City Council
Staff Report
From: City Manager
Report Type: ACTION ITEMS
Lead Department: City Manager
Meeting Date: January 12, 2026
Report #:2512-5778
TITLE
Review and Approval of Suggested Changes to the City Council Procedures and Protocols Handbook as Recommended by the Policy and Services Committee. CEQA Status – Not a project.
RECOMMENDATION
The Policy and Services Committee recommends that the City Council review and approve suggested changes to the City Council Procedures and Protocols Handbook. The recommended suggestions relate to Brown Act Amendments, Proclamations, Consent Calendar Process, and Mayor/Vice Mayor Compensation. Other suggested changes may also be discussed.
BACKGROUND
The Municipal Code provides that the City Council shall adopt “a handbook of procedural rules governing any aspect of the conduct of meetings and hearings for the Council and its standing committees, including but not limited to agenda requirements, the order of business, rules of order, rules of evidence, closed session procedures and rules for public participation in meetings.” The City Council adopted the first version of the City Council Procedures and Protocols Handbook in the early 2000s and regularly updates the Handbook. The Handbook is available on the City’s website.1
Section 8.1 of the Handbook states the frequency that City Council should review the Handbook.
This year is the first year of returning to a regular review of the Handbook as the City Council chose not to do additional Handbook review in late 2024 given the extensive work done in 2023 and early 2024.
On December 15, 2025, the City Council adopted two changes to the Handbook recommended by the Policy and Services Committee.2 These recommended changes came from the November 1 https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/files/assets/public/v/6/city-clerk/city-charterprocedures/2024-adopted-council- protocols-and-procedures-manual-10.2024.pdf
2 City Council Meeting, December 15, 2025, Item #9. Link:
https://cityofpaloalto.primegov.com/Portal/Meeting?meetingTemplateId=16357
19, 2025 Policy and Services Committee 5 discussion of recurring City Council items and were suggestions intended to lighten the load on City Council meeting agendas. Changes went to City Council for approval separate from the regular Handbook review as one of them was a timely item for approval. The two items included reviewing the Handbook in odd years and providing committee chairs the discretion to call January committee meetings if needed.
On December 9, 2025, the Policy and Services Committee, during this year’s regular Handbook review, discussed suggested changes from both staff and members of the City Council. After discussion, the Committee recommended Handbook changes related to some of the suggested items. The Analysis section of this report summarizes the proposed changes. Other suggestions (provided in Attachment B) were not recommended at this time but may be further discussed by the full City Council.
ANALYSIS
The Policy and Services Committee recommends the following revisions to the Handbook:
1. Brown Act Amendments (Procedures Section 2.3): Updates based on SB 707: Further information below (copied from the Policy and Services December 9, 2025 staff report)
2. Proclamations (Procedures Section 3.2): Based on previous City Council direction in 2023, staff updated the guidelines for proclamation issuance based on best practice.
3. Consent Calendar (Procedures Section 3.8): If an item is pulled from Consent, hear it as the first action item for brief discussion (limited to 10 minutes) at that meeting if feasible, and continue it to another meeting if it is not resolved within that timeframe.
4. Mayor and Vice Mayor Additional Compensation (Protocols Section 4.1): Update this language to remove this section from the Handbook given that City Councilmember compensation is already at the highest authorized level according to State law.
The redlined draft Handbook is included in Attachment A with these proposed changes. Of note, in the redlined Handbook, staff also included language adopted on December 16, 2024 6 related to Councilmember expense reimbursement. These changes are shown in redline since they are not currently reflected in the published Handbook.
Recommended revision #1 - SB 707 Brown Act Amendments Updates SB 707 extends and revises the alternative teleconferencing provisions of AB 2449, which was also known as “just cause” or “emergency circumstances” teleconferencing. The redlines in the 5 Policy and Services Committee Meeting, November 19, 2025, Item #5; Link:
https://cityofpaloalto.primegov.com/Portal/Meeting?meetingTemplateId=16308 6 City Council Meeting, December 16, 2024, Item #26. Link:
https://cityofpaloalto.primegov.com/Portal/Meeting?meetingTemplateId=14537 attachment incorporate the following new alternative teleconferencing provisions, effective January 1, 2026:
• Extends expiration date to 2030,
• Removes the procedural differences between attending remotely for “just cause” or for “emergency circumstances,”
• Expands “just cause” to include certain military service obligations, and • Requires meeting minutes to identify specific provision a member relies on to participate remotely.
Other requirements associated with just-cause alternative teleconferencing, such as participating by video, remain in place.
Staff will return to the Committee and the City Council to discuss and seek recommendations on the implementation of other SB 707 provisions. The City Clerk’s Office and City Attorney’s Office are coordinating with several other departments to ensure these changes can be discussed by Councilmembers and implemented before SB 707’s effective dates in January and July of 2026.
Staff anticipates public discussion of these changes at the following meetings:
Quarter 1 Calendar Year 2026 –tentatively February 2026 Policy and Services Committee Policy guidance on public outreach and access, subsidiary bodies’ teleconferencing, and technology disruption policy.
Quarter 2 Calendar Year 2026 –Action Item at City Council Meeting anticipated in spring Adoption of a policy regarding technology disruptions during council meetings and adoption or direction regarding public outreach and access and subsidiary bodies.
Preview new practices regarding virtual public participation and agenda translation, as applicable.
Recommended Revision #2 – Proclamations
Staff provided a recommended revision to reflect current practice with minor clarifications.
Recommended Revision #3 – Handling of pulled Consent Calendar Items Following discussion, the Policy and Services Committee recommended revised wording to facilitate resolution of straightforward issues, while recognizing that some issues may require deferral to future City Council meetings.
Recommended Revision #4 – Mayor and Vice Mayor Additional Compensation The Policy and Services Committee recommended deleting this unnecessary language in Protocols Section 4.1. The language became obsolete when City Council compensation was increased. On the substance of the issue, the Committee reviewed prior City Council action which sought to establish a committee of Council-appointed designees to review and make recommendations for updated Councilmember compensation. The Councilmember compensation committee was never formed. The Policy and Services Committee discussed the need for an alternative approach for identifying committee members.
FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT
No fiscal impact known at this time for the Handbook review.
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
Staff solicited suggestions from City Councilmembers with a due date of December 1, 2025. Those items were included for Committee review at the December 9, 2025 meeting.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Council action on this item is not a project as defined by CEQA because revising the Procedures and Protocols Handbook is a continuing administrative or maintenance activity. CEQA Guidelines section 15378(b)(2).
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: Council Protocols and Procedures Manual December 2025 Redline Attachment B: Compilation of All Suggested Handbook Ideas, 2025 APPROVED BY:
Ed Shikada, City Manager