8. HANDOUT 02-16-2010 - Laserfiche WebLink

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.Avoid personal comments that could offend ote~° Council members If a Councilmember is personally offended by the remarks of another Councilmember, the offended Councilmember should make notes of the actual words used and call fora "point of personal privilege" that challenges the other Councilmember to justify or apologize for the language used. The Mayor will maintain control of this discussion, demonstrate effective roblem~sol~.ng approaches Council members have a public stage to show how individuals with disparate points of view can find common gxound and seek a compromise that benefits the community as a whale. ®e punctual aid keep comments relative to topics discussed Council members have made a commitment to attend meetings and partake in discussions. Therefore, it is important that Council members be punctual and that meetings start on time, it is equally important that discussions on issues be relative to the topic at hand to allow adequate time to fully discussed scheduled issues. P ATE CT1T ® Continue respectful behavior in private The same level of respect and consideration of differing points of view that is deemed appropriate for public discussions should be maintained in private conversations. e aware of the insec~~rity of written notes, voicernail. messages, and email Technology allows words written or said without much forethought to be distributed wide and far, would you feel comfortable to have this note faxed to others? How would you feel if this voicemail :message was played on a speaker phone in a foil office? what would happen if this e- mailmessage was forwarded to others? written notes, voicemail messages and email should be treated as potentially "public" communication. given private conversations can have a public presence Elected officials are always on display -~ their actions, mannerisms, and language are monitored by people around them that they may not know. Lunch table conversations will be eavesdropped upon, parking lot debates will be watched, and casual comments between individuals before and after public meetings noted. Council ~Concl~ct with City Staff Governance of a City relies on the coope~~ative efforts of elected officials, who set policy, and City staff, who implement and administer the Council's policies. Therefore, every effort should be made to be cooperative and show mutual respect for the contributions made by each individual for the good of the community, Treat all staff as professionals Clear, honest communication that respects the abilities, experience, and dignity of each individual is expected. Poor behavior towards staff is .not acceptable, 5