OSAC votes to send draft council-rule amendments to full council; staff to prepare resolution

The Operational Strategy and Administrative Committee (OSAC) of the City of Tacoma on Feb. 27 voted to ask staff to prepare a resolution with proposed amendments to the City Council rules and to advance that draft to the full council.

The committee’s action followed a working-session briefing from Ben Thurgood, the city’s continuous improvement officer, who outlined a process that treats technical edits differently from substantive changes requiring broader council discussion. "Again, any changes to council rules would happen at a full council meeting, by resolution," Thurgood said, noting that staff would draft language for technical items and research for substantive proposals.

The proposed package the committee asked staff to formalize includes new attendance language (including thresholds for consecutive unexcused absences and a suggested cap on excused absences per year), guidance on reporting out-of-state city-related travel, placement of certain purchasing resolutions on the consent agenda, limits on non-motion recesses, and interim changes to community forum rules. Committee members stressed that substantive changes affecting transparency and public participation would return to full council for resolution.

A motion asking staff to draft the resolution and to conduct additional follow-up research was moved and seconded and approved by voice vote. The committee directed staff to prepare materials for a study-session discussion with the full council and to gather additional research on public-engagement models and remote-attendance best practices.

Ben Thurgood said staff will document the proposals and timeline and will return a draft for the mayor and council’s consideration. The committee also requested that staff consult with tribal partners before changing land-acknowledgement language and to clarify definitions related to gifts and donations.

The committee’s approval was procedural rather than final policy; any rule changes will require a full-council resolution and formal adoption before taking effect.