DATE: 08/06/2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Office of the City Manager – City Clerk
2025-322
REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
SUBJECT:
SUBMISSION OF PRESENTATION MATERIALS PRIOR TO PUBLIC MEETINGS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
This staff report asks the City Council to adopt Administrative Policy No. 07200.006, which will establish a standardized procedure for the timely submission by members of the public of electronic audio/visual materials or presentations in advance of any scheduled public meeting to ensure consistency in practice and protect City resources.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
That the City Council approve Administrative Policy No. 07200.006, Submission of Presentation Materials Prior to Public Meetings.
BACKGROUND & HISTORY:
In accordance with the Ralph M. Brown Act (Government Code Section 54950 et seq.), which guarantees the public’s right to participate in the legislative process, transparency and orderly meeting procedures remain essential components of public governance.
There are occasions when the presenter desires to supplement their verbal comments with presentation materials during a public meeting. It has been the City's standard practice to require that electronic materials be submitted to the Clerk at least 24 hours prior to the meeting. In part, this was to ensure that City electronic devices would not be compromised by a digital threat. Although this has been the City’s standard practice it has not been adopted formally as a policy.
ANALYSIS:
Staff drafted the proposed administrative policy outlining suitable submission of presentation materials from the public prior to public meetings. This policy establishes standardized procedure for the timely submission of audio/visual materials or presentations in advance of any scheduled public meeting that is subject to the Ralph M.
Brown Act.
The proposed policy provides a submission deadline and submission guidelines. All electronic materials shall be submitted in final form to the Clerk no later than 24 hours prior to the start of the public meeting. The submission guidelines apply to the following:
USB Flash Drives: If the presentation materials are stored on a USB flash drive, the physical device must be submitted to the Clerk before the deadline set forth in Section 3.2(A). The device will be returned to the presenter after the conclusion of the public meeting. The device can also be picked up from the Clerk at City Hall on the next business day.
Digital Files: A presenter may email a digital version of the presentation materials to the Clerk, as long as it is received before the deadline set forth in Section 3.2(A). Web-Based Content: If the presentation materials include content from a website, the presenter must email the web address (URL) to the Clerk before the deadline set forth in Section 3.2(A).
Additionally, policy also addresses printed presentation materials and prohibited presentation materials. Printed presentation materials intended for projection or distribution must be physically submitted to the Clerk before the start of the public meeting. The printed presentation materials will be returned to the presenter after the conclusion of the public meeting.
The City reserves the right to reject any proposed presentation materials and deny access to the City's audio/visual equipment under the following conditions:
The content incites, promotes, or perpetuates illegal activity, violence, or self-harm. The content is defamatory.
The content is obscene, pornographic, or violates community standards. The presentation materials contain potential copyright violations or infringes on intellectual property rights.
The USB flash drive or other digital files containing the presentation materials include harmful viruses, malware, or other disruptive elements. The USB flash drive or other digital files containing the presentation materials are incompatible with, or cannot be played on, the City’s audio/visual equipment.
Adopting this policy reinforces the City’s commitment to transparency, operational efficiency, and legal compliance, while enhancing the overall experience for the public, elected officials, and staff during public meetings.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The approval of the Administrative Policy does not have a financial impact.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
This action is exempt pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the Guidelines for the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which states that a project is exempt from CEQA if the activity is covered by the common sense exemption that CEQA applies only to projects that have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA. This action is to adopt a Policy for the submission of presentation materials prior to public meetings and there is no possibility that this project will have a significant effect on the environment. Therefore, no environmental analysis is required.
PREPARED BY: SYLVIA EDWARDS, CITY CLERK
REVIEWED BY: JUSTIN TUCKER, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Exhibit 1 – Administrative Policy No. 07200.006