Understanding City Council Meetings
The following information is provided for a better understanding of how the public can participate in the Yamhill city government and the opportunities available to address the City Council.
City Council meetings are held on the second Wednesday of each month (6:30 pm) at the Council Chambers, 155 E 1st Street, and if needed, a special meeting may be called for another day/time.
The City Council Agenda is available prior to (normally the Friday before) each meeting on the City's web page under Calendar and on the Council webpage.
Yamhill City Council
The City of Yamhill is a Council-City Manager form of government and derives its power from the City Charter, the Oregon Constitution, and laws enacted by the State legislature. All legislative power is held by the publicly-elected, five-member City Council, which consists of the Mayor and four Councilors. While all Councilors enjoy the same powers and privileges, the Mayor has the additional responsibility of presiding over City Council meetings, signing official documents, and officiating at ceremonies and events.
Councilors serve a four-year term. The Mayor serves a two-year term.
Public Participation
The City of Yamhill welcomes your participation at Council meetings. Opportunities for the public to address the City Council are provided under the Public Comment and Public Hearing sections of the agenda. If you wish to address the City Council, please check the box indicating you wish to speak on the sign-in sheet provided at the beginning of each meeting. You will be called up at the appropriate time.
In an effort to review the business on the agenda in a timely manner, the Mayor institutes speaker time limits. Each speaker is given up to three minutes to address the Council.
If you are unable to attend a Council meeting, written communications may be sent to the City Recorder by email or by regular mail to the City Recorder's Office, PO Box 9, Yamhill, OR 97148. Communications received by 5 pm the day before the Council Meeting will be made available to the Council at the meeting.
Agenda Items
The Council meeting begins with a Call to Order by the Mayor, promptly at 6:30 p.m. and the Pledge of Allegiance is recited by those in attendance. The City Council then performs Roll Call.
Consent Agenda items are typically routine in nature and are considered for approval by the City Council with one single action. The Mayor or a Councilor may request removal of an item for the purpose of discussion and consideration separately from the Consent Calendar. The Consent Agenda is then voted on, in total, without discussion (excluding those items previously removed for individual action).
Presentations are scheduled for times when the City Council recognizes people who have contributed to the betterment of Yamhill or events that are important to the community. This section also provides other agencies with an opportunity to present information or items of concern to the City Council.
Public Comment provides the public with an opportunity to address the Council on any item that is within the jurisdiction of the City Council, and which does not appear on the agenda.
Comments must address the Council as a whole, not individual members, and should be limited to issues regarding City government. Council may refer the matter to a committee or to staff. Each speaker is given up to three minutes to address the Council. The Council may not take action on an item presented during Public Comment, and this forum is not designed to be a question-and-answer session. Any materials that you wish to present at the Council meeting should be provided to the City Recorder by 5 p.m. the day before the council meeting. Any material submitted becomes part of the public record and will not be returned.
Public Hearings are held on matters required by law (often pertaining to land use) or items of significance for which public input is desired. The Mayor begins a Public Hearing by asking for presentations from staff and from the proponent or applicant involved in the matter under discussion. Following questions from the City Council, the Mayor will open the hearing to the public for input from citizens. Following the close of the hearing, the City Council takes action on the subject of the hearing.
New/Unfinished Business covers those items that require Council discussion and/or decision but do not legally require a Public Hearing. Council members are permitted to ask questions of staff before taking action or making a motion.
The City Staff Reports allow the staff to brief the Council on items of interest. No Council action is taken.
The Mayor/Council Reports provide an opportunity for the Council members to make a brief announcement or report on their activities, including reports on City Council liaison assignments.
City Council Actions
The City Council takes action in three different ways:
Ordinances are laws adopted by the City Council that usually amend the Municipal Code. Most ordinances become effective 30 days after adoption.
Resolutions express decisions, opinions, or actions by the City Council but do not amend the Municipal Code or other City laws.
Motions are formal procedures for taking actions on business. To make a motion, a Councilor must first be recognized by the presiding officer (Mayor). After the Councilor has made a motion (and after the motion is seconded), the Mayor then calls for discussion prior to a vote of the Councilors.
Special Meetings
Special Meetings are additional meetings scheduled beyond the normal regular meetings of the council. They can be in several formats. All, with the exception of Executive Sessions, are OPEN for public attendance.
Executive sessions are held for specific purposes such as possible litigation, real property transactions, and/or personnel matters as allowed under State law. Executive Sessions are not open to the public. Representatives of the news media are allowed to attend executive sessions except those held under ORS 192.660(2)(d) relating to labor negotiations. These meetings are CLOSED to the public.
Work sessions provide an opportunity for City staff to report to the City Council on a variety of items and issues. Work Sessions are open to the public. Unlike regular Council meetings, Work Sessions do not include public hearings or other opportunities for citizen comments. Check the City's website for times and locations. These meetings are OPEN to public attendance.
Town Hall meeting is a public gathering where community members come together to discuss local issues, voice concerns, and engage with the Council. These meetings serve as a platform for residents to ask questions and share their opinions with the council. These meetings are OPEN to public attendance.
For questions or further information, email the City Recorder or call 503-662-3511, ext. 102.
Public Meetings Law Grievance Process
Required Steps to file a Grievance:
If you believe a Public Meetings Law violation has occurred:
- You must submit a written grievance to the public body at issue, setting forth the facts and circumstances of the alleged violation. This written grievance must be submitted to the public body within 30 days of the date the alleged violation occurred.
- You must give the public body 21 days to respond to your written grievance. The public body’s written response should acknowledge receipt of the written grievance, and: admit or deny the facts and circumstances alleged in the grievance; admit or deny that those facts and circumstances amount to a violation of the Public Meetings Law; and if a violation is acknowledged, explain the steps the governing body will take to cure the violation. The Public Body will submit its response to both you and to OGEC.
- If, upon receiving the Public Body’s response, or upon receiving no response within 21 days of your written grievance, you wish to submit your complaint to OGEC. When you submit your complaint to OGEC, you must include documentation that you satisfied these mandatory prerequisites. This documentation would include your written grievance and the public body’s written response (or affirmation that no response was received within 21 days).
**If you fail to satisfy these mandatory prerequisites before filing your complaint with OGEC, your complaint will be dismissed under ORS 192.685(3).**
All grievances for public meetings at the City of Yamhill shall be submitted to the City Recorder in one of the following ways:
Mail to:
Yamhill City Hall
ATTN: City Recorder
PO Box 9
Yamhill, OR 97148
Deliver In-person:
Yamhill City Hall
ATTN: City Recorder
205 S Maple St.
Yamhill, OR 97148
New Public Body Reporting Duties:
HB 2805 creates new reporting duties for public bodies. In particular, when a public body receives a written grievance from a person alleging its governing body may have violated provisions in the Public Meetings Law, the public body must provide a written response to the person within 21 days. That written response should acknowledge receipt of the grievance and may:
- Deny the facts and circumstances alleged in the grievance; then describe the public body’s version of the facts and circumstances and explain why they do not violate Public Meetings Law.
- Admit the facts and circumstances alleged in the grievance but deny that those facts and circumstances violate Public Meetings Law.
- Admit the facts and circumstances alleged in the grievance and admit those facts and circumstances violate Public Meetings Law. Then explain the steps the public body will take to cure the violation, such as:
- Rescinding the decision taken by the governing body that violated Public Meetings Law;
- Acknowledging (in a properly noticed and conducted public meeting held within 45 days of the original decision) that:
- The original decision violated Public Meetings Law;
- Good cause exists for the governing body not to rescind the decision; and
- The governing body’s practices will be modified to ensure future violations of Public Meetings Law do not occur.
Please note:
- The public body must send OGEC a copy of the written grievance, along with the public body’s response, at the same time that it sends the written response to the person.
- These documents should be sent to OGEC via email, pbgr@ogec.oregon.gov.
