What to expect at the next City Council meeting

The first meeting following the election is this Monday, May 17th. This meeting will involve some more-or-less ceremonial things and possibly some actual business. Beginning at 5:30 pm, the first order of business is to "canvass" the election results. This is where the existing City Council certifies the vote counts and adopts a resolution declaring the winners. Then at about 5:45 pm, any newly elected Council members are called forward, sworn in and take their places on the Council. At some point during the meeting, the council votes to elect a Mayor and a Mayor pro tem.

There could be other business transacted during this meeting. I understand that the agenda is not completely set (as of this writing), but is likely to include an "executive session" where the Council discusses certain matters privately, that is, without the public present. The Texas Open Meetings Act allows only seven exceptions under which a portion of a City Council meeting may be closed to the public. For a brief summary of the Open Meetings provisions, see here.

The Act also requires that the agenda be posted at least 72 hours before the meeting, and that the meeting be announced on the City's website (which is here). For any subjects not on the agenda, any deliberation or decision about the subject must be limited to: (1) a proposal to place the subject on a future agenda; (2) a statement of factual information; or (3) a recitation of existing policy.

All meetings are held at the new Woodway City Hall, and being open to the public, please consider attending.