City Council
Staff Report
From: City Manager
Report Type: CONSENT CALENDAR
Lead Department: City Manager
Meeting Date: November 12, 2024
Report #:2410-3589
TITLE
Approval of the New Councilmember Onboarding Outline as recommended by the Policy and Services Committee; CEQA – Not a Project
RECOMMENDATION
The Policy and Services Committee recommends the Council approve the New Councilmember Onboarding outline as updated by the Committee.
BACKGROUND
In November 2022, the Council adopted the New Councilmember Onboarding outline. The outline was used with the most recent Councilmember onboarding after the November 2022 election. The Council reviewed and approved it with the understanding that it would be the basic outline of the process going forward because each election will have candidates of different backgrounds and experiences, and it provides members with consistent basic orientation information.
Based on prior Council action, staff created the New Councilmember Onboarding outline with the goal of effectively onboarding new Councilmembers. The outline is intended to share necessary and useful information about operating as a Councilmember. This includes things such as information about City operations and procedures, the legal obligations of serving on Council, and an overview of upcoming policy topics that will come before the Council in the near future.
This outline includes a combination of a digital resource library as well as a one- or two-day workshop, depending on the preferences of the newly elected Councilmembers. The workshop outline and digital resources library index are included as Attachment A. The outline includes the following nine discussion sections:
1. Introduction to the City Organization
2. Councilmember Specific Information
3. Legal Update and Considerations while on Council
4. Council Meeting Procedures and Protocols
5. Policy Role in Land Use Planning
6. Financial Responsibilities, Budgeting and Performance Measurements
7. Communications and Community Engagement
8. Emergency Preparedness
9. Major Projects and Upcoming Items
In addition to this Onboarding outline and workshop, Councilmembers are subject to mandatory trainings including AB 1234 ethics training, anti-harassment training, and cybersecurity training.
The League of California Cities also annually hosts a Mayors and Councilmembers Academy that covers the legal, financial, and practical fundamentals of serving as an elected official in California. The next such training is January 22-24, 2025 in Sacramento. New Councilmembers may request to attend and the City will cover related expenses and assist with arrangements.
ANALYSIS
The Policy and Services Committee reviewed the previously approved onboarding outline at its October 8, 2024 meeting1 and recommended several updates. The Committee recommended that this year’s onboarding include:
•The opportunity for a budget deep dive for any interested new Councilmember •A summary of some practices Councilmembers have used for meeting preparation •A summary of some practices Councilmembers have used to receive public input (e.g., office hours)
•Process for adding items to an agenda
On the second and third bullets, following Council approval of this recommendation, staff will ask current Councilmembers for their input on what they would like to share on these topics.
The Committee also recommended that staff more strongly emphasize certain topics included in the adopted outline, including the:
•Virtual library of key City documents and reference material •Procedures and Protocols Handbook sections on the role/responsibility of a Councilmember when assigned to regional boards/outside agencies, as well as information on parliamentary procedures, especially relating to motions •Roles of Council Appointed Officers (CAOs) and how the CAOs interact with Council and each other
FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT
Implementation of this activity is accomplished within existing resources. 1 Policy & Services Committee, October 8, 2024, Agenda Item # 1, Staff Report #: 2409-3502 https://portal.laserfiche.com/Portal/DocView.aspx?id=98675&repo=r-704298fc&
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
The Council previously engaged on this in 2022 and approved the existing outline through public meetings.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Not a project.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: New Councilmember Onboarding Outline
APPROVED BY:
Ed Shikada, City Manager