Council Worksessions - Explained

Periodically, the Wellington City Council meets to conduct a "work session", a meeting in which City issues are presented and studied. These work sessions are an opportunity to be briefed on potential agenda items, to ask questions, direct further study, and meet with those involved in a particular issue. These meetings are strictly for study and discussion only...no official binding action can be taken. Often times, the word "consensus" is used. In my mind, a consensus is taken among the Council as to whether or not to place an item on the agenda for consideration at a Regular Council Meeting, or for staff to work further in obtaining information, or if the Council is even interested in pursuing a particular issue or not. When the consensus is taken, it is not an official vote on the issue. The issue does not come up on the agenda for the official vote until a later date, if then. Often times, I take information I've learned from a work session to poll my constituents to determine their opinion so I'll know how to vote when the issue does show up on the official agenda.
I compare a work session to a "Committee Meeting" or hearing in the State Legislature. Any Senator or Representative can enter a bill before the legislature. That bill goes before the appropriate committee for further discussion. The committee can then determine if the bill stops there, or if it goes onto the House or Senate floor for deliberation and vote. The only difference I see between a "work session" and a "Committee Meeting" at the State level, is that the State Committee actually takes a binding vote on whether or not that bill is considered for deliberation on the floor.
Confusion over a recent work session ensued after the consensus of the City Council was to instruct staff to draft a contract between the City and the Rockfest Promoters for official deliberation and voting at a Regular City Council Meeting. The consensus was not to allow the promoters to progress with Rockfest plans, but simply to place the contract on the official agenda for consideration. Rockfest promoters apparently took this consensus as the green light, and began advertising Rockfest and distributing tickets. This obviously confused many citizens who thought Rockfest had already been approved.
The Rockfest contract was officially approved at the April 7th Council Meeting. But until that date, there was no "green light" or contract allowing Rockfest promoters to proceed.
Finally, work sessions are open public meetings, just like Regular City Council Meetings, and the public is welcome to attend. Meetings are less formal with City Council members sitting around a table for discussion, and since the meeting is for study and discussion only, public comment is not allowed until the issue is approved to be placed on the agenda.