The Council Agenda - Part 2

In an earlier post, I talked about how Council solicits additions to its agenda. In most cases, the topic is accepted and then scheduled for inclusion in a future meeting. This helps ensure that we finish off existing topics before embarking on too many new ones. Most topics require (and deserve) a certain amount of dedicated focus.

This post deals with the discussion process itself.

In advance of the scheduled date, I prepare a general series of questions to be answered, and Council reviews the original request. The purpose of the initial set of questions is to help Council define the scope of the topic. Almost any issue can spawn infinite tangents, and it keeps discussion efficient if we determine the scope in advance. Additions can always be made down the line if we stumble across something that needs further exploration. For major membership-wide issues, such as diversity, safe and respectful workplaces, or independent theatre, we invariably cast the net as widely as we can.

A important initial question is always: what do we need to know in order to deal with this matter thoroughly? This query can take several shapes... Are there data that we should be getting from staff (historical data, contract summaries or other material). Are there documents we should review? Is there member input we should get? What do current policies and bylaws say? Do we need to bring in outside expertise (legal opinion, specialists on the issue)?

Discussion begins in earnest once necessary information is in hand, and I prepare a discussion sheet to guide debate. In this way, we never approach an issue having no structure or data with which to work. The discussion sheet will be revised in keeping with Council's discussion, several times if necessary, as the topic proceeds. Each new revision will incorporate a results summary from prior meetings, proposed policy or bylaw amendments as they begin to take shape, and notation of the remaining items to explore. New items that arise in discussion are also added to the sheet, so that they don't get lost. In many ways, these discussion sheets are mini single-topic agenda/minutes.

Ultimately, almost every topic will result in an amendment to Council policies. In this way, the policy document always represents the most current state of Council decision-making. Anyone looking for the answer to the question "What has Council said on this?" will find it there.

Based on discussion outcomes, I prepare a template motion and draft policy language for Council review. For topics of limited scope, the draft is frequently accepted as is, but Council not uncommonly requests changes to the draft material, and new ones are prepared until Council is satisfied and passes the policy amendment. The new policy takes effect immediately, and the online policy document is updated within a couple of weeks to reflect the changes.

All of this takes time, from a couple of meetings, to a year or more in the case of major issues. However, Council's aim in any matter is to create durable solutions that can be applied consistently over the years, and not quickie responses just so we can scratch the issue off our agenda. This approach has resulted in a great deal of strong, actionable, and monitor-able policy over the past four years. Although we review every policy on a cyclical basis, relatively few have needed amendment on second (or subsequent) viewing.