GENEVA — Mayor Jim Cecere and City Council are planning a new meetings structure, starting in June.
The new format will establish two distinct monthly meetings in place of the current single-session structure, creating what they said will be “clearer separation between governance, policy, and city operations.”
According to Cecere and councilors, the change is intended to improve transparency, accountability, and the effectiveness of meetings, while “giving residents a clearer understanding of how decisions are made and how City operations are overseen.”
Current Council meetings run 2-3 hours frequently and combine legislative actions, operational presentations, strategic discussions, public hearings, and departmental reporting into a single meeting. City officials said they determined that this structure often limited the time available for focused policy discussion and made it difficult for residents to distinguish between governance decisions made by City Council and operational matters managed by city administration.
The first session of the month will be a “governance meeting” focused on policy, legislation, strategy, board appointments, public hearings, and public comment related to governance matters.
The second will be a city operations meeting focused on operational oversight, departmental reporting, capital projects, strategic plan implementation, infrastructure updates, and public comment related to city services and operations.
“This change is about making it easier for Geneva residents to participate in and understand their local government,” Cecere said. “When meetings have a clear purpose, residents, Council, and staff are all better positioned to engage effectively. Separating governance from operations also strengthens City Council’s role as the governing body responsible for setting policy, providing oversight, and ensuring accountability to the public.”
Ward 5 Councilor Jim Petropoulos, who helped design the new structure, called it a “meaningful improvement to how we run our meetings. Too often, the lines between city operations and governance were blurred. This structure creates a clearer distinction between those responsibilities and allows both City Council and city staff to focus more effectively on their respective roles.”
City Manager Amie Hendrix said the city operations meeting “creates a consistent, focused space for departments and organizations to share their work directly with Council and the public. That added focus supports stronger governance by helping Council better understand operational performance, identify needs, and make informed decisions. It also reinforces transparency and accountability, while giving department leaders the opportunity to communicate what they are working on directly to Council and why it matters to our community.”
The first governance meeting is June 3 at 7 p.m., and the initial city operations meeting will be held June 16 at 6 p.m. Check the City of Geneva website at cityofgenevany.gov/AgendaCenter for additional information and details.