STAFF REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
DATE: Regular Meeting of September 24, 2024
TO: Mayor and Members of the City Council
VIA: Dante Hall, City Manager SUBMITTED BY: Eibleis Melendez, City Clerk
SUBJECT: Designation of Voting Delegate and Alternates for the League of California Cities Annual Conference and General Assembly RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Designate a voting delegate and alternates for the League of California Cities Annual Conference and General Assembly to be held October 16-18th, 2024, in Long Beach, CA.
Provide the designated voting delegate direction on the resolution to be considered by the General Assembly.
DISCUSSION:
The League of California Cities bylaws outline the procedures regarding the designation of delegates and alternates by the City Council.
The League’s 2024 Annual Conference is scheduled for October 16-18th, 2024 in Long Beach, CA at the Long Beach Convention Center. An important part of the Annual Conference is the General Assembly meeting at which the League membership considers and takes action on resolutions that establish League policy.
In order to vote during the General Assembly, the City Council must formally designate a voting delegate and up to two alternates, one of whom may vote in the event that the designated voting delegate is unable to serve in that capacity.
The voting delegate and alternates must be registered to attend the conference. In order to cast a vote, at least one must be present at the General Assembly and in possession of a voting card. Voting delegates and alternates need to pick up their conference badges before signing in and picking up the voting card at the voting delegates desk. This will enable the delegate and alternates to receive the special sticker on their name badges that will admit them into the voting area during General Assembly.
At the General Assembly, individuals with the voting card will sit in a separate area. Admission to this area will be limited to those individuals with the special sticker on their name badge identifying them as a voting delegate or alternate.
The voting card may be transferred between the voting delegate and alternates only. Transferring voting cards to non-designated individuals is not allowed. If the voting delegate and alternates are unable to attend the General Assembly, they may not transfer the voting card to another city official.
This year, there is only one resolution before the General Assembly. That resolution – “Fair and Equal Treatment of All Governmental Officials at All Levels” – was submitted by the City of Glendora and is included in the resolution packet attached hereto as Attachment 2. The resolution cites opposition to certain laws (e.g. the Brown Act, the Political Reform Act) that either apply only to local officials or treat local and state officials differently. In response, the proposed resolution calls for the state legislature to adopt the following policy:
The California State Legislature shall not enact, and the Governor shall not sign into law, any law or regulation that applies solely to elected officials of California cities and counties, unless such law or regulation also applies equally to members of the California State Assembly and Senate. This prohibition shall not apply to laws or regulations affecting the inherent powers of the legislative branch under the California Constitution.
Staff is therefore requesting that the City Council provide direction to its delegate to the Annual Conference for the vote on this resolution. CalCities’ staff analysis of the resolution is on page 17 of the attached 2024 Resolution Packet. That analysis indicates that the policy is quite broad, somewhat ambiguous, and that its fiscal impact is unknown; however, it also describes concrete examples of where the law treats state and local officials differently. The City of Hercules may not be directly impacted by an affirmative vote for the resolution. Should the General Assembly approve the resolution, it would simply be forwarded to the state legislature for consideration. The legislature would then have to decide to adopt the policy in order for it to ultimately go into effect.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The cost for one City delegate to attend the League Annual Conference is included in the proposed FY 2024/25 annual budget.
ATTACHMENTS:
LOCC Memo and Voting Procedures/Delegate Form
Cal Cities 2024 Resolution Packet
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