Item 7b
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) does not apply to the recommended action in this report, because the action does not constitute a “Project” under CEQA Guidelines Sec. 15378.
FISCAL IMPACT
Budgeted: No Budget Year: 2025-26
Funding Identified: Yes
Fiscal Analysis:
Funding
Sources
Total Budget
Available
Current
Funding
Request
Remaining
Balance
Annual
Ongoing
Cost
General Fund N/A $ $ $
State
Federal
Fees
Other:
Total $ N/A $ $ $
There are no fiscal impacts associated with this action.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Council could make additional revisions to the Council’s Policies and Procedures Manual and adopt the revised language, or direct staff to make additional revisions and return with revised language. Direction to staff to return with revised language would delay adoption and implementation of the revised policies and procedures.
2. Council could take no action. This would leave possible ambiguity for the City Council and increase the risk of misunderstanding or improper disclosure of sensitive information.
ATTACHMENTS
A –Resolution amending Council Policies and Procedures Chapter 5 and Chapter 7
R _____
RESOLUTION NO. _______ (2026 SERIES)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING ESTABLISHED COUNCIL’S
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES CHAPTER 5 - COUNCIL/STAFF
RELATIONS AND CHAPTER 7 - CONFIDENTIALITY
WHEREAS, the City Council has adopted a certain manual entitled “Council Policies and Procedures” to define and ensure the proper conduct of the City’s business by the City Council and in compliance with State law and the City’s Charter and Ordinances; and
WHEREAS, the Council periodically revises its Council Policies and Procedures to ensure clarity, consistency with State law, and conformity with the City Charter and Ordinances.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of San Luis Obispo as follows:
SECTION 1. Council Policies and Procedures, Chapters 5 and 7, shall be amended as set forth below:
5.1GUIDELINES FOR STAFF
Staff shall recognize that its primary function is to execute Council policy and to keep the Council informed. Staff shall present the Council with all relevant information, as well as alternatives, in an objective, succinct manner. The City Manager and staff are committed to treating each Council Member equally.
5.3.1 TIMELY RESPONSE
City staff will make every effort to respond in a timely and professional manner to all requests made by individual Council Members for information or assistance, provided that, in the judgment of the City Manager the request is not of a magnitude, either in terms of workload or policy, which would require that it more appropriately be assigned to staff through the collective direction of the City Council. In terms of making this judgment, the following guidelines should be considered: The request should be specific and limited in scope so that staff can respond without altering other priorities and with only minimal delay to other assignments; the request should only impose a "one-time" work requirement, as opposed to an on-going work requirement; the response to the request should not require a significant allocation of staff resources (generally defined as consisting of more than one staff person, or a single staff person working on the issue in excess of 1-2 hours).
5.3.2 DIRECTION FROM COUNCIL
Resolution No. ______ (2026 Series) Page 2
R ______
Staff are obligated to take guidance and direction only from the Council as a whole or from the appropriate management superiors as may be the case. Staff are directed to reject any attempts by individual members of the Council to unduly influence or otherwise pressure them into making, changing or otherwise suppressing staff decisions or recommendations, or changing departmental work schedules and priorities. Staff shall report such attempts to influence them in confidence to the City Manager, who may inform the Council as a whole of such attempts.
5.3.3 STAFF SUPPORT TO INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBERS
An exception to the above guidelines may be staff work required in support of a Council Member designated by the City Council to represent the City in an intergovernmental role (e.g., membership of Joint Powers Authority), or relative to a special assignment (e.g., a special task force).
5.3.4 INFORMATION DISTRIBUTION
In cases where a staff response to an individual Council Member request involves written material that may be of interest to other Council Members, the City Manager will provide copies of the material to all other Council Members. In making this judgment, the City Manager will consider whether the information is significant or new or otherwise not available to the Council or of interest to the Council.
5.3.4.1 In the case of a Grand Jury report received by an elected official prior to the public release, the elected official shall discuss with the City Manager and/or City Attorney before distributing further.
7.3.1 CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION
7.3.2.1 Any information within the scope of a duly authorized closed session, whether provided orally or in writing, by any attorney, consultant, staff member or Council Member acting within the scope of the closed session (See Gov't. Code Section 54963); or
7.3.2.2 Any oral or written communications by or from the City Attorney, Assistant City Attorney, or any retained counsel representing the City’s legal interests containing the attorney's legal opinions, advice, thoughts, mental impressions or conclusions that are given on behalf of the City.
Resolution No. ______ (2026 Series) Page 3
R ______
7.3.2.3 Information marked as “Confidential” pursuant to relevant statutory authority received by virtue of your position with the City.
7.3.2.4 Confidential Information does not include information that is: required by law to be reported out of closed session; authorized to be disclosed by a majority vote of the City Council; or otherwise authorized to be disclosed under the law.
SECTION 2. Resolution Number 11645 (2026 Series) is hereby repealed and superseded to the extent inconsistent herewith.
Upon motion of Council Member ___________, seconded by Council Member ___________, and on the following roll call vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
The foregoing resolution was adopted this _____ day of _______________ 2026. __________________________
Mayor Erica A. Stewart
ATTEST:
______________________
Teresa Purrington
City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
__
____________________
J. Christine Dietrick
City Attorney
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the official seal of the City of San Luis Obispo, California, on ______________________. _________________________
Teresa Purrington
City Clerk