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Staff Report
City Council
Item No. 3.C
Meeting Date: March 13, 2024
From: Charles McClendon, City Manager
Title: Discussion of Council Meeting Schedule
City Council
RECOMMENDATION:
This item is presented for information, discussion and direction only.
BACKGROUND:
The City Council has traditionally vacated at least one meeting during the summer months to provide for a summer break. During the discussion on future agenda items portion of a Council meeting earlier this year , Mayor Carnevale asked for a discussion item on options for the summer schedule for this year, 2024. Council agreed to add the discussion item as requested.
DISCUSSION:
In identifying options for vacating meetings to provide for a summer break , the meeting of July 24 was avoided. That is the meeting during which the Council will need to act to refer a ballot question to the voters should they decide to do so. The deadline for submitting questions to the County is August 9.
The following options have been identified to provide for a summer break:
• Option 1 – Vacate the regularly scheduled meeting of August 14, 2024. July has five Wednesdays so vacating this one meeting would provide a five-week break from the last regular meeting on July 24 until the next meeting on August 28. • Option 2 – Vacate the regularly scheduled meeting of July 10, 2024. This would provide for a four-week break from the last regular meeting on June 26 until the next meeting on July 24 and the break would include the July 4th Holiday. • Option 3 – If the Council wished to vacate more than one meeting to have a longer break both August meetings could be vacated. This would result in a seven-week break from July 24 until the next meeting which would be on September 11. Vacating two meetings results in very long agendas for the meetings immediately prior and immediately following the break.
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• Option 4 – A six-week break could be achieved by vacating the meetings of June 26 and July 10. Staff does not recommend this option as it covers the fiscal yearend period when agendas are typically heavier with new contracts and related once a year items.
The staff recommendation is option 1, but we can make any of them work with adequate lead time.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact associated with any of the proposals.