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Government & councilsPublic meeting

Council study session / work session

120 minutes 8 blocks Free template

An informal council work session for in-depth review of budget, policy and long-range plans, ending in direction by consensus, not final action.

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Opens in the builder. No sign-up to try it; 14 days free to run it live.

By the end of this meetingThe council understands the complex items in depth and gives staff direction by consensus.

120 min · 8 blocks, drawn to scale Fits exactly
  1. Call to order, roll call and pledge, 5 minutes 5
  2. Public comments, 15 minutes 15
  3. Announcements and presentations, 10 minutes 10
  4. Councilmember, mayor and staff reports, 15 minutes 15
  5. Discussion items: projects, policies, plans, budget, 55 minutesDiscuss 55
  6. Consensus check on direction, 5 minutes 5
  7. Executive session, if needed, 10 minutes 10
  8. Adjournment, 5 minutes 5
0306090120 min
  1. +0′Call to order, roll call and pledgeOne word: which topic tonight matters most to you?5 minCheck-in
  2. +5′Public comments15 minInfo
  3. +20′Announcements and presentations10 minInfo
  4. +30′Councilmember, mayor and staff reports15 minInfo
  5. +45′Discussion items: projects, policies, plans, budgetTip: No final action as a rule; final action goes to a later business meeting.55 minDiscuss
  6. +100′Consensus check on directionNon-binding: what direction should staff take?Tip: A straw poll only; it is not a formal vote.5 minVote
  7. +105′Executive session, if needed10 minDiscuss
  8. +115′Adjournment5 minWrap-up

Why it works

Built so the council study session / work session ends on time, with everyone in it.

  • Every voice in the first minutes

    A 5-minute check-in: everyone sends a mood and one word from their phone, and it shows on their tile in the call. People who speak early speak again.

  • Updates stay short

    40 minutes of updates with a visible clock. In a video call the speaker is spotlighted and the room is muted, so nobody talks over them.

  • Discussion with a clock

    65 minutes of open floor with a countdown everyone can see, and a talk-balance meter so the loudest voice doesn't take all of it.

  • A vote the whole room sees

    One tap each on a phone, live bars on the screen. A tick shows who has voted, never what they chose.

  • Wraps up on time

    Decisions and actions are read back, the summary is already written, and a finish on time earns the confetti.

How to run it

  1. 1Treat it as a public meeting: a quorum discussing business is a public meeting whatever it is called.
  2. 2Give most of the time to the discussion items, such as budget, policies and long-range plans.
  3. 3Give staff direction by consensus rather than taking final action.
  4. 4Use a non-binding straw poll to check where consensus sits.
  5. 5Send any item needing final action to a later business meeting unless your rules are waived.

Questions about the council study session / work session

What is a council study session?
An informal meeting for in-depth review of complex topics such as the budget or legislation. Monroe WA holds them on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays.
Can a council take action at a work session?
As a rule, no. Final action needs a later business meeting unless the rules are waived (Monroe WA).
Is a council workshop or retreat a public meeting?
MRSC says a quorum discussing business is a public meeting regardless of the label.

Built from

The structure, timings and tips on this page come from these sources.

  • mrsc.org
  • mrsc.org

Run it with your team

  • A countdown for every block on the shared screen
  • A video call that changes with each block
  • Check-ins and votes from every phone, no app
  • Decisions and actions in a scored summary

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