City of Sacramento Page 1
PERSONNEL AND PUBLIC EMPLOYEES COMMITTEE
Angelique Ashby, Chair, District 1
Katie Valenzuela, Vice Chair, District 4
Sean Loloee, District 2
Jeff Harris, District 3
COMMITTEE STAFF
Mindy Cuppy, City Clerk
Wendy Klock-Johnson, Assistant City Clerk
Fhanysha Gaddis, Senior Deputy City Attorney
Personnel and Public
Employees Committee
City Hall-Council Chamber
915 I Street, 1st Floor
Published by the Office of the City Clerk
(916) 808-5163
CORRESPONDENCE
Description of Attached: Correspondence received after publishing the Agenda.
For the Meeting of: Tuesday, May 24, 2022 at 3:00 p.m.
Agenda Item: Discussion Item 5
5. An Ordinance Adding Chapter 1.14 to the Sacramento City Code, Relating to Procedure for Mayor or Councilmember Vacancies, and Amending Chapter 2.40 of the Sacramento City Code, Relating to Boards and Commissions Generally File ID: 2022-01121
Location: Citywide
Recommendation: 1) Review an Ordinance adding Chapter 1.14 to the Sacramento City Code, relating to the procedure for Mayor or Councilmember vacancies, and amending Chapter 2.40 of the Sacramento City Code, relating to boards and commissions generally; and 2) pass a Motion forwarding the ordinance to the City Council for adoption.
Contact: Mindy Cuppy, City Clerk, (916) 808-5442, [email protected], Wendy Klock-Johnson, Chief Assistant City Clerk, (916) 808-7509, [email protected], Office of the City Clerk From: Mindy Cuppy
To: Public Comment
Subject: FW: P&PE Committee May 24, 2022 Discussion Item 5 - LWVSC&SPAN Comments Date: Monday, May 23, 2022 3:39:15 PM
Attachments: SPAN-LWV PPEComment 5.23.22.pdf
From: Charlene Jones <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, May 23, 2022 3:38 PM
To: Mindy Cuppy <[email protected]>
Cc: Paula Lee <[email protected]>; Nicolas Heidorn <[email protected]> Subject: P&PE Committee May 24, 2022 Discussion Item 5 - LWVSC&SPAN Comments
Hello,
We are once again relying on you to forward our comments (see attached letter) to the City Council's P&PE Committee regarding discussion item 5 on its meeting agenda for tomorrow May 24, 2022.
Thank you for your ongoing assistance,
Charlene Jones
League of Women Voters of Sacramento County
1 May 23, 2022
Sacramento City Council
Personnel and Public Employees Committee
Sacramento City Council
City Hall
Sacramento, CA
RE: Item 5 - Boards & Commissions Procedures - Amendments Requested
Dear PP&E Committee Members:
On behalf of the Sacramento Policy Analysis Network (SPAN) and the League of Women Voters of Sacramento County, we are writing to request three amendments to the proposed ordinance to regulate the procedures of city boards and commissions. We support the overall goal of clarifying and standardizing the procedures of city boards and commissions. However, we are concerned that two sections in this proposal could impact the efficiency and work product quality of city boards and commissions.
Specifically, we request the following changes:
1. Amend 2.40.140.D. This section authorizes commissions to hold special meetings with the approval of the City Clerk. However, the section does not include any standards by which the City Clerk makes such approvals. We recommend this section require the City Clerk approve a special meeting unless staffing or logistical constraints would prevent holding the meeting.
2. Eliminate Section 2.40.160: This section would prohibit commissions and boards from establishing standing or ad hoc committees. However, these committees enable bodies to carefully consider complex proposals in a more timely manner. Many city commissions and boards meet monthly, or less frequently, and have no full-time dedicated staff, so community volunteers are required to work on an ongoing basis to develop reports and policy recommendations for the City Council. As the City Council (which uses standing and ad hoc committees) is well-aware, some policy proposals may take time and several meetings, including meetings to hear from experts and the public, to develop. Having committees which can meet between meetings can improve the effectiveness of boards and commissions. Moreover, if a commission or board has an
2 extensive charge or lengthy agenda, such policy deep-dives with substantial recommendations may not be possible without a committee structure. We therefore recommend eliminating this requirement.
3. Add 2.40.210. One concern we have heard from volunteers serving on city boards and commissions is that, after their recommendations are submitted to the City Council, there is no clear process or timeline which the Council uses to consider these recommendations. Reports are sometimes received on the City Council’s “consent calendar” without discussion, presentation, or further action. This undermines the purpose of advisory bodies and could be seen as dismissing the work of residents who serve on boards and commissions to improve their city. We believe this ordinance is an excellent opportunity to create a productive process for more thoughtful and timely action on board or commission policy recommendations. We recommend that, whenever a board or commission submits a policy recommendation for City Council consideration, it be agendized for the Law and Legislation Committee’s evaluation. A representative of the board or commission should be invited to present in the same manner as city staff present analyses. The ordinance could provide:
2.40.210. Whenever a board or commission submits policy recommendations to the City Council, these recommendations shall be agendized first for consideration by the Law and Legislation Committee within 90 days of submission. A representative of the board or commission shall be invited to present the recommendations.
In addition, we further recommend that the P&PE Committee, rather than forward this draft ordinance to the full City Council now, hold this item over to another meeting so that staff may solicit input on this proposed ordinance (e.g., a survey) from members currently serving on city boards and commissions, and have staff present that feedback at the next meeting.
We commend the City Council for bringing forward an ordinance to improve the city’s boards and commission procedures. Affirming the work of our community and hearing the perspectives of Sacramentans currently volunteering their time on these boards and commissions will further strengthen this ordinance.
Thank you,
/s/ Brenda Main /s/ Nicolas Heidorn
President Director
League of Women Voters Sacramento Policy Analysis Network of Sacramento County
From: Jon Marshack
To: Public Comment
Subject: P&PE Committee Meeting of May 24, 2022 - Agenda Item #5 Date: Monday, May 23, 2022 2:19:52 PM
Comments on Personnel and Public Employees Committee agenda Item #5, An Ordinance Amending Chapter 2.40 of the Sacramento City Code, Relating to Boards and Commissions Generally, File ID: 2022-01121.
This proposed ordinance would add Section 2.40.160 Standing and ad hoc committees, which states, “City boards and commissions may not establish standing committees or ad hoc committees.”
As a former Preservation Commissioner of seven years and Chair of that commission for two years, I urge you to remove this section from the proposed ordinance that you send to the City Council for adoption. Ad hoc and standing committees are crucial to the proper functioning of City Boards and Commissions by providing the manpower and expertise to review and develop supporting background information and potential advisory and regulatory tools, some of which eventually wind up in City-adopted ordinances, standards, criteria, and guidelines.
The city does not necessarily pay for the expertise and time spent by members of these committees; essentially augmenting the efforts of city staff. This is especially important when city staff devoted to critical issues are in short supply and hampered by tight budgets.
By way of example, while on the Preservation Commission in 2017, I lead an effort by its Infill Development Ad Hoc Committee to develop Interim Principles for the Protection of Historic Districts and Landmarks with Respect to Infill Development within the Central City.
That document contained recommendations adopted by the full commission and forwarded to the Preservation Director. Numerous aspects of these recommendations formed the basis of development standard and criteria contained in Sacramento’s Historic District Plans, adopted by the City Council in 2019, that currently guide development within historic districts while preserving the integrity of our irreplaceable historic and cultural resources.
In summary, ad hoc and standing committees are crucial to the success of City boards and commissions. Formation of these committees should be retained.
Sincerely,
Dr. Jon B. Marshack
2308 H Street
Sacramento, CA 95816-4109