McCalpin’s Unofficial Guide to Richardson City Council Meetings
by William "Bill" McCalpin

Part 2
Calendar of Meetings

Generally, City Council Meetings (“business meetings”) are held on the second and fourth Mondays of the month, while City Council Worksessions are held every Monday. That is, on a schedule that is more or less every other week, the City Council alternates between a Monday evening with only a City Council Worksession and a Monday evening with a City Council Worksession followed by the formal City Council Meeting.

Note that there is no statutory requirement that this schedule be rigorously adhered to; on occasion, the City Council may schedule additional meetings not on the calendar when there is pressing business or skip a meeting when there is little business to discuss and/or one or more City Council members is absent. The only constraint is that the City Council Meetings be “not less than two (2) regular meetings … each month, unless postponed for valid reasons.” (Section 3.08, Richardson City Charter).

Note that this means that the Richardson City Council generally meets every Monday in one format or another, except on special occasions (such as a national holiday). Most of our comparable cities (cities of a similar size in the DFW area that we compare ourselves to) meet only twice a month in open session; thus, Richardson residents have twice as many opportunities per month to see the City Council in action than most of our neighbors.

City Council Meetings notices are posted by the City Secretary at least 72 hours in advance both on a bulletin board at the west entrance to City Hall as well as on the Internet at the City’s website. Note that this means that generally the City Council agenda is posted by 5 p.m. on Friday evening, the Friday before a Monday City Council Meeting (whether formal meeting or worksession). The 72 hour limit is mandated by State Law in Section VII, B in Notice Requirements in the Attorney General’s discussion of Meeting Notices under the Open Meetings Act Handbook.

Ad Hoc Meetings
Ad hoc meetings called for a special purpose are subject to the same 72 hour limit, except as provided for by State Law.


Editorial Note: McCalpin's Unofficial Guide expresses no opinion on issues or candidates – it is purely information for all residents. All of the information expressed in McCalpin's Unofficial Guide is purely the opinion of the author. The Richardson Echo publishes this as a service but does not endorse nor refute its contents.