A. Democracy in our representative form of government requires that the public have an opportunity to understand the government’s activities and to communicate its concerns to its elected and appointed representatives, and that those representatives have an adequate opportunity to consider those concerns and then act effectively and in a timely manner.

B. To the extent these goals are sometimes in tension with each other in a given case, the government’s obligation is to balance them responsibly, under the circumstances, in such a way that it is able to function and carry out its mission of ensuring the public’s health, safety and general welfare in a fiscally and environmentally sustainable manner.

C. Accordingly, the purpose of this ordinance is to codify certain existing practices, as well as to adopt new practices, to ensure that the public has an adequate opportunity to be informed of the City’s activities and to communicate its concerns to its elected and appointed officials. (Ord. 7166-NS § 1 (part), 2011)