Considering the Parkplace zoning-height change late last year, Kirkland City Council was put in the awkward position of watching a movie featuring nearly a dozen speakers during the public comment period, all in favor of the developer. The production, taking advantage of technology available at the City Hall podium, clearly violated city regulations for public meetings and is one of many examples that drew attention at a City Council study session Jan. 6 at City Hall.

Led in the discussion by Assistant City Manager Marilynne Beard, the study session focused on updating the city’s “Policies and Procedures” document. The study session provoked a wide-ranging discussion on ethics, public comment rules and the order of business in city meetings.

City Attorney Robin Jenkinson requested the Council to clarify the rules regarding the public during comment time. According to City Council Policies and Procdures 2.2, “No more than 6 speakers may address the Council on any one subject.”

It decided to remove the requirement that the public give their address and settled on asking if the speaker was a resident and from which neighborhood instead. The issue of whether the speakers should be limited in cumulative time or in number was left unresolved. City Council also requested the number of proclamations and special presentaions be reduced.

“These meeting that go on for five or six hours are hardly fair to anyone,” said Councilman Bob Sternoff.

During the meeting, Councilman Tom Hodgson grew visibly irritated as the discussion wore on over a dozen specific policies. He criticized giving the issue the Council’s attention as “getting into the weeds.”

“I think this is a level of detail that we don’t need to get into.”

He maintained that the current rules were up-to-date.

“We could talk all night about the color of this cup, if we wanted to — and we would.”

The city procedures issue was originally brought up after several council members requested a review of in light of the Bank of America redevelopment appeal last year. During the hearing, Hodgson disclosed a confidential memo to the appellants, violating state ethics codes. The matter was seemingly resolved after he paid the city $500 to make amends in an official agreement, but the issue returned to the Council during the study session on procedures.

When asked why the matter was brought forward, he replied, “It’s political.”

Council members Hodgson, Lauinger, Mary-Alyce Burleigh and Joan McBride are all up for re-election in November.

Burleigh, who specifically raised the issue of ethics and helped develop the city’s first policies and procedures manual in 2002, said the issue was about more than any one person.

“It’s for the good of all of us and for councils in the future,” she said. She denied any political motivations for bringing up the subject.

“I’m offended by that,” she said.