It's no mystery why the Spokane City Council's current agenda has a new front page. 

Where before, the council's agenda always began with a screaming, large-font-ed, "The City of Spokane...," now, the agenda sets out the ground rules for behavior.

We can blame the three most recent meetings for the reminder, where large, boisterous crowds of council newbies showed up and clapped or booed, two things that aren't allowed. Some coughed less-than-generous words into their hands, or yelled unsolicited questions to the council. While the vast majority of those in attendance were polite and followed the rules, the meetings showed that most attendees generally didn't know you couldn't show any emotion. 

You can't get too angry at the people who showed up to speak. All three issues - labor, immigration and abortion - can touch a nerve, to say the least. But rules are rules, and as a reporter who's covered a few different City Halls, I can tell you there are A LOT of rules at public meetings. Specifically, Robert's Rules of Order. (I move to approve the minutes. I second that motion. All those in favor...)

Looking at next week's agenda, I'd guess there won't be the same crowds packing the council chambers. But you never know.