How to Get Involved
with Your City Government

 

Concord Municipal Government

  • The City Council is the legislative or lawmaking branch of Concord's municipal government.
  • Residents elect Councilmembers "at large" to represent the City as a whole, making each accountable to the entire citizenry.
  • The public is encouraged to participate in the City's decision-making process and is invited to attend City Council meetings where issues affecting the community are discussed.
  • The Council meets in a public forum where citizens may participate as Councilmembers adopt ordinances, set policy, and allocate City resources.
  • The City's annual budget workshop is open to the public.

Participation at City Meetings

  • A variety of issues come before the City Council at City Council or City Council Committee meetings.
  • The City Manager prepares an agenda for each meeting, copies of which are generally published one week prior to regular meeting dates. Agendas are also published on the City Web site.
  • At City Council meetings, people who wish to address the Councuil are asked to complete a speaker's card so the City has a formal record of individuals who speak.
  • Speakers are called upon by the Mayor as items come up on the agenda.
  • Groups wishing to address the Council may want to select one spokesperson to represent their position.
  • The Council may place time limits on speakers to ensure that all speakers on an item may be heard.
  • Once the Mayor has ceased public discussion on any item, debate is closed and no further comments will be taken from the audience, unless requested by the Mayor.
  • The City Council holds a public comment session at each meeting to allow individuals to address matters that are not formal agenda items. Wtih few exceptions, the City Council cannot act on unscheduled matters. However, the Council may choose to schedule an item for formal action at a later date.

Communicate with City Officials

  • Correspondance for the Mayor, Vice Mayor or individual Councilmembers may be directed to their offices at the Concord Civic Center (see "How to Contact your City Officials" at right).

Work with your Local Liaison Team

  • Every area of the city has an assigned liaison team, a small group of employees from different departments who attend neighborhood meetings and seek to solve problems by breaking down the bureaucracy that stands in the way of positive solutions. Learn more about Community-Oriented Goverment.