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City Council <br />Meeting Minutes November 16, 2021 <br />Mr. Cosentino stated citizen comment and questions and answers from the <br />press and public were required for regular meetings under the Texas Open <br />Meetings Act (TOMA) before it was amended a few sessions back. He stated <br />the procedures by which council members may place items on a agenda is <br />unique to the City and it can be amended to add discussion items for work <br />session instead of regular agendas. The city has a choice on when it citizen <br />comment happens. This can happen at the beginning of our meeting, like we <br />currently do, but the statute also states that it must occur prior to <br />consideration of an item. The requirement is imposed when council is meeting <br />to consider action items but he stated the city is complying with TDMA. He <br />mentioned it can be discussed during the work session but it will not be <br />established until an action item is on a subsequent meeting. <br />Council Member Garza asked why an outside presenter is not allowed to <br />present and the response was only allowed for staff and council interaction. <br />Mr. Lumbreras stated that work sessions are where items that would eventually <br />come before council are presented for a final consideration and vote and <br />receiving an outside perspective was not the intended purpose. If an outside <br />perspective is needed, there are other ways to achieve that goal. If outside <br />perspectives are brought in, they could potentially be used for personal and <br />political objectives and that is not the intended purpose of work sessions. The <br />work session is intended to conduct the business of the city and to educate and <br />prepare council prior to taking a critical vote on a matter. <br />Mayor Pro Tem Scott asked if two council members are allowed to put an item <br />on the work session agenda. Mr. Lumbreras stated under the current policy, <br />the Mayor and City Manager can place items on the work session agendas. Mr. <br />Lumbreras stated we need to look at the capacity of the agendas due to the <br />limited time we have for each work session, plus this is where we schedule <br />executive sessions. There are a number of considerations when agendas are <br />built. Mr. Scott asked if there can be citizen comment after a work session? <br />Mayor Hughson noted the limited time that we have for work sessions and <br />citizen comment could take up much of that time. She also noted that work <br />sessions are the same day as regular meetings and citizen comment is always <br />one of the first items on that agenda. <br />Mr. Lumbreras expressed concern with discussions on work session agendas as <br />there are timing concerns. Regular meetings begin at 6:00 p.m and these work <br />sessions typically end around 5:30 p.m. He also noted that citizens would be <br />commenting on projects that are not finalized. <br />City of San Marcos Page 18 <br />