City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: May 10, 2022
Agenda Item: 3.H
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Denise Anderson Warren, City Clerk, Records and Election Services Department
Subject: Adoption of a Resolution to Amend Council Rules of Order and Procedure for the Conduct of City Council Meetings
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the attached proposed resolution amending the City Council’s Rules of Order and Procedure.
Summary
At the April 28, 2020, City Council meeting, City Council approved Resolution No.11245 amending Rule 15 of the Rules of Order and Procedure pertaining to public testimony to accommodate public comment via teleconference as a result of social distancing requirements due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Effective April 12, 2022, City Council has reopened its meetings to members of the public. In addition, upon further review of Resolution No. 11405, adopted at the March 8, 2022 Council meeting, there was language that was found to be incongruent with the Rules of Order and Procedure adopted in Resolution No. 11172 on May 28, 2019, prior to the pandemic that the attached Resolution will address. Finally, in accordance with Charter Section 615, staff recommends that Council adopt language in the Rules of Order and Procedure stating that the adoption of all ordinances and resolutions shall be by reading of title only unless a Council member present at the meeting objects. At the May 24, 2022, Council meeting, the City Manager and City Clerk staff will bring forth a study session item concerning possible agenda/meeting format changes for Council meetings as well as 2 of 3
staffing and financial implications of implementing hybrid public comment procedures for both Council and board and commission meetings.
Discussion
The Council’s current Rules of Order and Procedure are established by Resolution No. 11405 (Attachment A). Rule 29 provides that the Rules may be amended by resolution.
To reflect the return to the procedures adopted prior to the COVID-19 pandemic for oral and written public comment, staff proposes that Council adopt a resolution (Attachment B) to amend Rule 15, which governs public comment. The amendment would be in effect immediately. Amongst other things, the proposed amendment:
• 15 (d) Returns the deadline for receiving written public comment to be viewed online to 12:00 pm on the day of the meeting;
• 15 (e) Clarifies language concerning time limits and priority order for members of the public to speak; and
• Makes other revisions throughout Rule 15 to accord with the prior procedures used for conducting meetings and eliminating any references to teleconferencing, phone queues, etc.
Finally, City Council is being asked to add Rule 29, which references Charter Section 615 to add language to comply with the Charter requirement that the adoption of all ordinances and resolutions shall be by reading of title unless a Council member present at the meeting objects.
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
There are no financial impacts as a result of this action. 3 of 3
Prepared By: Nikima Newsome, Assistant City Clerk
Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. RES-Res-CouncilRules-Revised-20220308
B. 12709 (CAO edits wNSN edits)