How to participate in a Council meeting.
This information was prepared to help you understand and participate in Maricopa’s decision-making process. It describes the type of City Council meetings, City Council actions and opportunities available to the public to address the City Council at meetings.
City Government Structure
Maricopa’s City Code provides for the Council-Manager form of government. Under this system, the citizens elect the Mayor and City Council, who determine the policies of the City and appoint and direct the City Manager, who carries out policies and administers City programs.
For this process to be most effective, the Council must be able to acquire information from citizens and from the City Manager and his staff. Public participation is also essential to a responsive and well-informed city council.
City Council Meetings
Notices of all Council meetings are posted at City Hall, 45145 W. Madison Ave., and on the City’s official website 24 hours in advance of the meeting date.
Regular City Council Meetings are held at 7:00 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays of each month at the Maricopa Unified School District Board Room located at 44150 W. Maricopa/Casa Grande Highwayr. During regular meetings, the City Council considers approving minutes of previous meetings, business items listed on the consent agenda, ordinances, resolutions, bids, change orders and other business matters. Public hearings are held during regular meetings.
Work Sessions are called and held as needed.
Executive Sessions are held only under limited circumstances, as provided by State law, such as for litigation and personnel matters. Closed sessions are not open to the public.
Public Participation
The City Council welcomes your participation at its meetings. The public may address the City Council on any item not on the agenda during the “Call to the Public” period of the meeting.
To speak about a specific agenda item, the speaker must fill out a speaker card and present it to the City Clerk before the meeting begins. The Mayor will read the agenda item and then calls up any speakers that turned in a card prior to Council discussion. Please approach the podium and speak clearly into the microphone, stating your name and address for the record. After public comments are concluded, the item is closed and brought to the Council for discussion and action.
The City of Maricopa has a network of advisory boards, committees and commissions to facilitate citizen involvement. Members of these boards, committees, and commissions are interested citizens who make recommendations to the Council regarding specific areas of City policy. Applications for membership are available in the Office of the City Clerk located in Maricopa City Hall and on the City of Maricopa’s website at maricopa-az.gov.
Agenda Items
Consent Agenda matters are considered by the City Council to be routine and are acted upon in a single motion. There is no separate discussion of these items unless a request is made prior to the time the Council considers the motion to adopt.
Public Hearings are held on matters required by law or ordinance. Persons wishing to speak at public hearings will be heard when the hearing is opened, unless the public hearing was previously held and closed to public comment.
Mayor and City Manager Reports are informational reports presented by the Mayor and City Manager that do not involve decisions by the Council. The public is generally not invited to address the Council at this time.
City Council Actions
The City Council takes action in three different ways:
Ordinances are laws adopted at public hearings by the City Council, which usually amend the Code of Ordinances or modify zoning designations. If adopted, these are effective immediately.
Resolutions usually establish Council policy or direct certain types of administrative action. They require a majority vote and are usually effective immediately. A resolution may be changed by a subsequent resolution. No public hearing is required.
Motions are used to approve policy, establish procedures or provide direction to staff.
For additional information regarding City Council meetings or agendas, please contact the City Clerk’s Office at 520/568-9098. We hope you will find the meetings of your City Council interesting and informative, and that you will continue to show your interest in Maricopa’s city government.
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