Business Item 5c
STAFF REPORT
City Council Business Item
DATE: February 3, 2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and Council Members
FROM: Amy Nilsen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Amended City of Fortuna City Council Polices, Procedures and Governance Manual
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Adopt the amended City of Fortuna City Council Policies, Procedures and Governance Manual and dissolve the Policies and Procedure Manual Review Ad Hoc Committee.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
At the September 17, 2024 City Council meeting during Future Agenda Item discussion, Council Member Mobley requested the City of Fortuna’s City Council Policies and Procedures Manual be updated. The last update of this manual occurred on June 20, 2011. On October 21, 2024 a Policies and Procedures Manual Ad Hoc Committee was created to review the current manual, review other city manuals, and return with a recommendation.
The Ad Hoc Committee comprised of Councilmembers Mobley and Johnson met several times over the last several months and reviewed the current Policies and Procedures Manual and also reviewed City Council manuals from the cities of Folsom, Santa Rosa and Grass Valley.
The Ad Hoc recommends the below changes. These changes are also documented in the track changes document (Attachment A):
Section 1 Local Government in Fortuna:
• Moved subsections “Council Manager Form of Governance” and “Mayor and City Council Members” to Section 3 “Roles and Responsibilities” and modernized the language.
Added Section 2 Effective Governance:
• This section describes the characteristics of an effective council and effective council members.
Updated Section 3 from “Your Role as a City Council Member” to “Roles and Responsibilities” • Added subsections to describe the roles Mayor, Mayor Pro Tem and City Council • Added subsection on “Noninterference with City Manager’s Administrative Role” • Added subsection on “Responding to Public Complaints” • Added subsection on “New Councilmember Orientation”
• Moved communication related subsections to a new Section 4 Communication Protocols • Added a Section 3.5 Attendance, and includes the following language “Pursuant to California Government Code Section 36513 if a ‘city councilmember is absent without permission from all regular city council meetings for 60 days consecutively from the last regular meeting he or she attended, his or her office becomes vacant and shall be filled as any other vacancy.’ Council members are expected to attend all meetings of the City Council. If a Council Member is absent without Council permission from all regular City Council meetings for sixty (60) days consecutively from the last regular meeting he/she attends, his/her office becomes vacant and shall be filled as any other vacancy.
Council members shall inform the City Clerk and/or the City Manager if they are unable to attend a regular scheduled City Council meeting in order to ensure there is a quorum.” • Added Section 3.6 Quorum, and includes the following language “The City Council consists of five members, one of whom is the Mayor. Three members of the Council shall constitute a quorum and shall be sufficient to transact business. If less than three (3) Council Members appear at a regular meeting, the City Manager may adjourn the meeting to a stated day and hour.”
Section 4 Communication Protocols:
• This is a new section to the Policies, Procedures and Governance Manual. • Added section on “Communication between the City Council and City Manager” • Added section on “Communication between the City Council Members” which discusses the Brown Act and social media.
• Added section on “Communication between City Council Members and the Public” • Added section on “Constituent Requests and Correspondence” • Added section on “Representing the City on Regional Agencies” Section 5 Conflict of Interest
• Added additional clarifying language on counsel advice.
Section 7.5.3 City Council Meeting Steps
• Added language on city council meeting steps
• Added language and explanation on motions.
• Added language on commonly used motions.
Section 7.7.2 Ordinances
• Added additional clarifying language.
Section 8.2 Commitment to Open & Transparent Government • Deleted as this language is duplicative of other sections and required by law. • Deleted the subsequent policy sections as this is duplicative and already stated in the document.
Depending on the outcome of tonight’s meeting such as the adoption of the amended Policies, Procedures and Governance Manual the Ad Hoc Committee will be dissolved. Should your City Council request additional changes the Ad Hoc will continue to meet until adoption of an amended manual?
Business Item 5c
Business Item 5c
FISCAL IMPACT:
Costs for staff time to meet with a Committee and update the manual is already included in the adopted Fiscal Year (FY) 2024-25 budget.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Adopt the amended City of Fortuna City Council Policies, Procedures and Governance Manual and dissolve the Policies and Procedure Manual Review Ad Hoc Committee.
ATTACHMENTS:
• Attachment A - Track Changes City of Fortuna City Council Policies, Procedures and Governance Manual
• Attachment B - Amended City of Fortuna City Council Policies, Procedures and Governance Manual with no track changes
• Attachment C - Current City Council Policies and Procedures Manual