The Municipal Association of South Carolina offers city officials and staff access to publications covering a wide variety of local government topics, including the handbook How to Conduct Effective Meetings.
Managing city council meetings comes with many challenges, from the transparency requirements of the SC Freedom of Information Act to the need to keep meetings on topic and productive.
This handbook offers guidance on adopting rules of procedures; how the presiding officer and other members of the governing body should act, make motions and handle voting; how to set an agenda; how to schedule and publicize the meeting lawfully; and how to follow the law when entering into executive session.
It also provides a model rules of order document, which includes procedures recommended by the Municipal Association as well as actions required by law. A listing of commonly used motions explains whether specific motions require seconds and whether they can be debated or amended.