City Council Meetings

Regular Sessions

Regular Sessions are the formal business meetings of City Council and they can only take formal action at Regular Sessions. Regular Sessions, prescribed by the City’s Charter to be held at least twice a month, are usually held on the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month but are sometimes scheduled on other Tuesdays due to holidays or scheduling conflicts.  Four members of Council constitute a quorum and may conduct City business. Council conducts business at a Regular Session in one of the following manners:

Ordinances (Local Laws) – 

An ordinance is a type of local law. It must go through two readings before it becomes law.

• • First Reading:
    The ordinance is introduced to the City Council. Council members can ask staff questions. Then the Council votes on whether to publish the ordinance and schedule a public hearing.

  • Second Reading:
    The Council can ask more questions and may make changes to the ordinance. A public hearing is held so the public can speak. After that, the Council votes on whether to approve the ordinance.

  • How they are approved:
    A majority of the Council must vote yes for the ordinance to pass.

  • When It Takes Effect:
    Once approved, the ordinance usually becomes law 10 days after it is published, unless it includes an emergency clause, which allows it to take effect right away.

Resolutions – 

A resolution is used by the City Council to state its policies, to engage in agreements, or to direct certain administrative actions.

• How It Is Approved:
  A resolution is passed when a majority of the Council members present vote yes.

• Public Hearing:
  No public hearing is required to pass a resolution.

Motion and Vote – 

A motion triggers discussion and subsequent vote which determines if Council approves of contracts, agreements, and procedural action and may also be used to direct staff to take certain actions.

Referrals – 

When Council is not prepared to take action or when further study is needed, the matter may be referred to a City administrative officer or to a City Advisory Board for research, study and recommendation to the City Council.

Study Sessions

The City Council holds Study Sessions as the schedule allows, though these meetings are not prescribed by the City’s Charter. Study Sessions generally cover only one or two topics and are designed to allow for a more in-depth presentation and discussion about issues.

No formal action may be taken by the Council at a Study Session other than to direct staff to proceed in a certain manner and to bring items back to a Regular Session for formal action.

Executive Sessions

Executive Sessions are special meetings called in advance that are not open to the public. The topics discussed are limited per Colorado Open Meetings Law. No formal action may be taken during an Executive Session.

Pre-Sessions

Pre-Sessions are informal sessions that are scheduled when needed and are held before a City Council meeting for one of the following purposes:

• to provide in-depth information on a topic to Council that is timely and does not fit on an upcoming agenda
• for Council to share board updates with each other

No action or direction can be taken by Council during these sessions.

Open Forums

Open Forums are open meetings like Town Halls with the sole purpose of the Council listening to the public speak on any topic. The public is allotted five (5) minutes per person and the format is more relaxed. Council Rules do not prohibit the Council from engaging and talking with the public during these sessions.

Organizational Meeting

An Organizational Meeting is required by the City’s Charter and is held on the first Tuesday in December following each regular city election to conclude any final business of the Council before the newly elected officials are sworn in and then the new Council is convened.

There are various ways to view the livestream of the City Council meetings:

• Via the Interactive Agenda on the City’s Agenda Management Portal. This method allows you to view the video, agenda and associated meeting materials in one window.
• On Longmont Public Media’s website or the LPM Roku App (Download App)
• On YouTube via the City’s livestream

These livestreams are cross-platform compatible and can be viewed on a PC, Mac, tablet, iPad, or mobile device.

How to watch the video after the meeting

The easiest way is to visit the Agenda Management Portal so that you can click directly on the item you are interested in and it takes you directly to that point in the video so you do not have to search by fast forwarding and rewinding a video. Past videos are also archived on the City’s YouTube channel.

If you want to speak at a City Council meeting, you need to sign up before the meeting starts. A sign-up sheet will be available outside the Council Chambers starting at 6:30 p.m. The City Clerk collects the list(s) right before the meeting begins at 7:00 p.m.

Speaking Time Limit:

• Each speaker is allowed up to 3 minutes.
• Speakers may not assign their time to others.

If you need assistance to participate in a City Council meeting, please contact the City Clerk’s Office at 303-651-8649 at least five (5) days in advance of the meeting to make arrangements.

Regular Session Meetings

First Call – Public Invited to Be Heard

• Open to Longmont residents with a Longmont address and City of Longmont employees only.
• You must sign up before the meeting starts.

Second Reading or Public Hearing Items

• Anyone can speak on these topics.
• You’re encouraged to sign up, but sign-up is not required.

Final Call – Public Invited to Be Heard

• Anyone can speak at the end of the meeting.
• No sign-up is needed.

Study Session Meetings

Public Invited to Be Heard

• Anyone can speak.
• You must sign up before the meeting starts.

The laws of the City of Longmont are enacted when an ordinance is passed by City Council.

Essentially, ordinances happen in one of two ways:

1. City staff deems it necessary for the Council to change the law, or
2. City Council asks staff to draft an ordinance for their consideration that would change the law

There are other types of actions (resolutions, appropriations, official legislative positions), but if you are interested in changing the law, it is best to first talk to the staff member who is an expert in that area, or talk to your City Council member. Oftentimes, Council members direct staff to prepare an ordinance based on things they heard at their meetings from residents at the Public Invited to be Heard segment of the meeting.

For any questions, please contact the City Clerk’s Office at 303-651-8649.

• View City Council Rules of Procedure [PDF]
• View citizen information about Quasi-Judicial City Council Proceedings [PDF]