Report to City Council
ID: 25-0222 Page 1
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Brian Mohan, City Manager
Patty Rodriguez, CMC, Manager of the Office of
Mayor and City Council/City Clerk
Steve Quintanilla, City Attorney
AGENDA DATE: May 6, 2025
TITLE: CONSIDER REVISIONS TO POLICY #1.03 (STAFF
ASSISTANCE PROVIDED TO CITY COUNCIL ) TO
INCLUDE EXCEPTIONS TO SECTION IV
CORRESPONDENCE TO COUNCILMEMBERS (REPORT
OF: CITY MANAGER) (ALL DISTRICTS)
TITLE SUMMARY: Consider revisions to Policy #1.03 (Staff Assistance Provided to City Council) to include exceptions to Section IV Correspondence to Councilmembers
DISTRICT: All Districts
Recommendation(s)
That the City Council:
1. Consider revisions to Policy #1.03 (Staff Assistance Provided to City Council) to include exceptions to Section IV (Correspondence to Councilmembers) and take whatever action deemed necessary and appropriate.
SUMMARY
This report discusses possible revisions to Policy #1.03 (Staff Assistance Provided to City Council) to include exceptions to Section IV Correspondence to Councilmembers.
DISCUSSION
ID: 25-0222 Page 2
This report discusses possible revisions to Policy #1.03 (Staff Assistance Provided to City Council) to include exceptions to Section IV (Correspondence to Councilmembers).
Section IV (Correspondence to Councilmembers) of Legislative Policy #1.03 provides as follows:
“Correspondence sent to City Councilmembers from staff shall be copied in all cases to all City Councilmembers and the City Manager, unless such correspondence is of a confidential nature.”
Due to the wide variety of correspondence sent to, received b y and prepared for council members, staff if often unclear as to what type of correspondence must be shared with the entire council under Legislative Policy #1.03. In addition, due to the large volume of correspondence, staff is sometimes concerned that it may be overwhelming for some council members to review all the correspondence as it is received by staff or produced by staff. Finally, staff has concerns that a large volume of correspondence related to specific Districts or specific council members may be irrelevant to the rest of the council.
In light of the foregoing concerns, staff seeks direction or action from the council regarding exceptions under Policy #1.03, so that council is not overwhelmed with finding lots of correspondence in their in -boxes that may be irrelevant to them, their Districts or constituents. Moreover, staff would find it helpful to know what the council considers to be “confidential,” which is currently the only exception under Policy #1.03.
Based on past situations experie nced or encountered by staff, the following is a list of possible exceptions staff is requesting the council to consider:
1. Communications with staff regarding individual responses to media questions directed to a specific councilmember;
2. Communications wi th staff regarding quotes to place on social media sites/platforms for a specific councilmember;
3. Communications with staff regarding permission to post images or likenesses of certain councilmembers in City-produced videos;
4. Communications with staff regard ing the content of certain posters, flyers, handbills, etc. pertaining to a particular councilmember or of their districts;
5. Communications with staff regarding the substance or content of various scripted text for a particular councilmember;
6. Communications related to commissioner/board member applications and related material submitted for consideration by a specific councilmember for an appointment recommendation to a commission or board until a formal recommendation is made by the councilmember regarding the respective application;
7. Communications related to any given commissioner or board member appointed at the specific recommendation of any given councilmember;
ID: 25-0222 Page 3
8. Communications related to specific complaints regarding a specific councilmember unless the complaint is addressed to a majority of the city council;
9. Communications related to any issues or matters between staff and any councilmember regarding any item the respective councilmember placed on the Customer Relations Management chart;
10. Communications related to logistical matters such as travel-related arrangements pertaining to travel to and from a city-related event;
11. Communications related to scheduling information and arrangements related to organizing and preparing calendars for any given councilmember;
12. Communications related to payment arrangements and per diem information related to attendance or participation in a city-related event or city council approved event;
13. Communications related to questions pertaining to a constituent regarding the status of any matters limited to a specific district;
14. Communications between a specific councilmember and his or her constituents regarding any matter limited to the respective councilmember’s district;
15. Communications between staff and a councilmember regarding any specific questions about any given agenda item and related staff reports and other documents;
16. Communications related to compensati on and benefits issues regarding any specific councilmember;
17. Communications related to contact information requested by any specific councilmember regarding any city-related matter;
18. Communications related to the availability of any specific councilmember f or attendance at any city event or activity;
19. Communications related to any materials produced or provided for a councilmember’s scheduled meeting with his or her constituents;
20. Communications related to reference letters prepared for any councilmember not being presented on behalf of the city council or the city; and
21. Communications related to any personal matters such as but not limited to health issues, family matters, financial matters, payroll or tax garnishments, personal employment issues, and personal non-city related litigation;
ALTERNATIVES
1. Consider and approve exceptions to Policy #1.03 as presented in this staff report.
Staff recommends this alternative.
2. Do not approve and authorize the recommended actions as presented in this staff report. Staff does not recommend this alternative.
FISCAL IMPACT
There will be no additional impact to the General Fund as the resources identified in the policy revisions are already budgeted.
NOTIFICATION
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Publication of the Agenda.
PREPARATION OF STAFF REPORT
Prepared By: Department Head Approval:
Brian Mohan Brian Mohan
City Manager City Manager
Concurred By: Concurred By:
Patty Rodriguez, CMC Steve Quintanilla Manager of the Office of Mayor and City Council/City Clerk City Attorney
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.
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_CM_POLICY1.03_REVISIONS.docx Attachments: - 1.03 Staff Assistance Provided to City Council - Final.pdf Final Approval
Date:
May 1, 2025
This report and all of its attachments were approved and signed as outlined below:
Patty Rodriguez
Natalia Lopez
Dena Heald
Launa Jimenez
Patty Rodriguez