AgendaReport
TO:
HonorableMayor&CityCouncilMembersofthePublic
FROM:NikkiFortunatoBas
CouncilPresidentCouncilDistrict2
SUBJECT:
ResolutionAmendingAndRestatingTheCouncil’sRulesOfProcedure DATE: October19,2023
RECOMMENDATION
IrespectfullyrecommendthattheCityCouncil:AdoptaRESOLUTIONAMENDINGANDRESTATINGTHECOUNCIL’SRULESOFPROCEDUREINTHEIRENTIRETYINORDERTOINCREASEPUBLICACCESSANDPARTICIPATIONBY, AMONGOTHERTHINGS: 1)CHANGINGTHETIMESFORCOMMENCINGANDENDINGCITYCOUNCILMEETINGS, 2)AMENDINGPUBLICCOMMENTPROCEDURESANDTIMELIMITS, 3) AMENDINGTHERULESFORMAINTAININGORDERDURINGMEETINGS, AND4) MAKINGNON-SUBSTANTIVE, TECHNICALEDITS
EXECUTIVESUMMARY
CityCharterSection210mandatesCouncil establishRulesofProcedureforconductofmeetingsandorderofbusiness. TheCouncil RulesofProcedure(Council Rules)wereupdatedinFebruary2023followingthreeyearsofconductingCouncil meetingsonZoomduringCOVID.TheCouncil resumedin-personmeetingsinMarch2023.Sincethen,wehavesoughtwaystostreamlineourmeetingsinanorderlyandefficientmannertofacilitatesoundCityCouncil andpublicdeliberationanddecisionmaking.
Theseamendmentsseektoensure:(1)reasonabletimeforpublicinputandcommentonagendaitemsattheCommitteeandCityCouncil meetings;and(2)anagendathatismanagedmoreefficientlyandeffectivelyandformorepredictablediscussiontimesfordebateregardingagendaitemsinordertoavoidlongwaitsbythepublicastheCouncil conductsitsbusinessinordertoprovideopportunityforall membersofthepublictoengageinthedeliberationoftheCouncil’smostimportantbusiness.
CouncilmemberJanani RamachandranproposedchangestotheCouncil Rulestohelpensurecomplexitemsareheardearlierbyrevisingtheorderoftheagenda,andtomakemeetingsmoreefficientbystreamliningpubliccomment.Iappreciateherproposalsandthoughtpartnershipintheseareas,specifically:Rule7OrderofBusinessatRegularCouncil meetingsandRule14TimeLimitsforPublicSpeakersonCommitteeandCouncil AgendaItems.
Rules&LegislationCommitteeNovember 2, 2023
HonorableMayor&CityCouncilSubject:AmendedCouncil RulesofProcedureDate: October19,2023 Page2 ThankyoutotheOfficesoftheCityAttorney,CityClerkandCityAdministratorforyourinputintheseamendments.Thanksalsotomembersofthepublicwhohavesharedfeedback.IlookforwardtodiscussionandfeedbackonNovember2ndattheRules&LegislationCommitteemeeting.
BACKGROUND/ LEGISLATIVEHISTORY
CityCharterSection210mandatesCouncil establishRulesofProcedureforconductofmeetingsandorderofbusiness. TheCouncil RulesofProcedure(Council Rules)werelastupdatedonFebruary7,2023withResolutionNo.89588C.M.S.
Belowarehighlightsoftheproposedamendments:
StartandEndTimeTheseamendmentsproposethatCouncil meetingsstartat3:00p.m.andconcludenolaterthan9:00p.m.,exceptthattheCouncil mayextendthetimeforthemeetinginone-hourincrementsbyanaffirmativevoteoffive(5)Councilmembersupto12:00a.m.midnight,andbyanaffirmativevoteofsix(6)councilmembersbeyond12:00a.m.midnight.Ifamotiontoextendthemeetingfails,theCouncil shall moveimmediatelytoopenforumandthenadjournthemeeting.
Rule7–OrderofBusinessatRegularCouncilmeetingsTohelpensurethatmorecomplexissuesareheardearlierintheagendatofacilitatesoundCityCouncil andpublicdeliberationanddecisionmaking,theadoptionoftheConsentCalendarwouldbemovedtoafterNon-ConsentItems.Thiswouldbeoperationalizedasfollows:● TheConsentCalendarwouldbeintroducedbeforeNon-ConsentItemsandCouncilmemberswouldberequiredtoaskstaffquestionsatthistimewhenstaffisavailable.StaffwhoareattendingtheCouncil meetingsolelyforConsentItemswouldbeabletoleaveafterthisopportunityforCouncilmemberstoaskquestions.● PublicHearingsandNon-consentItemswouldbeheard.● TheConsentCalendarwouldbeadopted,afterhearingpublicspeakersandCouncilmembers.
Inaddition,approval ofminutesandclosedsessionactionitemswouldbeincludedintheConsentCalendar.
Belowistheproposedorderoftheagenda:
Subject tothediscretionof theCouncil President or presidingofficer, theorder of businessforRegular Council meetingsshall beasfollows:
Rules&LegislationCommitteeNovember 2, 2023
HonorableMayor&CityCouncilSubject:AmendedCouncil RulesofProcedureDate: October19,2023 Page3
1. Call toOrder byCouncil President2. Roll Call3. ActiononSpecial Orders/ Presentationsof theDay4. ModificationstotheAgendaandProcedural Items5. Introductionof itemsontheConsent Calendar andCouncilmember questionsfor staff(commentsfromthepublicandfromCouncilmembersshall beheardfollowingtheNon-Consent Calendar).
ForRegularMeetings, actiononNon-Consent Itemswill commenceat 5:00p.m., orassoonthereafterasreasonablypracticable
6. Considerationof itemswithstatutoryPublicHearingRequirements7. ActiononOther Non-Consent Items8. Adoptionof itemsontheConsent Calendar (after hearingpublicspeakersandCouncilmembers)9. Council Acknowledgements/ Announcements10. OpenForum11. Adjournment Rule8— ActionandProceduresatCouncilMeetingsAmotiontomovethesecondreadingofanordinancefromtheConsentCalendartotheNon-ConsentCalendarmustbeapprovedbyamajorityoftheCouncilmemberspresentandvoting.
Rule9—ProtocolatCouncilMeetingsPresentersshall limittheirpresentationstonomorethanseven(7)minutes,absenttheconsentofthepresidingofficer.
Rule11— SpeakingTimeLimitsforCouncilmembersTotal speakingtimeofCouncilmembersshall belimitedto8minutesonNon-ConsentItemsand2minutesontheConsentCalendar.
Nomember of theCouncil shall speakfor morethaneight (8) minutesonanyNon-ConsentItemwithout theconsent of thepresidingofficer or amajorityof themembersof theCouncil,whichconsent maybegrantedfor complexmatterssuchasadoptionof thebiennial or midcyclebudget. Nomember of theCouncil shall speakfor morethantwo(2) minutesontheConsentCalendar without theconsent of thepresidingofficer or amajorityof theCouncil.
Rules&LegislationCommitteeNovember 2, 2023
HonorableMayor&CityCouncilSubject:AmendedCouncil RulesofProcedureDate: October19,2023 Page4 Rule12–SpeakerCardsandEComments
EComments:Toencouragemorepublicengagement, “TheCityClerkshall statethenumber of eCommentsandthepercentageof supporting, opposing, andneutral eCommentsduringeachNon-Consent item.” ForanexampleofeComments,seethe51commentsontheFY2023-2025ProposedBudgethere.Notethatthetotal belowdoesnotequal 100%becausesomepeopledeclinedtostatewhethertheysupport,opposeorwereneutral.
Additional educationabouteCommentsisnecessarytogeneratemoreuseandengagementofthismethodofpubliccomment,whichisanofficial partofthepublicrecordandvisibletomembersoftheCouncil andthegeneral public..
SpeakerCards:InorderfortheCityClerkandpresidingofficertoassessthenumberofpublicspeakers,implementtimelimits,andfacilitatemeetingsgenerally,thetimeforsubmittingspeakercardsafterameetinghasbegunwouldbeasfollows:
CityCouncil meetings:- (1)forActiononSpecial Orders /PresentationsoftheDay,beforetheCityClerkbeginsreadingtheitemintotherecord.- (2)forall otheritems(includingNon-Consent,ConsentandOpenForum),withinthefirsthourandahalfafterthemeetingiscalledtoorderorbeforetheClerkbeginsthereadingofthefirstNon-Consentitemintotherecord,whicheveroccursearlier.
Committeemeetings:- WithinthefirsttenminutesafterthemeetingiscalledtoorderorbeforetheCityClerkbeginsreadingtheitemintotherecord,whicheveroccursfirst,unlessconsenttospeakisgivenbythepresidingofficer.
Rules&LegislationCommitteeNovember 2, 2023
HonorableMayor&CityCouncilSubject:AmendedCouncil RulesofProcedureDate: October19,2023 Page5 Rule13–OpenForumAllottedspeakingtimeshall beone(1)minuteeachtospeak.Thepresidingofficerhasdiscretiontoincreasetheallottedtimeforeachopenforumspeakeramaximumoftwo(2)minutes.
Rule14–TimeLimitsforPublicSpeakersonCommitteeandCouncilAgendaItemsToensurethatall publicspeakersaretreatedequitably,limitationsonspeakingtimeincludealltimeaspeakerspendscommentingand/orposingquestions,includingprocedural questions.
AtCommitteemeetings,aspeakerwhosubmitstheirnametospeakonthree(3)ormoreitems(otherthanopenforum)maybeinstructedtoaddressall itemsconcurrentlyandshall beallocatedtwo(2)minutesperitemuptoamaximumofeight(8)minutesifthepresidingofficerstatesall reasonsjustifyingtheinstruction,whichreasonsshall bebasedataminimumonconsiderationofthetimeallocatedoranticipatedforthemeeting,thenumberandcomplexityofagendaitemsandthenumberofpersonswishingtoaddressthelocal body.Ifthepresidingofficerreducesspeakertimetoone(1)minuteperitem,themaximumtimetospeakonall itemsshall bereducedtofour(4)minutes. Cedingtimetootherspeakersisnotpermittedwhenspeakingonmultipleitems.
AtCouncil meetings,speakerswhosubmittheirnametospeakonthree(3)ormore“OtherNon-ConsentItems”(i.e.,Non-ConsentItemsthatdonotrequireapublichearing)maybeinstructedtoaddressall itemsconcurrently.Speakerswhoareinstructedtoaddressall itemsconcurrentlyshall beallottedtwo(2)minutesperitemuptoatotal ofeight(8)minutesifthepresidingofficerstatesall reasonsjustifyingtheinstruction.Ataminimum,thereasonsjustifyingtheinstructiontoaddressall itemsconcurrentlyshall bebasedon(i)considerationofthetimeallocatedoranticipatedforthemeeting,(ii)thenumberandcomplexityofagendaitemsand(iii)thenumberofpersonswishingtoaddressthelocal body.Ifthepresidingofficerreducesspeakertimetoone(1)minuteperitem,themaximumtimetospeakonall itemsshall bereducedtofour(4)minutes.Cedingtimetootherspeakersisnotpermittedwhenspeakingonmultipleitems.
AtCouncil meetings,publicspeakerswhosignupforConsentItemswill beinstructedtospeakonall itemsatonceandbegivenone(1)minutetospeakoneachitemuptoamaximumofthree(3)minutes.
AtRules&LegislationCommitteemeetings,publicspeakerswhosignuptospeakontheSchedulingItemwill haveoneminuteperschedulingrequestuptoamaximumofthree(3)minutes,providedthatapublicspeaker’stotal timeforall itemsontheRulesandLegislationCommitteeagenda(excludingopenforum)maybelimitedtoeight(8)minutes.
Rules&LegislationCommitteeNovember 2, 2023
HonorableMayor&CityCouncilSubject:AmendedCouncil RulesofProcedureDate: October19,2023 Page6 Rule15–PresidingOfficer’sRoleInMaintainingOrderThissectionisfurtherdefinedasfollows:
Thepresidingofficer shall maintainorder inthechamber. Thepresidingofficer mayruleamember of thepublicout of order if:a. thepersonengagesinDisruptiveBehavior, asdefinedbelow; orb. theperson’spublicremarksarenot relatedtotheagendaitem; “DisruptiveBehavior”isbehavior that impedestheorderlyprogressof ameetingbydenying,delaying, or interruptingother people’srightful turntospeak. DisruptiveBehavior includes, butisnot limitedto: 1) speakingbeyondthetimethespeaker hasbeenallottedandfailingtoyield;2) speaking, yelling, or otherwisemakingnoisesthat impedeanother person’storight tospeakor beheard; and3) actionsthat physicallyimpedeanother person’sright tospeakor beheard.
Thepublichastheright tocriticizepolicies, procedures, programsor servicesof theCityor oftheactionsor omissionsof thelegislativebodyor staff. But membersof thepublicdonot havetheright toprevent or delaytheorderlyprogressof meetingsor theconduct of Citybusiness.Eachmember of thepublicmust respect other people’srightstospeak, includingothermembersof public, membersof staff, presenters, andmembersof thebody.
If amember of thepublicengagesinDisruptiveBehavior, thepresidingofficer mayrulethemout of order. Furthermore, apersonwhoengagesinDisruptiveBehavior mayberemovedfromameetingat thedirectionof thepresidingofficer. Beforebeingremoved, thepersonmust bewarned: (1) that their behavior isdisruptingthemeeting, and(2) that continueddisruptionmayresult intheir removal. Thepersonmaybesowarnedbythepresidingofficer, amember ofCitystaff, asecurityguard, and/or apeaceofficer.
Anypersonwhoengagesindangerousactivityduringameeting, includingusingforceormakingacrediblethreat touseforce, mayberemovedwithout anydirectionfromthepresidingofficer andwithout anywarning.
Rule24— RulesandLegislationCommittee’sPowersreAgendaItemsTheabilityofmembersofthepublictoproposeschedulingitemsisremoved.MembersofthepublicmaycontinuetoseekCouncilmemberstosponsortheiritems.
Rule27—QuorumforStandingCommitteesThefollowingadditionisproposed:Intheevent that aquorumisnever establishedor islost at anypoint duringameeting, discussionof theitemsnoticedontheagendamaycontinuebut noactioncanbetakenother thanadjournment. TheCityClerkwill preparearecordof thediscussion, but therecordwill reflectthat themeetingwascanceledor adjournedduetoalackof aquorumandthat noactionwastakenontheitemsdiscussed.
Rules&LegislationCommitteeNovember 2, 2023
HonorableMayor&CityCouncilSubject:AmendedCouncil RulesofProcedureDate: October19,2023 Page7 Rule28–ProceduretoAdd,RemoveAgendaItemsRule28requestsmaybeapproveduntil 1:30p.m.thedaybeforetheagendapublicationdeadline.
ANALYSISANDPOLICYALTERNATIVES
ThebusinessoftheCityistobeconductedinanorderlyandefficientmannertofacilitatesoundCityCouncil andpublicdeliberationanddecisionmaking.
Whendiscussingthisproposal attheNovember2,2023RulesandLegislationCommitteemeeting,all Council membersareencouragedtoattendandmayconsideralternativestothechangesdescribedaboveandintheattachedlegislation.
FISCALIMPACT
TheseamendmentstotheCouncil RulescanmakeCouncil meetingsmoreefficientandindoingsomayresultincostsavingsinstaffsalariesforthosestaffwhosupportandparticipateinCouncil meetings.
PUBLICOUTREACH/ INTEREST
Thisitemwill benoticedatleast10daysinadvanceofitshearingattheNovember2,2023RulesandLegislationCommitteemeeting.TheCommitteewill takeECommentsandpubliccommentsatthemeeting.Inaddition,publiccommentshelpedtoinformthisproposal.
COORDINATION
Sincereturningtoin-personCouncil meetingsinMarch,Council PresidentBas,ChiefAssistantCityAttorneyRyanRichardson,SeniorDeputyCityAttorneyAmberMacaulay,andCityClerkAshaReedhavenotedwaystomakeourmeetingsmoreorderlyandefficient;andIamgratefulfortheircollaboration.Astheseamendmentsweredeveloped,wesoughtinputfromtheAgendaTeam,whichconsistsofstafffromtheOfficesoftheCityClerk,CityAdministratorandCityAttorney.
CouncilmemberJanani RamachandranproposedchangestotheCouncil Rulestohelpensurecomplexitemsareheardearlierbyrevisingtheorderoftheagenda,andtomakemeetingsmoreefficientbystreamliningpubliccomment.Iappreciateherproposalsandthoughtpartnershipintheseareas,specifically:Rule7OrderofBusinessatRegularCouncil meetings,andRule14TimeLimitsforPublicSpeakersonCommitteeandCouncil AgendaItems.WesoughtfeedbackfromCouncilmembersKaplanandReidandthankthemfortheirinput.
Thiscoordinationresultedintheamendmentsdescribedaboveandintheattachedlegislation.ThelegislationwasdraftedwiththeOfficeoftheCityAttorney(OCA)andwasreviewedbytheOCA.
Rules&LegislationCommitteeNovember 2, 2023
HonorableMayor&CityCouncilSubject:AmendedCouncil RulesofProcedureDate: October19,2023 Page8
SUSTAINABLEOPPORTUNITIES
ThislegislationwouldprovideformoreorderlyandefficientCouncil meetingsandwouldcontinuetopromotetransparencyandpublicparticipationintheCouncil’slegislativeprocess.
Economic:TransparencyandpublicparticipationinCouncil meetingsandthelegislativeprocesscanresultinincreasingeconomicopportunitiesforOaklanders,includingthosewhohavebeenmostdeeplyimpacted.
Environmental:TransparencyandpublicparticipationinCouncil meetingsandthelegislativeprocesscanresultinincreasingenvironmental sustainabilityforOaklanders,includingthosewhohavebeenmostdeeplyimpacted.
Race&Equity:TransparencyandpublicparticipationinCouncil meetingsandthelegislativeprocesscanresultinincreasingracial equityforOaklanders,whenthosewhohavebeenmostdeeplyimpactedareabletosharetheirexperiencesandopinions,andgiveinputtolegislationthataffectsthem.
ACTIONREQUESTEDOFTHECITYCOUNCIL
IrespectfullyrecommendthattheCityCouncil:AdoptaRESOLUTIONAMENDINGANDRESTATINGTHECOUNCIL’SRULESOFPROCEDUREINTHEIRENTIRETYINORDERTOINCREASEPUBLICACCESSANDPARTICIPATIONBY, AMONGOTHERTHINGS: 1)CHANGINGTHETIMESFORCOMMENCINGANDENDINGCITYCOUNCILMEETINGS, 2)AMENDINGPUBLICCOMMENTPROCEDURESANDTIMELIMITS, 3) AMENDINGTHERULESFORMAINTAININGORDERDURINGMEETINGS, AND4) MAKINGNON-SUBSTANTIVE, TECHNICALEDITS For questionsregardingthisreport, pleasecontact CinthyaMunoz-Ramos, Chief of Staff toCouncilPresident Nikki FortunatoBas, District 2at [email protected].
Respectfullysubmitted,
Nikki FortunatoBasCouncil President, District 2
Preparedby:Nikki FortunatoBasCouncil President, District 2 Attachments:1. Legislation
Rules&LegislationCommitteeNovember 2, 2023