Governance and Ethics Committee:
12/4/2023
Item #3
1 Governance &
Ethics Committee
Item #3 Review Council
Policy and Procedure 007
(“Citizen Complaints
Addressed to the City
Council”)
December 4, 2023
Background
• Policy and Procedure 007 “Citizen Complaints
Addressed
to the City Council” was last revised in
1992
• Council Policy 007 provides a general framework on
the handling of constituent
requests
• The primary goal of this policy is to provide
exceptional service to
constituents and provide
support
to the City Council on issues that may arise
in
Councilmembers’ interactions with the public
2 1
2 Post Meeting Materials
Governance and Ethics Committee:
12/4/2023
Item #3
2 • In the effort to align the policy with the City Charter that provides for the City Manager to guide and direct staff, revisions to the Policy provide general guidance on the process for addressing:
(1) Constituent Requests for Service
(2) Constituent Operational and Policy Interpretation Questions, and (3) Constituent Legal Inquiries.
• A reference copy of the memorandum from the City Manager on City Council Inquiries and Requests to Staff offers guidance on how members of the City Council should submit requests and constituent inquiries to City staff. This will be periodically reissued when staff members or assignments change.
3 Proposed Council Policy 007
• The Mayor and Council may receive requests or complaints from constituents directly by phone, in person, by email, or in writing. • This policy is intended to cover requests and inquiries from City labor unions and entities (for profit and nonprofit) that conduct or seek to conduct business with the City and entities that receive/seek support from the City in the form of grants or other contributions. Under this policy, requests and inquiries from these entities shall be considered constituent matters. 4 Proposed Council Policy 007
3 4
Governance and Ethics Committee:
12/4/2023
Item #3
3 Procedure
1. Constituent Requests for Service
a) Councilmembers should strive to refer constituents to the City’s official service request system, where they can submit their City service requests directly.
b) Councilmembers may also refer constituent inquiries and requests to the City Manager or other staff as designated by the City Manager. 5 Procedure
2. Constituent Operational and Policy Interpretation Questions a) Councilmembers shall refer operational and policy interpretation questions on specific matters to the City Manager or the appropriate staff member as designated by the City Manager.
b) Councilmembers shall refrain from interpreting City policy and suggesting solutions to operational matters to constituents or City staff (with the exception of the City Manager, City Attorney, or other City elected officials). c) Councilmembers should not attempt to serve as a proxy for policy or operational matters raised by a constituent. This includes requesting generic information from City staff and/or conducting research independent of City staff and attempting to answer or resolve operational or policy matters raised by constituents.
6 5
6 Governance and Ethics Committee:
12/4/2023
Item #3
4 Procedure
3. Constituent Legal Inquiries
a) Councilmembers shall refer legal matters received from constituents to the City Attorney, or the appropriate staff member as designated by the City Attorney.
b) Councilmembers should refrain from interpreting legal matters. 7 Committee Discussion
• Approve amendments to Policy and Procedure 007 (“Citizen Complaints Addressed to the City Council”) and bring forth to City Council for Consideration and Adoption as Council Policy 007 (“Constituent Complaints Addressed to the City Council”)
8 7
8 Governance and Ethics Committee:
12/4/2023
Item #3
5 Governance &
Ethics Committee
Item #3 Review Council
Policy and Procedure 007
(“Citizen Complaints
Addressed to the City
Council”)
December 4, 2023
9