Form of Government

The City of Camas was incorporated on June 2, 1906, and operates under laws of the State of Washington applicable to non-charter code cities with a mayor-council form of government. The City provides police, fire, ambulance service and emergency aid, streets, sanitation, health, recreation, library, public improvements, planning and zoning, water supply, treatment and distribution, sewage collection and treatment services.

The Mayor an elected, 4-year term position and serves as the chief executive and administrative officer of the City and serves as the official and ceremonial head of the City on ceremonial occasions. Functions of the Mayor include:

• Being in charge of all departments and employees.
• Directing the preparation of, and submits to the Council a proposed yearly budget.
• Exercising the power to veto ordinances passed by the Council (such veto may be overridden by vote of a majority of all Council Members plus one more vote).
• Making recommendations for Council consideration and action.
• Presiding over all meetings of the City Council (Mayor only has a vote in the case of a tie, except in the case of passage of any ordinance, grant, or revocation of franchise or license, or any resolution for the payment of money).
• Reporting to the City Council concerning affairs of the City and its financial and other needs.

Of the seven elected Council members, there is one elected at-large and six elected within wards. The wards are established based on population estimates within the City's boundaries and are reviewed and modified periodically by Council. Every two years, part of the Council body is elected and holds staggered four-year terms.

City Council meetings are open to the public per the Washington Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA), RCW 42.30. The OPMA contains specific provisions regarding city council meetings, executive sessions, the types of notice that must be given for meetings, the conduct of meetings, and the penalties and remedies for violations.

Council meetings are held on the first and third Monday of each month and the agendas are published on the website approximately six days before the meeting. There are seven City Council members, and Mayor Barry McDonnell, who presides at the meetings. The staff representative is City Administrator Jamal Fox. Agenda items must be submitted thirteen days prior to the meeting. Note: If a holiday falls on the Monday of a Council/Workshop meeting, the meeting is then held on Tuesday.

Regular meetings, and most Workshop meetings, provide an opportunity for residents to provide public comment and there is no requirement to sign up ahead of time. The following meetings are held remotely via the Zoom app (each meeting's Zoom details are provided at the top of each published agenda):

• 4:30 p.m. Workshop Meeting: Workshop meetings are intended to provide opportunity for Council Members to informally review material, study issues, gather and analyze information, and clarify problems for items that will be placed on a future Regular Meeting agenda for their consideration. No official decisions or conclusions are made.
• 7:00 p.m. Regular Meeting: Regular meetings are where Council Members formally discuss and take formal action items necessary for conducting City business. Many agenda items are acted on swiftly as they have previously been reviewed in a Workshop Meeting.