Council Chamber, 580 Pacific
St., and Zoom Teleconference
Monterey, California
Monterey City Council
Special Meeting Agenda
Council Study Session
Wednesday, July 27, 2022
4:00 – 5:30 PM
City Council
Clyde Roberson, Mayor
Dan Albert, Councilmember
Alan Haffa, Councilmember
Ed Smith, Councilmember
Tyller Williamson, Councilmember
City Manager
Hans Uslar
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Pursuant to California Government Code section 54953(e)(1)(A) and (C) and the Monterey City Council’s resolution authorizing virtual participation in public meetings given the COVID-19 pandemic, meetings of the Monterey City Council and its Boards, Commissions, and Committees are being conducted with a hybrid format providing both inperson and virtual (electronic) participation in order to promote social distancing and protect the health and safety of attendees.
Details for public participation in this City Council meeting:
BEFORE THIS MEETING, members of the public may submit comment(s) to [email protected] until ½ hour before the start of the meeting. These messages will not be read aloud during the meeting but are made available to the Council and public at monterey.org/submitted-comments and in the City Manager’s Office at 580 Pacific St., Room 1, Monterey, CA 93940 during regular business hours. All comments received become part of the record.
DURING THIS MEETING, members of the public may attend and participate:
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CALL TO ORDER
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
STUDY SESSION
STUDY SESSION items are used to provide information to the City Council and answer their questions to clarify issues. Study Sessions provide a setting for informal discussions between staff, consultants, board, commission,committee members and the City Council regarding specific programs, projects or policies. Council does not take formal action on the items.
7/27/2022 4:00:00 PM
2 1. Receive Presentation on “Mutually Monterey: A Unified Governance Model for the City of Monterey” (Not a Project Under CEQA Article 20, Section 15378 and Under General Rule Article 5, Section 15061)
ADJOURNMENT
Members of the public have the right to address the City Council on any item on the Agenda, before or during its consideration [G.C. §54954.3(a)]. The Mayor will formally open the floor for public comment on items such as "Public Appearance" and "Public Hearings." Comment may be made via the method described in the Important Notice (re: COVID-19) at the top of the agenda.
Writings distributed for discussion or consideration on these matters within 72 hours prior to the meeting, pursuant to Government Code § 54957.5, are available at: monterey.org/submitted-comments and in the City Manager’s Office at 580 Pacific St., Room 1, Monterey, CA 93940 during regular business hours.
Information distributed to the Council at the Council meeting becomes part of the public record. A copy of written material, pictures, etc. should be provided for this purpose.
City Council Meetings are cable cast live and videotaped for replay on Monterey's Government Access Channel 25 by Access Media Productions (AMP).
CITY OF MONTEREY'S 24-HOUR SUGGESTION HOTLINES:
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INTERPRETATION: The Monterey City Council invites and encourages public participation at its meetings. Requests for language interpretation may be made by contacting the City Clerk at [email protected] or 831-646-3935. The City Clerk will make every effort to accommodate requests for interpreter assistance. Requests should be made as soon as possible in advance of any meeting of the City Council. The City is committed to addressing language interpretation requests swiftly in order to maximize public participation.
ACCESSIBILITY: The City of Monterey is committed to including the disabled in all of its services, programs and activities. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please contact the City Clerk’s Office at [email protected] or (831) 646-3935. Notification 30 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this meeting [28 CFR 35.102-35.104 ADA Title II]. Later requests will be accommodated to the extent feasible. For communication-related assistance, dial 711 to use the California Relay Service (CRS) to speak to City offices. CRS offers free text-tospeech, speech-to-speech, and Spanish-language services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you require a hearing amplification device to attend a meeting, dial 711 to use CRS to talk to the City Clerk's Office at (831) 646-3935 to coordinate use of a device.
Upcoming city meetings are listed at http://isearchmonterey.org More information is available by calling (831) 646-3935 Council
Agenda Report
FROM: Hans Uslar, City Manager
Prepared by: Nat Rojanasathira, Assistant City Manager
SUBJECT: Receive Presentation on “Mutually Monterey: A Unified Governance Model for the City of Monterey” (Not a Project Under CEQA Article 20, Section 15378 and Under General Rule Article 5, Section 15061)
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council receive a presentation and discuss “Mutually Monterey: A Unified Governance Framework for the City of Monterey.”
VALUE DRIVERS:
In collaboration with our community partners, work to improve the quality of life of all of our community members by fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion; championing equitable access to affordable housing; and maintaining a safe environment.
POLICY IMPLICATIONS:
Discussing the City’s governance model can be a helpful guide to developing a framework for the City Council in its transition to district-based elections. This discussion is intended to guide development of a framework for the City’s governance and not serve as a formal policy for the City at this time.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION:
The City of Monterey determined that the proposed action is not a project as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)(CCR, Title 14, Chapter 3 (CEQA Guidelines), Article 20, Section 15378). In addition, CEQA Guidelines Section 15061 includes the general rule that CEQA applies only to activities which 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. Because the proposed action and this matter have no potential to cause any effect on the environment, or because it falls within a category of activities excluded as projects pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378, this matter is not a project. Because the matter does not cause a direct or any reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change on or in the environment, this matter is not a project. Any subsequent discretionary projects resulting from this action will be assessed for CEQA applicability.
Date: 7/27/2022
Item No.: 1.
Council Special Meeting, 7/27/2022, Item No. 1., Item Page 1, Packet Page 3 ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED:
The City Council could choose not to discuss a governance model framework in its transition to district-based elections, however, this is not recommended.
DISCUSSION:
This Study Session is being conducted as a direct result of the most recent switch from at-large election to district-based elections. The question raised might be: “Why now when we have not yet held district-based elections?” According to the Institute of Local Government (ILG), it is a best practice for the City Council to discuss their approach to governance principles in the early stages of the transition to district-based elections.
Staff intends to facilitate a strategic dialogue among the City Council to determine how effective governance principles and practices can be maintained under the City’s new district-based elections system.
The Study Session is one of what is expected to be multiple conversations with the existing City Council and future City Councils, about the opportunities, risks, and uncertainties facing Monterey through this transition into a local government with district-based elections. The City Council and executive team will work together through the impacts of at-large to district-based elections. The purposes of this workshop are three-fold:
1. Review the City’s decision to move to District-based elections
2. Identify best practices among cities transitioning to District-based elections
3. Introduce a proposed concept of “Mutually Monterey: A Unified Governance Framework” Monterey’s Transition to District-based Elections for Electoral Purposes On February 15, 2022, the Monterey City Council adopted an ordinance converting the City of Monterey's City Council elections process from an at-large system to by-district, also known as a district-based election system. The Mayor will continue to be elected on an at-large basis, and continue to represent the entire City, and each of the four City districts will be represented by one Councilmember who lives in that district. The transition begins with Councilmembers for Districts 1 and 2 to be elected for the first time in the City’s history in November 2022, and Councilmembers for Districts 3 and 4 to be elected in November 2024.
Between November 2021 and February 2022 when the City Council considered transitioning to district-based elections, policymakers and community members alike expressed concern about the City becoming divided as a result of “district-based thinking.” The City Council’s mission is to provide visionary leadership “in partnership with our entire community.” In multiple discussions, City Council and staff emphasized that the reasoning behind supporting district-based elections was in response to the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA) demand letter from the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), and to ensure that the ability of minority groups to elect representatives of their choice is not impaired as a result of vote dilution. Transitioning to district-based elections was intended for election purposes and was not intended to create a system where councilmembers are perceived as representing only “their district” and where City resources pitted districts against one another.
Council Special Meeting, 7/27/2022, Item No. 1., Item Page 2, Packet Page 4 Cities that shift from at-large system to district-based system can greatly benefit from discussing a unified governance framework. Without a unified governance framework, cities may experience a more divided community, fractured councils, and a community that is seen from a limited lens that is based on districts and not as one.
Best Practices Among Cities Transitioning to District-based Elections According to the League of California Cities (Cal Cities), the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA) has had a profound impact on local governance because it has driven cities like Monterey to transition to district-based elections. Cal Cities reports that during these transitions, it is common for formerly at-large Councilmembers to not radically change their behavior.
However, big culture shifts in governance occur when new Councilmembers are elected who have never won an at-large seat.
The four core elements of effective city councils, according to the Institute for Local Government (ILG) are:
1. Unity of Purpose
2. Positive Governance Culture
3. Clear Roles and Responsibilities
4. Norms, Protocols and Policies
As stated in the introduction, a process recommended by ILG is for cities to work through the impacts of at-large to district-based elections, develop a unified vision of governance, discuss existing and potential governance norms, and review/discuss potential policy impacts.
Key questions for the City Council to consider include:
Big picture: Is “election by district” the same as “governing by district”? How do you maximize the opportunities and minimize the risks?
What's required: What is required to change under district elections? A potential pull toward district-based priorities: What can be done to assure that decisions are made based on what is best for the City as a whole? What will help maintain a citywide perspective?
A fair and inclusive process: What happens when a constituent from someone else’s district reaches out to you? What would be the best way to address specific concerns of a district’s constituents? How and when should items be raised to the entire council to ensure awareness of issues that may have citywide impacts? Delivering critical services with finite resources: What factors and principles have made Monterey successful in the first place?
Council Special Meeting, 7/27/2022, Item No. 1., Item Page 3, Packet Page 5 Constituent expectations: What might residents expect from the new way of electing councilmembers?
Teamwork: How can the Council continue to work as a cohesive team through this transition?
“Mutually Monterey”: A Unified Governance Framework
For 172 years, the Monterey City Council has operated as one, with each elected official representing the interests of the entire City. One intent of the City’s shift to district-based elections was to ensure that the City Council was geographically diverse, with representation from various neighborhoods of the City.
Staff believes that the City Council’s goal is for each Councilmember to make decisions with the City’s best interests as a whole as their primary focus, regardless of being elected to represent one of the City’s four councilmember election districts. “Mutually Monterey” is that unified governance framework for the current City Council to consider, and for future City Councils to revisit.
This framework is being branded “Mutually Monterey,” since it reflects the foundation that as a community, we are mutually respectful of one another, mutually collaborative, and look for mutually beneficial solutions to community challenges. “Mutually Monterey” means that we support diversity, equity, and inclusiveness and that the City Council and staff work together, not in silos.
Cities throughout California have adopted similar frameworks or resolutions. In Concord, California, their council adopted “One Concord” which included affirmations that, among other things, the City Council is to make decisions that are best for the entire city, and all councilmembers are to be involved in any/all city issues regardless of districts, and that when making decisions, councilmembers will consider needs and concerns of all residents, not just district residents.
The core principles of the “Mutually Monterey” framework for the City Council to consider include:
Reaffirming that the City Council is committed to working mutually and collaboratively under the Council-Manager form of government and governing as a body that represents the interests of the City as a whole.
Recognizing that a Councilmember election district is not a political subdivision, and that the Mayor and Councilmembers take an oath to represent the entire City of Monterey and its citizens. The Mayor and City Councilmembers are committed to making decisions that are in the interests of the entire community, hearing from residents across the City, and giving equal consideration to issues and people inside and outside councilmember election districts.
Understanding that democracy means that members of the City Council may not always agree on issues, but are committed to respecting one another, respecting members of the community, and engaging in a healthy debate.
Council Special Meeting, 7/27/2022, Item No. 1., Item Page 4, Packet Page 6 Respecting that once a decision is made by the City Council, all members of the City Council and staff will work to support that decision, regardless of whether or not one initially supported that decision, because we are all committed to a positive outcome for the City.
Committing to continue to fully engage regarding every issue before the City Council, regardless of which district(s) may be most directly impacted by the issue. This includes hearing all stakeholders, without regard to which District they might reside. Agreeing that decisions regarding resources of the City government, both financial and personnel, will continue to be based on the needs of all residents in the City of Monterey, and not simply divided by Districts. City resources will not be used to conduct meetings or similar activities for self-promotion only in a councilmember’s election district, as that would not unite our community.
Continuing to raise issues and concerns using the established process with the City Manager, or the process to request for an item to be added to a City Council agenda.
Council members will continue to work through the City Manager or City Attorney, rather than consult other staff.
Representing all neighborhoods in Monterey, and continuing to work mutually as a City Council, to represent the greater good.
In summary, “Mutually Monterey” reinforces the idea that councilmembers are elected by residents in their district but represent all residents in the City.
Next Steps
When ILG has facilitated workshops to help city councils in their transition to district-based elections, the following practices have been recommended:
Conduct workshops to develop citywide priorities and adhere to those priorities throughout the year (the Monterey City Council continues to hold annual goal-setting workshops for the past several years)
Focus on the City as a whole, allocating resources throughout the city Inform the public about the City’s governance structure, protocols and practices Develop policymakers through comprehensive “onboarding” for newly elected and appointed officials so they are prepared to work with the council and serve the City as a whole
Provide candidate training to engage potential leaders about how the elections process works and the role of staff and the governance model
Communicate clearly about the council-manager form of government and the roles and responsibilities of staff and council, ensuring that direction is provided to staff through Council Special Meeting, 7/27/2022, Item No. 1., Item Page 5, Packet Page 7 the City Manager’s Office, all councilmembers have equal access to information, and decisions are made by the council as a whole
Following a discussion about Mutually Monterey: A Unified Governance Framework at its Study Session on July 27, 2022, the City Council may:
1. Continue the discussion about unified governance at a future Study Session or City Council Workshop; or
2. Proceed to bring forward core concepts from the Mutually Monterey framework, as presented, for adoption in the form of a resolution.
The City Council may also choose to table the item and discuss this matter further in early 2023 when one or more new members become part of the City Council. However, this is not recommended as the best practice is for the City Council to begin discussions about unified governance in the early stages of implementing district-based elections.
Writings distributed for discussion or consideration on this matter within 72 hours prior to the meeting, pursuant to Government Code § 54957.5, will be made available at the following link:
https://monterey.org/Submitted-Comments
Council Special Meeting, 7/27/2022, Item No. 1., Item Page 6, Packet Page 8