Workshops are designed for in-depth discussion and information sharing. During a workshop, council members receive presentations from city staff, consultants, or project applicants. They can ask questions and explore options, discuss complex topics in a less formal setting, provide general direction to staff. Workshops help council members better understand issues before formal decisions are considered. No formal votes are taken during workshops and there are no public comment periods. Workshops are open to the public to observe. City council meetings are where the council takes official action. At these meetings, council members may approve resolutions and ordinances, take formal votes, hear public input during designated comment periods, and conduct official city business. These meetings follow a more formal structure and are where decisions are finalized. Using both workshops and regular meetings allow the city council to spend more time understanding complex issues. They can ask detailed questions before making decisions. Keep regular meetings focused and efficient. Improve transparency by allowing residents to see both discussion and decision-making. Often it may appear that decisions are made quickly at council meetings, but in reality the council may have spent multiple hours discussing the topic in a workshop before it came up for a vote at a meeting. Residents are welcome to attend or watch both workshops and regular meetings. Agendas, meeting times, and live recorded streams are available at blam.gov/aggendas.