CC 2-3-23
Item #1
City Council
Workshop
Presentation
City of Cupertino
City Council Governance Workshop
February 3, 2023
Cupertino Public Library
Welcome
from Mayor
Hung Wei
2 Mayor
Hung Wei
Vice Mayor
Sheila Mohan
Councilmember
Liang Chao
Councilmember
J.R. Fruen
Councilmember
Kitty Moore
Public
Comments
3 Comments
from City
Manager
Pamela
Wu
4 We are committed to
professionalism and
high standards in
serving the community
We are committed to
serving the entire
Council to help you
achieve your collective
policy objectives
This workshop was scheduled before
the Grand Jury Report came out but
now that we have it, it is important to
acknowledge we have work to do
Today’s Objectives
5 Strengthen effectiveness of the City Council as a governing body.
Clarify roles within the governance and administrative structure.
Establish agreement on norms for working together and with staff on behalf of the Cupertino community.
Today’s Agenda
Icebreaker
Discuss practices for effective governance
Discuss roles of elected and appointed officials
Discuss and establish norms for working
together
Wrap up and next steps
6 Ground
Rules
7 Assume good intent
Listen to understand
Seek consensus
Focus on creating a positive path for all
Bike Rack
• Things to discuss at
another time will be
tracked separately
• Time management tool
8 Icebreaker
9 Goals
Teamwork
10 Serving the
Community
Well Requires
Both Goals and
Teamwork
Refresher on roles (Council, City Manager, City Attorney) Reinforce the importance of asking questions in advance of Council meetings; method of asking questions of staff
How to improve the efficiency of meetings to reduce length, improve order of discussions
Importance of professionalism, respect for each other and of staff, creating a collaborative environment
What it means for the Council to establish standards and having them consistently implemented by staff
Communications with staff – what is appropriate and how Providing status reports on policy and projects once approved by Council
1 2
3 4
5 6
11 7
Councilmember
Comments
About What Will
be Helpful to
Discuss Today
Institute for Local Government
Effective Councils
Unity of Purpose Clear Roles and
Responsibilities
Positive
Governance
Culture
Norms,
Protocols and
Policies
12 What Makes a
Council Work
Well
You can be a solid
Council member and a
team player
Requires clear roles,
cooperation,
compromise and
commitment to
relationships
13 Effective
Governing is a
Team Sport
Demonstrating respect
builds the team
Together
Work
We
Strategic
Direction
Achieving
Results
Recruitment
and Retention
Economic
Development
Community
Opinion
14 Why is
Effective
Governing
Important?
Council
teamwork
directly
impacts these
Exceptional City Councils
1. Have a sense of team; a partnership with the
city manager to govern and manage the city
2. Have clear roles and responsibilities that are
understood and adhered
3. Honor the relationship with staff and each
other
4. Routinely conduct effective meetings
5. Hold themselves and the city accountable
6. Have members who practice continuous
improvement
Institute for Local Government
15 Effective Council-City Manager Teamwork
Makes for Good Policy and Solid Organizations
• Respect the professionalism of staff and assume
good intent
• Be sensitive to the need to pace the
organization
• Allow City Manager to translate policy interests
and priorities to achieve action
• Refrain from directing staff - even informally
• Fix the problem not the blame – to help create a
“no blame” culture
• Do not criticize staff – if Councilmembers have
concerns, bring them to City Manager privately
• Carry out the role as chief executive – provide
leadership to City staff and ensure
accountability
• Be direct with Council
• Practice the “no surprise” rule
• Communicate equally with all members of
Council
• Provide clear analysis and recommendations
to Council
• City Manager will work to help Council see
the “big picture” including impacts of policy
positions
City Council City Manager
16 Roles and
City Council –
Staff
Partnership
17 Everyone has a role to play
Council sets the goals and policies
Day-to-day work of the City is done by staff
Partnership is critical for success of the City
Ideal Relationship Between Council and Staff
Comments from Councilmembers
18 Staff are professionals and we need to trust them
Mutual respect
Governance is about how the Council functions as a body and how the Council and administration function together Work through the City Manager
Collaboration
What would
you add to
this? Expand
on?
19 Mayor
presides
over
meetings
Council sets
policy as a
body
City
Manager
directs staff
City
Attorney
provides
legal advice
“Exceptional Councils have clear roles and
responsibilities that are understood and adhered to.” – Attributes of Exceptional Councilsby Institute for Local Government
Everyone has
a Separate
Role to Play
Council
Member Role
Set policy
• Do what is in the best long-term interests of the
community and organization
Respect the chain of command – The City Manager
and City Attorney are your only direct reports –and
they report to the entire Council
• Work through the City Manager
• May not attempt to direct or prioritize work for
departments or individual staff
• Know that “asking” can imply direction
Meet with the City Manager on a regular basis
• City Manager can be your greatest asset in helping
you frame issues and reach your goals
City Council – City Manager form of government sets certain standards Council
Member Role
(continued)
As a Council, hold the City Manager accountable for
agreed-upon Council goals and policies – not
individual Councilmember desires
If there is conflict around an individual Council
member’s request, then the City Manager should work
to resolve the conflict through Council consensus and
direction
Do not publicly criticize staff
• Take up your disappointments privately with the
City Manager
• Never discuss with staff below the City Manager
City Council – City Manager form of government sets certain standards Mayor’s Role
Facilitate Council meetings
Serve as chief representative of the City
(ribbon cuttings, spokesperson)
Meet with the City Manager regularly to:
Collaboratively discuss issues
Forecast emerging issues
Carry out all the roles listed for Council
members
City
Attorney’s
Role
Represent the City of Cupertino as an entity,
not individual Council members or members of
the public
Provide clear and accurate legal advice on a
myriad of complex laws
Be fair and impartial
Provide full disclosure
Use candor and diplomacy
Serve as parliamentarian
City
Manager’s
Role
Serves as chief executive officer of the municipal
organization
Has complete responsibility and authority for the
administration of the City’s government
Guides and develops staff and creates a productive
organization culture
Is the appointing authority for the City, selecting
department heads and other staff, including terminations, discipline
Provides advice to the City Council
Helps make the Council productive and successful
Helps each member of Council to succeed
Helps staff achieve the Council’s goals
City Council – City Manager form of government sets certain standards Getting Things
Done
Works Best
When Everyone
Respects Each
Other’s Role
1. Stay within your lane
2. Respect the chain of command and use
established processes
3. Conduct onboarding for new Councilmembers
and on the Mayor’s role/responsibilities
4. Commit to regular training/professional
development
5. Do not publicly criticize staff
6. Contribute to the “care and feeding” of the
partnership
7. Commit to regular communications between
Councilmembers and City Manager
26 Establish our
Council Norms
Agreed upon
standards of
behavior and
practices
Provides for
orderly
governance
Sets the tone
for current
and future
Councils
Easy
reference
guide
27 Norms Build on the
City’s Code of
Conduct as Cited in
the proposed City
Council Procedures
Manual and the
Commissioners’
Handbook
Establishes guiding principles
Cites adherence to the
Council/Manager form of
government
States expectations of
processes conducted in an
atmosphere of respect and
civility
28 City
Council’s
Adopted
Ethics Policy
Resolution No. 20-011
Benefits the public by increasing public confidence
in the integrity of local government and its effective
and fair operations
Purpose
Maintain an atmosphere of respect and civility in
the performance of City affairs and public business
Expectation
Be respectful of others, recognizing that individuals
can respectfully disagree with each other. Refrain
from abusive conduct, personal charges or verbal
attacks on the character of motives of others,
including members of Council, boards and
commissions, staff or public
Conduct of
Members
Typical Council Norms
1) Move from I to we, and from
campaigning to governing.
2) Work together as a body, modeling
teamwork and civility for our
community.
3) Assume good intent.
4) Disagree agreeably and
professionally.
5) Utilize long range plans to provide big
picture context that is realistic and
achievable.
29 6) Demonstrate respect, consideration
and courtesy to all.
7) Share information and avoid surprises.
8) Keep confidential things confidential.
9) Respect the Council/Manager form of
government and the roles of each
party.
10) Communicate concerns about staff to
the City Manager; do not criticize staff
in public..
Based on best practices from League of California
Cities and Institute for Local Government
30 Value of
Asking
Questions
Before Council
Meetings
Helps staff be prepared for Council
meetings – no surprises!
Allows meetings to be efficient, by
having most questions answered in
advance
Does not preclude the
Councilmember from asking the
question in a public forum, if needed
Promotes good teamwork and trust
with staff
Tips for Communications in Council Meetings
Be focused,
direct, clear and
brief
Do not question
each other’s or
staff’s motives
when you talk
about an issue:
Focus on the issue
not the person
Be respectful
and civil – model
the behavior you
want from
everyone
31 Civility is important in achieving good outcomes
Disagree in a Way That Maintains the Team
What if I disagree on an issue?
– That’s fine! Just do it with…
32 Dignity
Support
Respect
Inclusiveness
33 Consensus
on Norms
Do you concur
with the typical
norms?
Are any
modifications
needed?
34 Recap on Roles
and Norms
Each of us has a separate role –
and we need to respect the
differences
Following our agreed upon norms
helps effective governance
We each contribute to the care
and feeding of the partnership
Continuous improvement and
training is helpful in becoming a
highly effective Council
Putting Our Norms Into Practice
Adopt them by resolution
Put them into our Council agendas
Conduct periodic check-ins on how well we
are adhering to them
35 Wrap Up and
Recommendations
36 Facilitators will prepare a
workshop report
Formalize norms
Closing comments
Thank you!
37 Dave Sykes, Facilitator
Mary Locey, Recorder