Rules of Conduct
and Decorum
Project
Mayor James A. Light
September 2, 2025
The path to rules of conduct and decorum
1. First targeted at Council and Commission civility in public meetings
• “Rules of Conduct for Council Meetings”
• About 1 page of decorum
• “Commissioner’s Handbook”
• Included Council Meeting Rules of Conduct
• Narratives about expectations of Commissioners
• Later received several staff reports on changes requested by previous Council but never acted upon
2 Light on decorum, some guidance on meeting procedures The path to rules of conduct and decorum
2. Some of Council’s concerns ended up being rooted in duties and roles of specific Commissions
• Municipal Code defines Commissions
• Title 2 Administration, Chapter 9 Boards and Commissions • Article 1 Uniform Codes - Applies to all Commissions
• Articles 4 – 15 - Individual Commissions
• Creation, Membership and Terms, Powers and Duties (Some Commissions add more)
• Many more ordinances infer or outright define roles for Commissions 3 Inconsistencies, duplications, loose definitions allowed wide interpretation by individual Commissioners
The path to rules of conduct and decorum
3. Actions of public added concerns with ability to enforce Public civility
• Weak on instructions to the public
• Very light coverage of public comment on Agenda cover • Guidance in Council Code of Conduct and Commissioner Handbook • Some reference and guidance, but no meat for substantive action 4 Review with City Attorney Webb concluded we did not have the documentation required to take meaningful action
The path to rules of conduct and decorum
4. After near issue at City Council meeting, Chief Hoffman provided me scripts from another city leading that defined statements leading to removal of disruptive members of the public
• Review with City Attorney Webb
• Can’t implement without more back up documentation
5 The path to rules of conduct and decorum
5. City Attorney Webb April Briefing
• Since inception, City Council never adopted procedural standards for conduct of meeting
• Council would ask him to adjudicate procedural details against an undefined standard
• Example: How many substitute motions can the Council have? • Recommended tailoring of Rosenberg’s Rules of Order
6 Summary of Tasking and Results
City Council &
Commission
Civility
Definitively
bound scope of
Commissions
Ability to control
public
disruptions
Adopt formal
meeting
procedures
Project Objectives
Summary of Tasking and Results
City Council &
Commission
Civility
Definitively
bound scope of
Commissions
Ability to control
public
disruptions
Adopt formal
meeting
procedures
Project Objectives
Existing Documentation
Rules of Conduct
For Council Meetings
Commissioner
Handbook
Municipal Code Agenda Instructions
Gardena Scripts Rosenberg’s
Rules Of Order
Staff work
never
acted
upon
Summary of Tasking and Results
City Council &
Commission
Civility
Definitively
bound scope of
Commissions
Ability to control
public
disruptions
Adopt formal
meeting
procedures
Project Objectives
Existing Documentation
Rules of Conduct
For Council Meetings
Commissioner
Handbook
Municipal Code Agenda Instructions
Gardena Scripts Rosenberg’s
Rules Of Order
Tailoring
Creating
Integrating
Aligning
Staff input
Staff work
never
acted
upon
Summary of Tasking and Results
10 City Council &
Commission
Civility
Definitively bound
scope of
Commissions
Ability to control
public disruptions
Adopt formal
meeting
procedures
Project Objectives
Existing Documentation
Rules of Conduct
For Council Meetings
Commissioner
Handbook
Municipal Code Agenda Instructions
Gardena Scripts Rosenberg’s
Rules Of Order
Recommendations
Disband
Public Safety
Commission
Tailoring
Creating
Integrating
Aligning
Staff input
Add some safety
tasks to PW&SC
Municipal Code changes
- Eliminate conflicts and Dups
- Define Commission roles
more tightly
- Update to current practices
- Improve Youth Commission
Updated and new Rules of
Conduct and Decorum
- Tailored for Redondo Council
& Commissions
Updated Agenda
Updated Rules of Public
Participation, Conduct and
Decorum
• Incorporated into Agenda and
Rules of Conduct and Decorum
Scripts and actions
coordinated with PD and City
Attorney related to disruptive
behaviors Staff work
never acted
upon
All products integrated and in sync
Rules of Conduct and Decorum
Authority: City Charter Article IX Section 9.8:
• “The City Council may establish rules for the conduct of its proceedings and punish any member or any other person in attendance for disorderly conduct at any of its meetings.” Summary of Changes:
• Almost a total rewrite
• Section 1: Policy on Meeting Conduct – unchanged
• Section 2: Participation via teleconference – minor mods based on attorney comments • QUESTION: Does Council want to continue teleconference participation for general public? • Section 3: Rules, Guidelines, and Procedures for Conduct of Meetings – mostly new • Rosenburg’s Rules of Conduct tailored in fairly extensive detail to our standard agenda, including hearings • Establishes 9:30 as time for Council to decide whether to truncate agenda and continue remaining items (other than Public Participation on Non-Agenda Items)
• Emphasizes role of Commissions and Staff Liaisons, emphasizes limit on Commission authorities • Describes procedures for and types of motions
• Defines rules for Public Participation
• QUESTION: Does Council want to adopt written records of ex-parte discussions similar to Coastal Commission? 11 Rules of Conduct and Decorum
Summary of Changes:
• Section 4: Describes Public Participant Rules of Conduct, Decorum and Courtesy • Defines public conduct, enforcement of conduct, scripts for meeting disruptions, and rules of decorum and courtesy
• Section 5: Courtesy, Decorum and Personal Conduct of Council and Commissioners • Compliance with California law and City Charter
• Conflicts of Interest
• Mutual respect for Council, staff and members of the public • Refrain from interruption
• Wait to be recognized
• Be prepared to vote, vote on merits of decision
• Mindful of dealings outside public meetings
• Prohibition on misuse of position
• Follow same rules of courtesy and decorum as public
• Limited use of electronic devices
• Nominations and Elections
• Attendance
• Accomplishing mandated training
• Limiting Commissioners to defined scope of Commission • Reminder Commissioners serve at the will of the Council • Remote meeting participation 12
Standard Agenda
Summary of Limited Suggested Changes
• Adds rules for public participation consequences of violations • Cleans up items such as Pledge of Allegiance for Closed Session • Changes start times to 3:30 PM for Closed Session and 5:30PM for Open Session • Rationale: Council has proven it needs more time in closed session, starting early ensures earlier end of meeting
• Expands Mayor and Council Referrals to include referrals to Commissions and SubCommittees • Rationale: Better reflects practice
• QUESTION:
• Does Council want to change start times?
13 Scripts for Disruptive Members of the Public
Completely new
Implemented early but recently developed as part of this project • Used City of Gardena scripts as a point of departure
• Developed in collaboration with City Attorney and Police Chief • Provides individual scripts for:
• Exceeding time
• Disruptive individuals
• Disruptive groups
• Disruptive remote participants
• After warnings directs disruptive public member(s) to leave • Clears Civic Center if disruptive member(s) refuse to cooperate • Prohibits disruptive member(s) from reentering
14 Ordinance Changes
Significant rewrite of Municipal Code “Title 2 Chapter 9 – Boards and Commissions”
Summary of Changes:
• Article 1 Uniform Regulation
• Moved all generic codes related to terms, organization, proceedings, membership eligibility, and general powers and duties into Article 1 • Addressed term anomaly related to Leap Years
• Eliminated authority to develop own rules and regulations, to subpoena/compel attendance, and to administer an oath
• Limits absences to 4 over rolling period of preceding 12 months (Does council want different metric?)
• Documented authority to form Sub-Committees
• Defines general powers and duties as advisors to Council. • Clearly defines & limits scope, powers and duties of Commissions and Commissioners • Removed right to subpoena people
• Updates to reflect recent practice in Commissions
• Other minor clean up items 15
Ordinance Changes
Significant rewrite of Municipal Code “Title 2 Chapter 9 – Boards and Commissions”
Summary of Changes:
• Article 4 Public Works, Traffic, Safety and Sustainability Commission • Renames Commission
• Removed sections that were duplicative to Article 1
• Tightened up existing language on powers and duties
• Added annual review of public safety related statistics and trends as well public safety items referred by Council
16 Ordinance Changes
Significant rewrite of Municipal Code “Title 2 Chapter 9 – Boards and Commissions”
Summary of Changes:
• Article 6 Youth Commission
• Changes previously approved by Council
• Article 7 Harbor Commission
• Removed sections that were duplicative to Article 1
• Significantly changes appointment qualifications
• Rationale: Former quals written for a more independent Harbor Commission, appointments have been troublesome due to specificity
• Adds detail to powers and duties to better reflect current practice • Cleans up wording related to advising Council on all new leases and subleases (which has not been done for decades)
• Documents Harbor Commission review role in zoning changes under Harbor jurisdiction. 17 Ordinance Changes
Significant rewrite of Municipal Code “Title 2 Chapter 9 – Boards and Commissions”
Summary of Changes:
• Article 8 Public Safety Commission
• Terminated per previous action of Council
• Article 10 Planning Commission
• Removed sections that were duplicative to Article 1
• Significantly expanded section on powers and duties so Commissioners are not required to search entire Muni Code
18 Ordinance Changes
Significant rewrite of Municipal Code “Title 2 Chapter 9 – Boards and Commissions”
Summary of Changes:
• Article 13 Budget and Finance Commission
• Minor changes for consistency with other Commissions
• Article 14 Cultural Arts Commission
• Eliminated “original term” provisions as these are no longer relevant • Added leeway on Commission qualifications
• Eliminated relief from monthly meetings clause as we now use votes by the Commission to cancel meetings
• Aligns Commission to be monthly like all others unless canceled by Commissioners • Eliminated special meetings section as it is incorporated for all Commissions under Article 1 19
Ordinance Changes
Significant rewrite of Municipal Code “Title 2 Chapter 9 – Boards and Commissions” (Cont)
Summary of Changes:
• Article 15 Public Amenities Commission
• Made changes to reflect actual duties of Commission
• Incorporates substantive changes recommended by staff Other Municipal Code Ordinances
• During code research found outdated references to several commissions • Minor updates to align with current Commission structure 20 Summary
• Project aimed at meeting specific objectives specified by Council over time • Project draft products involved existing city documents and ordinances, Rosenberg’s Rules of Conduct, City of Gardena scripts, inputs from reviews and discussions with staff, City Attorney, some of the Council, and others. • Draft products eliminate known inconsistencies and duplications • Draft product addresses Council objectives
21 Recommendation
• Provide guidance on questions raised during briefing
• Does the Council still want public participation electronically? • Does Council want to adopt written records of ex-parte discussions similar to Coastal Commission?
• Does Council support suggested start times (3:30 and 5:30) • What number of absences per year should be grounds for removal of Commissioner?
• Continue item to future meeting to give Council time to review and develop specific recommendations (see recommended process next page). 22 Recommended Path Forward
23 Councilmembers
provide
recommendations
to Mayor
Mayor tracks
comments in
Comment
Verification Matrix
Mayor integrates
inputs and drafts
recommended
changes
Staff, CA, Clerk
review
recommended
changes
Mayor produces new
draft for Council
review and provides
Comment
Verification Matrix
Councilmember Section Comment/Concern/Recommendation Comment Reconciliation XXXXXXX Rules of Conduct
2.A.b.
Recommend reducing total remote meetings
by a member to 6
Comment accepted, conflicting number presented in another comment, Written to 5 remote meetings as compromise
YYYYYYYY Rules of Conduct
2.A.b.
Recommend reducing total remote meetings
by a member to 3
Comment accepted, conflicting number presented in another comment, Written to 5 remote meetings as compromise
XXXXXXXX Rules of Conduct 3
3.2- 3.
Recommend moving this item to 3 3.2- 4. Rejected. Current order makes more sense for the following reasons – Reason 1;Reason 2;Reason 3;Reason 4;Reason 5, etc.
Sample Comment Verification Matrix
Rationale:
1) Mayor is only one who can receive comments from all Councilmembers outside of meeting 2) Subcommittee can only take inputs at public meeting
3) Subcommittee cannot meet with each councilmember to clarify concern/intent 4) Subcommittee puts 3 of the Council at a disadvantage with reviews