Governance and Ethics Committee:
12/4/2023
Item #5
1 Governance &
Ethics Committee
Item #5 Review Council
Meeting Management
Procedures
December 4, 2023
• August 17, 2021: Council Priority Session check-in
session addresse
d meeting management
procedures.
• Council passed motion to utilize a procedure for a
period of
approximately 6 months & revisit
procedures
at the 2022 Council Priority Session.
• The current following procedures are still in place
without a
formal resolution.
2 Background
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Post Meeting Materials
Governance and Ethics Committee:
12/4/2023
Item #5
2 Current Meeting Management Procedures
That each item on a Council and/or Authorities agenda shall be heard and discussed in the following procedure:
1. City staff provides a report on the item, if warranted;
2. Each Councilmember shall have the opportunity to ask their questions;
3. City staff shall, to the extent possible, provide a response to all Councilmember questions;
4. The public shall have the opportunity to provide public comment on the item;
5. At the Mayor’s request, City staff shall, to the extent possible, provide responses to the comments or questions from the public;
6. A Councilmember shall then make a motion and the motion should be seconded by another Councilmember;
7. Each Councilmember who wishes to speak to the motion (during the deliberation portion of the meeting) shall then have the opportunity to make statements regarding the motion; and;
8. A vote shall then be taken.
3 Options to Consider
• Option 1: Consider using the current procedure in place and direct staff to formalize the procedures with a formal Resolution. • Option 2: Consider revising the current procedure in one or more ways.
• Option 3: In addition, consider directing staff to consider options to replace Robert’s Rules of Order with Rosenberg Rules of Order, a simplified set of parliamentary rules used in several cities throughout California.
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4 Governance and Ethics Committee:
12/4/2023
Item #5
3 Options to Consider
5 Establish Time
Limits
Addressing
the Chair
Enforcement
Robert’s Rules
vs. Rosenberg
Rules of Order
Maintain
Behavioral
Standards for
Council
Discussion Prior
to Making a
Motion
Consent for
Extended
Comments
Establishing Time Limits
• This could help focus remarks and ensure all have an equal opportunity to speak.
• On the other hand, specific time limits and/or limits on the number of times a member is allowed to speak may negatively impact Council deliberations and information/idea sharing on important policy matters. Continuing to rely on the powers of the meeting’s Chair to guide the City Council’s discussions in a timely manner is an effective strategy that is used in many (if not most) jurisdictions. 6 5
6 Governance and Ethics Committee:
12/4/2023
Item #5
4 Consent for Extended Comments
• Councilmembers seeking to make extended comments may request consent from the Chair or the Council to allow extended speaking time.
• This can be utilized if the City Council elects to set time limits or without time limits and requested if the Chair seeks to limit discussion/questions.
7 Provision for Discussion Prior to
Making a Motion
• Council could consider the formal addition of a Council “discussions” step prior to the making of a motion.
• This is generally consistent with existing practices and can, particularly for more significant matters, facilitate the making of constructive motions that take into account the collective thoughts of the Council.
• As per standards, the Presiding Officer would manage this process with all Councilmembers given an opportunity to speak.
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8 Governance and Ethics Committee:
12/4/2023
Item #5
5 Options to Consider
• Addressing the Chair: Councilmembers should address comments to the Chair (as the Presiding Officer), not directly to other members to assist with maintaining order and civility.
• Minimize Repeating Points: Councilmembers should avoid extended restatements of points already made by others to keep discussions efficient. The Chair will preside over these matters and may minimize repeated remarks.
• Focus on Agenda Items: Comments should relate directly to the agenda items being discussed and off-topic discussions may be redirected by the Chair.
9 • Respectful Language: Maintain a professional and respectful tone during discussions and avoid personal attacks or disrespectful language based on the City Code of Ethics and Values Behavioral Standards for Councilmembers.
• No Interruptions: Allow each member to speak without interruption. • Enforcement: As the Chair of the meeting, the Presiding Officer may raise points of order to address violations of meeting rules, with a right for an appeal from the majority of the Council. Questions regarding applicable rules or questions of interpretation may be presented to the City Attorney for advice.
10 Options to Consider
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Governance and Ethics Committee:
12/4/2023
Item #5
6 Rosenberg’s Rules of Order
11 • Rosenberg’s Rules of Order is a simplified
set of parliamentary rules used in several
cities throughout California.
• Many institutions have adopted Rosenberg’s
Rules in lieu of Robert’s Rules, by finding
them practical, logical, simple, easy to learn
and user-friendly, while retaining the
basic tenets of order.
• If the Committee is interested in this option,
staff will prepare to present a comparison at a
future Committee meeting.
Governance &
Ethics Committee
Item #5 Review Council
Meeting Management
Procedures
December 4, 2023
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