv.org/content/media/Hillsboro.asp.
Consent Agenda
Items placed on the Consent Agenda are generally recommendations of the Transportation Committee, Finance Committee, and Park Commission. The Consent Agenda is approved with one single motion. If a Councilor would like to discuss a specific item, it is removed from the Consent Agenda and may be considered separately under the New Business section on the agenda.
Communication and Non-Agenda Items
The general public may address the City Council on any item not on the agenda under “Communications and Non-Agenda Items”. Please fill out the card on the table in the back of the room and give to the City Recorder. Each person has three minutes to address his/her issue and must come to the speaker’s podium and state his/her name for the record. You are not required to give your address when speaking to the City Council, only your name. Public participation is encouraged.
The Agenda
The City Recorder prepares the Council agenda under the direction of the Mayor and City Manager. All of the information about the items on the preliminary agenda, including staff reports and copies of resolutions and ordinances, are distributed to the Council members on the Thursday of the week before the meeting. This ensures time for the Council to thoroughly review the information and call staff with any questions prior to the actual meeting.
Copies of the preliminary agenda, resolutions and ordinances are posted on the bulletin board located on the first floor of the Civic Center. A copy of the preliminary agenda and the entire Council packet, including staff reports, is also posted on the City’s web page. All of the material provided to the City Council is available to the public in a notebook at the meeting. Ordinances are not read in full at the City Council meeting unless requested by a member of the Council. The Mayor does not vote on any question except in the case of a tie. The Mayor may not vote on the final passage of an ordinance. (Charter Chapter III)
A final action agenda is prepared following the City Council meeting and posted on the City’s web page.
City Council Sub-Committees
There are two sub-committees of the City Council: the Transportation Committee and the Finance Committee. Three City Council members serve on each of the committees and meet one time per month. The Transportation Committee deals with issues related to City streets and the Finance Committee reviews matters concerning the City budget. Items that are recommended by either the Transportation Committee or the Finance Committee are usually placed on the Consent Agenda for Council action.
If you have additional questions or comments, please call the Mayor or City Recorder’s office at (503) 681-6117.
All general correspondence should be addressed to:
City of Hillsboro,
150 East Main Street
Hillsboro, OR 97123
Phone:
(503) 681-6117
Fax:
(503) 681-6232
Visit us on the web at: www.ci.hillsboro.or.us |