City Council Protocols &
Procedures
Code of Conduct
Cristal McDonald, City Clerk
July 31, 2024 – WS1.
Received After Agenda Printed
7/31/2024 - Special Workshop
WORKSHOP - AGENDA ITEM WS1
Staff Presentation
Rules of Procedure for
City Council Meetings
Resolution No. 19-4178 et seq.
3 History
Purpose: Govern the conduct of its meetings and any of its other functions and activities, and regulations.
Authority: Murrieta Municipal Code § 2.04.040 (1991)
Adopted/Amended/Repealed Resolutions
• 91-33
• 91-57
• 92-175-A
• 96-470
• 97-527
• 99-647
• 2000-732
• 00-804
• 05-1512
• 07-1660
• 07-1778
• 07-1841
• 08-1922
• 08-1975
• 08-2116
• 10-2571
• 13-3052
• 13-3149
• 13-3167
• 14-3202
• 14-3301
• 16-3517
• 17-3689
• 17-3823
• 18-4016
• 18-4021
• 19-4178
• 21-4463
• 23-4643
Rules of Procedure
• Future Agenda Items
• Presiding Officer (Mayor Rotation)
• Motion for Reconsideration
5 91-33 – Established procedure
96-470 – Adopted*: Presentation by Members of Council (§2.8) + Added deadline to request items
2000-732 – Amended: Presentation by Members of Council (§2.8) + Changed deadline to request items
07-1660 – Amended: Presentation by Members of Council (§2.8) + Added additional sections to request Agenda items: a. Two Council Members b. Individual Council Member 14-3202 – Adopted*: Presentation by Members of Council (§2.8) + Removed section 2.8.3 (Individual Council Member) which removed deadline to request items. 19-4178 – Adopted*: Presentation by Members of Council (§2.8) + No change to Section 2.8 from 14-3202 23-4643 – Amended: Presentation by Members of Council (§2.8) + Added new section to Agenda regulating the addition of items to future Agendas.
Future Agenda Items
Rules of Procedure
Purpose: To provide a public and transparent avenue for Council Member requests to add items to future agendas.
Current Authority: Resolution No. 19-4178; 23-4643
Adopted/Amended/Repealed Resolutions:
6 Future Agenda Items
Rules of Procedure
Current Procedure: Under current authority, the City Council may request items through two methods:
1. Two Council Members jointly request directly to the City Manager; and
2. Via consensus under Council Member Requests To Add Items To Future Agendas.
Request Statistics: January 2023 – July 2024
Future Agenda Item 25
Council Discussion 4
Presentation/Proclamation 8
Total 37
7 West Covina Menifee Costa Mesa Victorville Carlsbad
(LA County) (Riverside County) (Orange County) (San Bernardino County) (San Diego County) City Council
Adopted Standing
Rules
• Section on the
Agenda
• Consensus by
majority of
Council Members
City Council
Adopted Policy
• Section on the
Agenda
• Approved by
motion and second
only
• May also request
directly to the City
Manager
City Council
Adopted Policy
• Section on the
Agenda
• Requested to the
City Clerk
Municipal Code
• Section on the
Agenda
• Request directly
to the City
Manager
City Council
Adopted Policy
• Section on the
Agenda
• Requires a
second and
majority vote
NOTE: Council Member Request: Comparable cities (population, full service) within surrounding counties.
Future Agenda Items
Rules of Procedure
8 Questions for Consideration
1. Does the City Council want to change the current protocol?
2. How to move forward?
3. What are the effects of this change?
4. What are the timing expectations?
Future Agenda Items
Rules of Procedure
9 Presiding Officer
(Mayor Rotation)
Rules of Procedure
Purpose: Ceremonial position that includes responsibilities of presiding over City Council meetings, representing the City Council at events, signing City Council approved documents.
Current Authority: Resolution No. 19-4178 §3
Adopted/Amended/Repealed Resolutions
91-33 – Established: Selection
05-1512 – Amended: Rotational (§3.1)
07-1778 – Adopted*: Rotational (§3.1) + Qualification(s) of 1 year on Council; censure language (violation Code of Ethics, etc.)
10-2571 – Amended: Rotational (§3.1) + Qualification(s) of 2 years on Council, served as Mayor Pro Tem; expanded rotation procedure to include newly elected to the Council in 2010 and after at end or rotational queue 13-3167 – Adopted*: Rotational (§3.1) + Eliminated censure language 16-3517 – Amended: Rotational (§3.1) + Transition ceremony to 2nd meeting December; Eliminated the 2010 provision 17-3689 – Adopted*: Rotational (§3.1) + Re-established censure language; 17-3823 – Amended: Rotational (§3.1) + Re-organized Agenda format; Transition ceremony to 1st meeting in December 18-4021 – Adopted*: Re-organized agenda format; Transition ceremony to 2nd meeting in December (even numbered years) and 1st meeting in December (odd numbered years) 19-4178 – Adopted*: Rotational (§3.1) + Re-organized Agenda format; Transition ceremony to 2nd meeting in December Adopted/Amended/Repealed Resolutions:
10 Presiding Officer (Mayor Rotation)
Rules of Procedure
Current Procedure:
• Reorganization
• 2nd Meeting in December
• Qualifications
• Shall have served: at least 2 years on the Council; as Mayor Pro Tem prior to serving Mayor • Rotation
• Most senior City Council Member who has not yet served (unless all have served) • If 2 or more Council Members are newly elected at the same time, based on highest number of votes*
• No obligation to serve
• No successive terms
• Term
• 1 year
*Language specific to highest number of votes will need to be addressed since City Council is by-district and no longer at large.
11 Presiding Officer
(Mayor Rotation)
Rules of Procedure
Cal Cities – City Clerk List Serve Results: City Clerk resource that surveys participating California cities.
• 33 cities responded
• Elected, Rotation, Selection
Directly Elected Mayor (Not
Applicable) ≈ 27.27%
Rotation ≈ 36.36% Selection ≈ 36.36%
12 Presiding Officer
Rules of Procedure
Municipal Code
• Seniority based
• If seniority is tied
term order is by
highest votes
received
• Super majority
can bypass
protocol
City Council
Adopted Policy
• Directly elected
Mayor
• Mayor Pro Tem
rotated in order of
District
City Council
Adopted Policy
• Mayor is selected
Municipal Code
• Directly elected
Mayor
• Mayor Pro Tem is
selected
City Council
Adopted Policy
• Directly elected
Mayor
• Mayor Pro Tem is
selected
West Covina Menifee Costa Mesa Victorville Carlsbad
(LA County) (Riverside County) (Orange County) (San Bernardino County) (San Diego County) NOTE: Council Member Request: Comparable cities (population, full service) within surrounding counties. 13 Presiding Officer
Rules of Procedure
Questions for Consideration
1. Does the City Council want to change the current protocol?
2. How to move forward?
3. What are the effects of this change?
4. What are the timing expectations?
14 Motion for
Reconsideration
Rules of Procedure
Purpose: Provides City Council Members opportunity to revisit a past decision.
Current Authority: Resolution No. 19-4178 §7.4
Adopted/Amended/Repealed Resolutions
91-33 - Established
15 Motion for Reconsideration
Rules of Procedure
Current Procedure: Any Council Member who voted with the majority may move a reconsideration of any action at the same or the next meeting. After a motion for reconsideration has once been acted upon, no other motion for reconsideration thereof shall be made without unanimous consent of the Council.
Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, 13th Edition Enables a majority, within a limited time and without notice, to bring back for further consideration a motion that has already been voted on.
The purpose of reconsidering a votes is to permit correction of hasty, ill-advised, or erroneous action, or to take into account added information or a changed situation that has developed since the taking of the vote.
• Can be made only by a member who voted with the prevailing side • Subject to time limits
16 Rules of Procedure
Municipal Code
• Must be made
during the same
meeting or
adjourned
session
• Motion made by
one of the
prevailing side
City Council
Adopted Policy
• Must be made at
the same or next
meeting
• Motion made by
one of the
prevailing side
City Council Adopted
Policy
• Must be made at the
same meeting to
consider new
information or to
correct inadvertent
errors
• Motion made by one
of the prevailing side
Municipal Code
• Must be made at
the same
meeting or
adjourned
session
• Motion made by
one of the
prevailing side
Municipal Code
• Must be made at
the same
meeting or
adjourned
session
• Motion made by
one of the
prevailing side
Motion for Reconsideration
West Covina Menifee Costa Mesa Victorville Carlsbad
(LA County) (Riverside County) (Orange County) (San Bernardino County) (San Diego County) NOTE: Council Member Request: Comparable cities (population, full service) within surrounding counties. 17 Motion for Reconsideration
Rules of Procedure
Questions for Consideration
1. Does the City Council want to change the current protocol?
2. How to move forward?
3. What are the effects of this change?
4. What are the timing expectations?
Code of Conduct
19 Code of Conduct
Code of Conduct
Purpose: Value-based document that highlights the behaviors expected to be demonstrated by local officials. It emphasizes values in public service, leadership, and decision making with the elements of integrity/honesty, accountability/responsibility, respect, fairness.
Authority: Resolution No. 05-1540
Adopted/Amended/Repealed Resolutions*
93-249 – Established: Code of Ethics
05-1540 – Adopted: revised Code of Ethics for elected and appointed officials 07-1665 – Amended: existing provisions for the processing of alleged ethics violations 2013 No formal resolution – updated and renamed to Code of Conduct, agreed to review biennially 07-1665 – Repealed: July 15, 2014
NOTE: The City Manager brings forward the Code of Conduct for review annually at the Vision and Goals Workshop. 20 Current Procedure: The Code of Conduct is a value-based document that emphasizes values in public service, leadership, and decision-making. It must be reviewed and affirmed by the City Council every two years.
Compliance with laws is expected; the Code of Conduct is a pledge of commitment to uphold a standard of integrity and competence beyond what is required by law.
Code of Conduct
Code of Conduct
21 Code of Conduct
• Code of Ethics
• Adopted by
Council
• Required
• Enforcement
• Code of Ethics
• Adopted by
Council
• Required
• Self-enforcement
• Code of Ethics
• Adopted by
Council
• Required
• No enforcement
• Annual
affirmation and
review
• Code of Ethics
• Council Policy
• Required
• Enforcement
Code of Conduct
West Covina Menifee Costa Mesa Victorville Carlsbad
(LA County) (Riverside County) (Orange County) (San Bernardino County) (San Diego County) NOTE: Council Member Request: Comparable cities (population, full service) within surrounding counties. • Standing Rules
• Adopted by
Council
• No enforcement
22 Code of Conduct
Code of Conduct
Questions for Consideration
1. Does the City Council want to change the current protocol?
2. How to move forward?
3. What are the effects of this change?
4. What are the timing expectations?
Cristal McDonald, City Clerk
“Connected by Engagement”
Kimberly Ramirez, Deputy City Clerk
Angela Martin-Van der Baan, Records Manager
Andrew Smith, Acting Senior Records Coordinator
Sylvia Garcia, Executive Assistant