In council meetings, “formality” and “friendliness” are not mutually exclusive
by Caroline Weber Kennedy
Over the past couple of years I’ve attended a good many council meetings in a wide array of communities. I would like to devote this article to something that rather baffles me.
Every community where I have attended council meetings has prided themselves on their small town ambience and friendly nature. And without exception, each community tries to carry this friendly, easy-going attitude into council meetings. That is a logical and laudable goal. 
But here’s what baffles me. Why do so many elected officials seem to feel that parliamentary procedure, or the enforcement of a few policy rules for decorum, constitutes formality? Or maybe more to the point, why is formality considered the antithesis of friendliness? The two are not mutually exclusive. 
Formal rules of procedure constitute structure and stability – and those are very user-friendly qualities in a council. And maybe as you read this you agree. But still, when your meeting is called to order, do you slip into a “more casual, less formal” type of leadership? Is it a style you grew into or learned over time and now it just seems easier?
The following are fairly common observations when I’m out and about. No one community does all of these things, but you might want to ask yourself how many describe your meetings, at least some of the time.
And more important, if you are familiar with the following, has your “more casual, less formal” approach really produced a friendly and user-friendly council?
12 observations of concern
1.	Elected officials and/or employees debating issues with the public.
2	Elected officials and/or employees debating issues with each other.
3.	Council members speaking without being recognized by the presiding officer.
4.	Presiding officers refusing to recognize council members wishing to speak.
5.	Casual and not-so-casual swearing. 
6.	Inaccurate motions not corrected in a clear manner.
7. 	Votes taken without a formal motion or support.
8. 	Information provided to some, but not all, members prior to a meeting.
9. 	“Set-ups” by one or more councilmember in collusion with citizens to oust, embarrass or disparage another. 
10-12. Individuals who are neither residents nor taxpayers of the community espousing negative views on council decisions, attempting to influence how taxpayer money is spent, or disparaging an elected official or employee.
Does any of this sound familiar? Most of these problems arise from a laxness in procedure. Your meetings may go along hunky-dory . . . until the day emotions run high or conflicts arise. At this point, it is very difficult to re-institute rules and procedures of civility and decorum. Control and respect are virtually lost because during the good times, in the guise of informality and casualness, the bar was lowered too far.
But it only takes a few meetings to get back in the swing. It’s like riding a bike. Everyone will know the expectations of civility and order; everyone will be treated equally; and everyone will know when it is their turn. For citizens and members out of order, reminders and instructions can be administered in a very friendly manner. There are a lot of ways to create a welcome and friendly environment without sacrificing the rules of procedure.
Non-resident interference
I want to call your attention again to items 10-12. Please request everyone to state their name and street address before addressing council. This seems to be one of the least popular formalities and may seem at times unnecessary. But do it all the time anyway. I’m not discouraging an open-door policy, but remember – you only represent your residents and your voters. In northern Michigan it is very common for township residents to believe they are part of the city or village with an equal voice. They likely have a city or village mailing address. And while input can be welcome, monetary and policy decisions should be shaped by those you represent.
And for the rest of these issues, you know what to do. 
So, if you are inspired at all to brush up on your skills, please call the League’s Member Resource Service (800-653-2483). They can provide you with materials and resources to get things back on track. Now, they do have some rules and expectations about borrowing . . . but that’s alright because they’re really friendly to work with. 
Caroline Kennedy is manager of field operations for the Michigan Municipal League. You may contact Caroline at 906-428-0100 or ckennedy@mml.org.