City Council
Staff Report
From: City Manager
Report Type: ACTION ITEMS
Lead Department: City Manager
Meeting Date: February 26, 2024
Report #:2402-2642
TITLE
Policy and Services Committee Recommendations for Changes to the City Council Procedures and Protocols Handbook based on Prior City Council Referrals (Review of Censure Language).
CEQA Status - Not a Project.
RECOMMENDATION
The Policy and Services Committee recommends City Council action on the Procedures and Protocols Handbook (Handbook) referral related to censure/enforcement that the City Council sent to Policy and Services in spring 2023. This is one of two remaining Handbook referrals from 2023. The final referral will come to the full City Council in March or April (related to discretionary expenditures).
BACKGROUND
The City Council discussed the City Council Procedures and Protocols Handbook on January 30 and March 20, 2023 and adopted the most recent version on April 24, 2023. At that time, the City Council referred some discussion topics to the Policy and Services Committee. The Committee has discussed these referrals and made recommendations on all but one of the referrals. The specific referrals from City Council were:
1. Procedures Section 1.1: Annual Organization of City Council
2. Procedures Section 5.1a(4): Video Participation for Public Comment
3. Procedures Section 8.2: Censure language was referred to committee for review
4. Protocols Section 2.2: Refrain from Lobbying Board and Commission Members
5. Protocols Section 2.8: The Role of Council Liaison to Boards or Commissions
6. Protocols Section 4: International Travel
7. Protocols Section 4.1: Miscellaneous Expenditures. Council referral for the committee to discuss the establishment of appropriate parameters for Council discretionary expenditures and whether to allocate $2,000 annually from the Council contingency fund for each Council member to decide its purpose.
The City Council began this discussion on December 18, 2023 and provided direction on February 5, 2024 on items 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6. Item 7 was discussed at Policy and Services Committee (P&S) on February 13, 2024 and will return to the Committee for further discussion in March 2024. Item 3, related to censure language is the remaining P&S recommendation and the focus of this report.
And given that this is a new year, the City Council will also be reviewing the full Handbook again for consideration of new topics to amend. This discussion will occur in the coming months after the completion of the prior year referrals.
ANALYSIS
The specific recommendation from the Committee on the censure referral topic is in the Attachment A draft revised Handbook with a short summary below:
Procedures Section 8.2: Censure language was referred to committee for review a.Attachment A draft Handbook includes Policy and Services Committee recommended censure language. The proposed censure language is on draft Handbook pages 35-39.
This was a 2-1 vote at committee.
FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT
No known fiscal impact for this particular Handbook section on censure.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
City Council action on this item is not a project as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because revisions to the City Council Procedures and Protocols is a continuing administrative or maintenance activity. CEQA Guidelines section 15378(b)(2).
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: Draft Updated Procedures and Protocols Handbook with Committee Recommendations November 2023
APPROVED BY:
Ed Shikada, City Manager