City Council Meetings

Regular Sessions

Regular Sessions are when the City Council conducts its formal business 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: An ordinance is the mechanism used to implement new local laws and requires two readings before it is enacted. At the first reading, the ordinance is introduced and, if Council desires, questions for information may be addressed to the staff. Council then votes whether or not to order the ordinance published in full, along with a notice of the public hearing, which is held at second reading of the ordinance. On second reading, the Council may again address questions to the staff and may vote to amend the ordinance. A public hearing is then held and Council votes whether or not to adopt the ordinance. Ordinances require an affirmative vote of the majority of the Council for passage. All ordinances adopted on final reading take effect ten days after final publication, except for those containing an “emergency” clause.
• Resolutions: A resolution is the mechanism used to express policy of the Council or direct certain types of administrative action. A resolution is adopted by a vote of the majority of those Council members seated. No public hearing is required for passage of a resolution.
• Motions: A motion is ordinarily used to indicate Council approval of contracts, agreements, and procedural action and may also be used to authorize administrative officials to take certain actions.
• Referrals: When Council is not prepared to take definite action or when further study is needed, the matter may be referred to a City administrative officer or board for research, study and subsequent action by such officer or the City Council.

Study Sessions

The City Council holds Study Sessions once or twice a month, 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. No action or direction can be taken by Council during these sessions which are scheduled 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

Open Forums

Open Forums are like Town Halls in that they are meetings 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 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]