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(opens in a new tab).
Managing city council meetings comes with many challenges, from the transparency requirements of the SC Freedom of Information Act(opens in a new tab) 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.