Regular Meeting
04/18/22 05:00 PM
City Manager Department
Matthew Summers
Other
Doc ID: 5001
AGENDA ITEM
AGENDA MATTER:
REQUEST OF COUNCILMEMBER SILVA, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER DYER-KRUSE FOR
CITY COUNCIL TO CONSIDER DIRECTING MAYOR TO CEASE ALL COMMUNICATIONS WITH CITY
EMPLOYEES OTHER THAN THE CITY MANAGER
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Councilmembers Silva and Dyer-Kruse have requested that the City Council consider ordering the Mayor to cease communications with all City employees other than the City Manager.
DISCUSSION:
Barstow Municipal Code section 2.08.070(15) provides, in part, that “The mayor and city council and its members shall deal with the administrative services of the city only through the city manager, except for the purpose of inquiry.” This section is intended to implement the Council/Manager form of government, which by the City Council, acting together, sets policy to then be implemented by the City Manager.
A request for the City Council to consider ordering Mayor Courtney to cease communicating with all City employees other than the City Manager was submitted orally by Councilmembers Silva and Dyer-Kruse at the April 4, 2022 Council Meeting. This public request for Council consideration of such a motion, together with this written staff report and agenda item, provide public notice of the matter, and as a result, the matter is now before the City Council.
The City Council has the power to direct that the Mayor, or any one or all of its members, shall communicate with City employees only the City Manager, to include any inquiries of administrative staff to be conveyed through the City Manager. Whether to do so is a policy decision for the City Council.
Attachments:
Exhibit A - City of Barstow Ethics Code and The City of Barstow Censure Policy and Procedures FISCAL IMPACT:
There are no fiscal impacts as a result of this item.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Staff recommends that the City Council consider Councilmember Silva and Dyer-Kruse’s request for ordering the Mayor to cease communications with all City employees other than the City Manager, and in so doing consider any response from Mayor Courtney, hear public comments, and take any action determined to be appropriate based on the matters presented and deliberated.