Report to City Council
ID: 24-0602 Page 1
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Steve Quintanilla, City Attorney
AGENDA DATE: October 15, 2024
TITLE: DISCUSSION REGARDING POSSIBLY
RESCHEDULING THE STARTING TIME OF THE
REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS, REGULAR
CLOSED SESSIONS AND SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
(REPORT OF: CITY ATTORNEY)
TITLE SUMMARY: Discussion Regarding Possibly Rescheduling the Starting Time of The Regular City Council Meetings, Regular Closed Sessions and Special Presentations
Recommendation(s)
That the City Council:
1. Provide direction to the City Attorney regarding whether to produce a Resolution t hat changes the scheduling of the City Council Regular Meetings, Regular Closed Sessions and/or Special Presentations.
SUMMARY
At the September 17, 2024, Regular Meeting of the City Council, staff was directed to bring back a s a future agenda item for the City Council’s consideration, a proposed change in the scheduling of the starting times of the City Council Regular Meetings and Closed Sessions and/or Special Presentations, that routinely take place on the same days of Regular Meetings of the City Council.
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DISCUSSION
Regular Meeting Schedule
The Brown Act provides that a legislative body (i.e., City Council) must take formal action to establish a time and place for holding its “Regular Meetings.” This simply means that Regular Meetings of the City Council must be set by Ordinance or Resolution. Pursuant to sections 2.04.010 (Time of City Council Meetings) and 2.04.020 (Place of City Council Meetings) of the Moreno Valley Municipal Code, as set forth below, the time and p lace Regular Meetings of the City Council must be set by Resolution.
Moreno Valley Municipal Code
Section 2.04.010 Time of city council meetings.
Commencing with the first regular meeting or study session after the effective date of this chapter, whichever first occurs, the meeting schedule of the city council shall be as set by resolution of the council.
Moreno Valley Municipal Code
Section 2.04.020 Place of city council meetings.
Locations of the meetings of the city council shall be as set by resolution of the council.
In light of the above, Regular Meetings of the City Council have been established by Resolution and placed and referenced in the City’s Rules of Procedure for Coun cil Meetings and Related Functions and Activities (“Rules of Procedure”), as set forth below.
As you can see, Regular Meetings of the City Council are currently scheduled for the 1 st and 3rd Tuesdays of each month, commencing at 6:00 p.m.
1. MEETINGS
1.1. REGULAR MEETINGS
1.1.1. TIME AND PLACE.
1.1.1.1. REGULAR TIME AND PLACE.
Regular meetings of the City Council shall be held on the first and third Tuesdays of each month at 6:00 p.m. in the City Council Chambers of City Hall or such other time and place as shall be specified by resolution of the City Council.
As such, to change the scheduling of Regular Meetings of the City Council, the City Council must adopt a Resolution making any necessary changes to the Rules of Procedure. It should be noted t hat when the City Council goes “dark” in July, it must “cancel” the July City Council Regular Meetings in advance so that the City Clerk can prepare, post, and publish a Notice of Cancellation in the same manner as Regular Meeting agendas. However, the City Council may formalize (via a Resolution) its Regular Meeting schedule to exclude Regular Meetings for the month of July; this would not prelude the City Council from holding Special Meetings instead during July.
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Closed Session Schedule
Although the City Council Regular Meetings are set to commence at 6:00 p.m., the Rules of Procedure provide that Regular Closed Sessions shall commence at 4:30 p.m. on the same day of City Council Regular Meetings, as set forth below.
1. MEETINGS
1.7. CLOSED SESSIONS.
1.7.1. REGULAR CLOSED SESSIONS.
Regular closed sessions shall be held at 4:30 p.m. in advance of Regular City Council Meetings and Study Sessions, unless no closed session items are scheduled for that meeting.
Just like changing the scheduling of Regular Meetings of the City council, to change the scheduling of Regular Closed Sessions of the City Council, the City Council must adopt a Resolution making any necessary changes to the Rules of Procedure.
Special Presentations Schedule
The Rules of Procedure further set Special Presentations to commence at 5:30 p.m., as set forth below, during Regular Meetings of the City Council, which again commence at 6:00 p.m.
1. MEETINGS
1.2. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS.
In order to promote efficiency in handling the business of the City and to provide for proper recognition of those making a contribution to the community, the City Council shall, from time to time, absent special circumstances such as scheduling issues precluding a recipient from attending at that time, convene at 5:30 p.m. prior to a regular City Council Meeting for ceremonial purposes. Such a session shall be posted on the agenda for the regular Council Meeting as “Special Presentations”. Agenda items for a Special Presentations session shall include only ceremonial matters, including but not limited to, giving or receiving of gifts and awards, proclamations or previously adopted resolutions.
Again, just like changing the scheduling of Regular Meetings and R egular Closed Sessions of the City council, to change the scheduling of Special Presentations, the City Council must adopt a Resolution making any necessary changes to the Rules of Procedure.
Proposed Resolution
If the City Council decides to change the scheduling of its Regular Meetings, Regular Closed Sessions and/or Special Presentations, the City Attorney will prepare the requisite Resolution to implement any such changes, which can be presented at a subsequent City Council meeting as a Consent Item, unless pulled for further discussion and deliberation at that
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subsequent meeting. In addition to making specific changes in the scheduling of any of the above, the Resolution will also include amendments to any other provisions of the Rules of Procedure that reference the respective schedules, such as those set forth in section 1.1.2.1 (Order of Business) of the Rules of Procedure which references the time that Closed Session, Special Presentations and Call to Order of the Regular Meeting should commence.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Do not make any changes to the scheduling of City Council Regular Meetings, Regular Closed Sessions, and/or Special Presentations. (Staff has no preference.)
2. Make changes to the scheduling of City Council Regular Meetings, Regular Closed Sessions and/or Special Presentations, and direct the City Attorney to prepare the requisite Resolution for consideration at a subsequent City Council meeting as a Consent item, unless pulled at the time for further discussion or deliberation at the respective subsequent City Council meeting. (Staff has no preference.)
FISCAL IMPACT
Any changes to the scheduling of City Council Regular Meetings, Regular Closed Sessions and/or Special Presentations should not have any fiscal impact since any changes to the scheduling of City Council Regular Meetings, Regular Closed Sessions or Special Presentations will not require any additional time or resources to simply change the time of such meetings.
NOTIFICATION
Public notice of this item has been provided at least 72 hours in advance of the October 15, 2024, City Council Regular Meeting pursuant to the Brown Act, and no changes will be officially made until after the item appears again in the context of a Resolution that will be placed on a future Consent Calendar which will be noticed within 72 hours of the respective subsequent City Council meeting.
PREPARATION OF STAFF REPORT
Prepared By: Department Head Approval:
Steven B. Quintanilla Steven B. Quintanilla
City Attorney City Attorney
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CITY COUNCIL GOALS
Advocacy: Develop cooperative intergovernmental relationships and be a forceful advocate of City policies, objectives, and goals to appropriate external governments, agencies and corporations.
Community Image, Neighborhood Pride and Cleanliness: Promote a sense of community pride and foster an excellent image about our City by developing and executing programs which will result in quality development, enhanced neighborhood preservation efforts, including home rehabilitation and neighborhood restoration.
Positive Environment: Create a positive environment for the development of Moreno Valley's future.
Public Facilities and Capital Projects: Ensure that needed public facilities, roadway improvements, and other infrastructure improvements are constructed and maintained.
Public Safety: Provide a safe and secure environment for people and property in the community, control the number and severity of fire and hazardous material incidents, and provide protection for citizens who live, work and visit the City of Moreno Valley.
Revenue Diversification and Preservation: Develop a variety of City revenue sources and policies to create a stable revenue base and fiscal policies to support essential City services, regardless of economic climate.
CITY COUNCIL STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
1. Economic Development
2. Public Safety
3. Library
4. Infrastructure
5. Beautification, Community Engagement, and Quality of Life
6. Youth Programs
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Report Approval Details
Document Title: STAFFREPORT_CITYCOUNCILMEETINGTIMES.docx Attachments:
Final Approval
Date:
Oct 8, 2024
This report and all of its attachments were approved and signed as outlined below:
Patty Rodriguez
Natalia Lopez
Launa Jimenez
Brian Mohan
Mike Lee
Patty Rodriguez