Placentia City Council
AGENDA REPORT
TO: CITY COUNCIL
VIA: CITY ADMINISTRATOR
FROM: DEPUTY CITY ADMINISTRATOR / SUPPORT AND EMERGENCY SERVICES DATE: JANUARY 24, 2023
SUBJECT: MAKING THE LEGALLY REQUIRED FINDINGS TO CONTINUE TO AUTHORIZE THE CONDUCT OF REMOTE "TELEPHONIC" MEETINGS DURING THE STATE
OF EMERGENCY
FISCAL
IMPACT: NONE
SUMMARY:
On Friday, September 17, 2021, the Governor signed Assembly Bill (AB) 361. AB -361 allows local agencies to continue to conduct remote ("Zoom") meetings during a declared state of emergency, provided local agencies comply with specified requirements. Absent this legislation, local agencies would have had to return to traditional meetings beginning on October 1, 2021.
Starting October 1, 2021 and running through the end of 2023, to participate in remote meetings, public agencies must comply with the requirements of new subsection (e) of Government Code section 54953. By majority vote the City Council must determine that "as a result of the emergency, meeting in person would present imminent risks to the health or safety of attendees," and that a state of emergency remains active and continues to directly impact the ability of the members to meet safely in person.
Staff recommended that that both the initial determination, and all subsequent determinations be made by City Council Resolution. At the January 18, 2022 meeting, City Council approved Resolution R-2022-01 making the initial determination. At the February 15, 2022 meeting, City Council approved Resolution R-2022-04, and on March 15, 2022 City Council approved Resolution R-2022-12, and on April 19, 2022 City Council approved Resolution R-2022-19, and on May 17, 2022 City Council approved Resolution R-2022-27, and on June 19, 2022 City Council approved Resolution R-2022-39, and on July 19, 2022 City Council approved Resolution R-2022- 46, and on September 20, 2022 City Council approved R-2022-59, and on October 18, 2022 City Council Approved R-2022-65, and on November 15, 2022 City Council approved R-2022-73, and on December 6, 2022 City Council approved R-2022-81, and on January 10, 2023 City Council approved R-2023-01 making the determination to continue to authorize the conduct of remote meetings. Approval of Resolution R-2023-06 (Attachment 1) would continue to confirm the subsequent determination to continue remote meetings in 2023.
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Jan 24, 2023
City Council Agenda
January 24, 2023
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council take the following action:
Approve Resolution R-2023-06, a Resolution of the City Council of the City of Placentia, California, making the legally required findings to continue to authorize the conduct of remote "telephonic" meetings during the state of emergency.
STRATEGIC PLAN STATEMENT:
There is no specific strategic planning goal or objective associated with this agenda item.
DISCUSSION:
On March 4, 2020, Governor Newsom declared a state of emergency. That declaration is still in effect. Since March 12, 2020, Executive Orders from the Governor have relaxed various Brown Act meeting requirements to allow remote meetings and to temporarily suspended the Brown Act provisions requiring the physical presence of members at the public meetings. The most recent extension of that authorization expired at the end of September 2021.
Starting October 1, 2021 and running through the end of 2023, to participate in remote meetings, public agencies must comply with the requirements of new subsection (e) of Government Code section 54953.
The first remote public meeting of a legislative body on or after October 1, 2021 is allowed only if it is during a state of emergency proclaimed by the Governor, and at least one of the following is true:
1. State or local officials have imposed or recommended measures to promote social distancing; or
2. The legislative body is holding a meeting for the purpose of determining "whether as a result of the emergency, meeting in person would present imminent risks to the health or safety of attendees." That is, the legislative body will be determining whether there is such risk; or
3. By "majority vote" the legislative body determines that "as a result of the emergency, meeting in person would present imminent risks to the health or safety of attendees." That is, the legislative body already determined there is such risk.
Any time after the first remote meeting of the legislative body, it can meet remotely if both of the following apply:
1. State/local emeraencv/social distancing. Either:
a. "A state of emergency remains active;" or
b. State or local officials have imposed or recommended measures to promote social distancing;" and
City Council Agenda
January 24, 2023
2. 30 days. Within the last 30 days (which vote may occur at that meeting) the legislative body has made the following findings by majority vote:
a. The legislative body has reconsidered the circumstances of the state of emergency; and
b. Any of the following circumstances exist:
i. The state of emergency continues to directly impact the ability of the members to meet safely in person; or
ii. State or local officials continue to impose or recommend measures to promote social distancing.
Subsection (e)(3) of Government Code section 54953 states that after the legislative body makes this determination, the legislative body must make this determination "every 30 days thereafter." The City Council made the initial determination to conduct remote meetings in 2022 at the January 18, 2022 meeting by adopting Resolution R-2022-01, and the City Attorney and Staff recommend that for each subsequent meeting (until there is no longer a desire to meet remotely), the City Council approve a Consent Calendar item to make the legally required finding described in subsection (e)(3), and thereby allow the City Council and all boards, commissions, and committees to continue to meet remotely.
Approval of Resolution R-2023-06 (Attachment 1) would confirm the subsequent determination to continue remote meetings for an additional 30 days.
Prepared by: Reviewed and approved:
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Carole M. Wayman Ros nna Ramirez
Deputy City Clerk Deputy City Admini�or
Reviewed and approved:
Damien R. Arruga
City Administrator
Attachment:
Resolution R-2023-06 — Authorizing Continued Remote Meeting Participation