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Rules of TCLP Board

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RULES OF THE TRAVERSE CITY LIGHT AND POWER BOARD

Adopted July 28, 1998
Amended February 8, 2011, Rule 11
Amended July 22, 2014, Rule 2
Amended November 11, 2014, Rule 1
Amended March 14, 2017, Rule 1
Amended October 10, 2017, Rule 2
Amended May 12, 2020 Rule 2, 5, and 11
Amended January 12, 2021, Addition of Rule 14
Amended December 13, 2022, Rule 13

1. Regular Meetings. Regular meetings of the Light and Power Board shall be held on the second Tuesday of every month with the fourth Tuesday of every month reserved for potential Special Meetings at 5:15 P.M. in the Commission Chambers of the Governmental Center, 400 Boardman Avenue, Traverse City.


2. Order of Business and Agenda for Regular Meetings. The order of business and agenda for regular meetings of the Board shall be as follows:


1. Roll Call
2. General Public Comment (only during remote participation meetings)
3. Disclosure of Recusal
4. Consent Calendar
a. Approval of the Agenda
4. Unfinished Business
5. New Business
6. Reports and Communications
7. Board and Public Comment


Unless there is an objection by a Board member, the Chairman may alter the order of business.


3. Agenda and Packets. A written agenda and a packet of supporting materials shall be prepared by the Executive Director for every regular meeting, and shall be completed and released for delivery to the members of the Board not later than 5:00 P.M. on the Monday immediately preceding the date of said regular meeting.

4. Special Meetings and Special Business. Special meetings may be called by the Chairman or any two (2) Board members, or by the Executive Director, upon 18 hours posting and advance written notice to all Board members. Special meetings shall consider only such matters as are specified in the notice of the meeting, unless all voting members are present and a motion is passed pursuant to these Rules. Unless there is an objection by a Board member, the Chairman may alter the order of business.

The Board may direct by a majority vote that any matter may be made the special business of a future meeting and the same shall have precedence over all other business at such meeting.

5. Consent Calendar.


A. When the Executive Director determines that any item of business requires action by the Light and Power Board, but is of a routine and non controversial nature, the Executive Director may cause such item to be presented at a regular meeting of the Light and Power Board as part of a Consent Calendar.
B. The Consent Calendar shall be introduced by a motion to approve the Consent Calendar, and shall be considered by the Light and Power Board as a single item.
C. There shall be no debate or discussion by any member of the Light and Power Board, regarding any item on the Consent Calendar, beyond asking questions for simple clarification.
D. On request by any Light and Power Board member, staff or member of the public present to inclusion of any item on the Consent Calendar, that item shall be removed from the Consent Calendar. During remote participation by members of the public, members of the public may not remove items from the Consent Calendar. Such request may be recorded at any time prior to the taking of a vote
on the motion to approve the Consent Calendar. All such items shall be considered individually at a place, on the agenda, determined by the Presiding Officer.
E. Approval of the motion to approve the Consent Calendar shall be fully equivalent to approval, adoption, or enactment of each motion, resolution, ordinance, or other item of business thereon, exactly as if each had been acted upon individually. 

6. Presiding Officer. The Chairman shall preside at all meetings, and in the absence of the Chairman, the Vice-Chairman shall preside. If both the Chairman and the Vice Chairman are absent, the Secretary shall call the Board to order and shall preside until a presiding officer is chosen. If the Secretary is absent, a majority of the Board then present shall select a Presiding Officer.

7. Rules of Order. The most current and authorized edition of Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern the conduct of meetings unless modified by these Rules. The Presiding Officer shall decide all questions arising under these Rules and general parliamentary practice subject to appeal, which appeal shall be determined by a majority of the members present. In the event an appeal is taken by any member from the ruling of the Presiding Officer, the member of the Board desiring to appeal shall state that he claims an appeal from the ruling of the Presiding Officer and shall state briefly what, in his opinion, the ruling should have been. If this appeal is seconded, the Presiding Officer shall state clearly the question at issue, and shall then call for the vote of the Board on the question: “Shall the decision of the Presiding Officer be sustained?” The Presiding Officer shall preserve order and decorum and may speak to points of order in preference to other questions. The Presiding Officer may express an opinion on any subject under debate without the substitution of another Presiding Officer.

8. Motions. Every motion or resolution shall require a second before being put to a vote, and it shall not be debated until it shall be reduced to writing if requested by the presiding officer or any member, but it may be withdrawn at any time by the movant with consent of the second before decision or amendment. No motion to reconsider shall be entertained unless made by a member voting with the majority.

9. Amendment of Agenda at Regular Meetings. At a regular meeting, and as the first item after Roll Call, any official or officials of the Department, acting as such, may ask, orally or in writing, that a certain matter or matters be added to the agenda for consideration by the Board at that meeting. By motion that the matter or matters in question be added to the agenda of that meeting, passed by the concurring vote of not less than four (4) Board members, the matter or matters may be added to the agenda under an appropriate order of business and may be considered at that regular meeting.

10. Amendment of Agenda at Special Meetings. At a special meeting, and as the first item after Roll Call, any official or officials of the Department, acting as such, may ask, orally or in writing, that a certain matter or matters not appearing in the notice of that meeting as posted and released for delivery to the members of the Board be considered by the Board at that meeting. By motion that the matter or matters in question be considered at that meeting, passed by the concurring vote of not less than five (5) Board members, any such matters may be considered at that special meeting.

11. Public Comment. The Light and Power Board welcomes public comment and has prescribed the following to facilitate the conduct of public business.

A. Public Comment during Agenda Items. At any regular or special meeting, any interested person may address the Board on any agenda item if recognized by the Presiding Officer or upon request of any Board member. Except during meetings in which members of the public are meeting remotely. For any agenda item requiring action of the Board at that meeting other than the Consent Calendar, the Presiding Officer shall, before any final vote is taken, ask for and conduct public comment on that agenda item. Any interested person may address the Board on any matter of Department concern during the agenda item designated Public Comment. The comment of any member of the public or any special interest group may be limited in time as provided in subsection (E). As part of its deliberation, the Board may clarify, answer questions and ask questions as a result of public comment.

B. Public Comment during the designated Public Comment Section – Reserved. Any interested person or special interest group wishing to address the Board for a reserved time shall submit a written request to the Executive Director no later than Tuesday, 5:00 P.M. the week immediately preceding the date of said regular meeting. The communication shall (1) identify the writer’s name and address and (2) identify with reasonable specificity the subject matter. The same shall appear on the written agenda under the designated “Public Comment” section for said regular meeting as made available to the news media and released for delivery to the Board. All persons must identify themselves and will be asked their address and to direct their comments to the Board. The comment of any member of the public or special interest group may be limited to 15 minutes except as provided in subsection (E). Questions posed may be answered at the meeting or may be referred to staff for response at a later time.

Reserved time shall be limited to one (1) per meeting and shall appear on the written agenda. A TCL&P ratepayer or city taxpayer shall take precedence over a non-TCL&P ratepayer or non-city taxpayer request. In such case, the non-TCL&P ratepayer or non-city taxpayer request shall be postponed and placed on the written agenda of a future meeting as selected by the non-TCL&P ratepayer/non-city taxpayer. In no case shall the non-TCL&P ratepayer/non-city taxpayer request be postponed more than one time in favor of a TCL&P ratepayer or city taxpayer. If more than one (1) request is received per meeting the requests shall be considered in the order they were received; subject to the above procedure.

C. Public Comment during the designated Public Comment Section – General. Any interested person wishing to address the Board regarding other matters may do so under the designated Public Comment section. All persons must identify themselves and will be asked their address and to direct their comments to the Board. The comment of any member of the public or any special interest group may be limited in time as provided in subsection (E).

D. Public Comment during the designated Public Comment Section – Board Chair and Board Members. The Board Chair and other Board Members interested in making a public comment may do so under the designated Public Comment section. Further, the Board Chair and Board Members may briefly respond for clarification purposes as a result of public comment.

E. Order and Duration of any Public Comment. The comment of any member of the public or special interest group may be limited in time by the Presiding Officer. The Presiding Officer shall have the authority to limit and terminate any public comment that becomes disruptive, unduly repetitive, or impedes the orderly progress of the meeting. The Presiding Officer shall control the order and duration of any public comment, subject to appeal.

12. Suspension of Rules. The Rules may be suspended on the vote of five (5) members. The Rules may be amended by a majority vote of the members elect at a meeting held after the meeting at which the amendment was proposed.

13. Executive Director Spending Authority. The Executive Director shall have authority to expend up to fourteen hundredths of one percent (0.14%) of current budget year total expenses, per transaction, involving the acquisition and disposal of personal property pursuant to City Charter Section 179(a) without the necessity of Board approval or securing competitive bids. Such authority shall also supply to the acquisition of services in furtherance of Light and Power activities.

14. Remote Meetings. The Light and Power Board may hold meetings remotely or members of the Light and Power Board may participate in meetings remotely as set forth in a current resolution authorizing remote meetings or remote attendance by Board members adopted by the Light and Power Board and consistent with the Open Meetings Act.

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