COUNCIL POLICY MANUAL
7.3.11 – Page 1
Policy 7.3.11 Seating Arrangements/City Council
POLICY PURPOSE:
Section 613 of the Charter provides that the City Council shall establish rules for the conduct of its proceedings. It is the purpose of this policy to establish a process to determine the seating arrangement of Councilmembers at Council meetings.
POLICY STATEMENT:
1. Seating of Mayor
The Mayor shall be seated in the center seat. Should the Mayor be absent, the Vice Mayor will assume the Mayor’s seat.
2. Seating of the Vice Mayor
The Vice Mayor shall be seated to either side of the Mayor, with the vice Mayor receiving preference for obtaining the seat.
3. Councilmember Seating
A. When Determined: Seating arrangements will be determined as the last item of business at a meeting during which a mayor and/or vice mayor is selected.
B. How Determined: Councilmembers shall select where they wish to sit on the basis of length of continuous time of service on the City Council. The selection process shall be in the order of most senior to least senior. When two or more Councilmembers have equivalent time of service, those Councilmembers shall be given priority in seat selection by the highest number of votes in their most recent election.
(Adopted: RTC 81-602 (10/6/1981); Amended: 84-673 (11/6/1984); 85-554 (11/12/1985); 87-590 (11/10/1987 ); 88-701 (11/29/1988 ); 89-729 (11/14/1989 ); 91-522 (11/12/1991 ); 05-357 (11/29/2005); 26-0259 (3/10/2026))
Lead Department: Office of the City Manager
Attachment 5