City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: September 27, 2022
Agenda Item: 5.C
1 of 2
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Denise Anderson Warren, City Clerk, Records and Election Services Department
Subject: Approval to Extend the Council Public Input Pilot Until March 2023 Recommended Action
Staff recommends that City Council extend the pilot program consolidating general public input and public comment on agenda items prior to Closed Session and after the Consent Calendar from December 31, 2022 to March 31, 2023.
Discussion
At the May 24, 2022, Council meeting, a study session was held to discuss ways in which Council meeting management can be improved. At that time, Council directed staff to return with a resolution adopting a pilot through December 31, 2022, consolidating public comment at the beginning of the meeting in the following manner:
Public comment on non-agenda items, Special Agenda Items, Closed Session, and all Public Agenda Items, except Public Hearings. Comments for Public Hearings (items that require public notice such as appeals, zoning changes and other items required by law) will be heard when the items are called. Council directed staff to amend the Council Rules resolution to accommodate this pilot program. The amendment was adopted by Council at the June 21, 2022, Special Council meeting to take effect with the June 28, 2022, Council meeting.
Since the implementation of the pilot, staff has been diligently working to make adjustments to the process as incidents arise, including managing the nuances of the meeting management system to correlate with the rule changes. In the meantime, several Council meetings are being cancelled and/or rescheduled in the months of 2 of 2
November and December to accommodate for Election Day and the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, limiting the time staff has to continue to ensure the process is effective and efficient. Furthermore, at least two new Councilmembers will be elected at the 2022 General Election who will not have the benefit of becoming familiar with the pilot in enough time to be able to intelligently form an opinion to vote on the matter in December when the pilot ends. Given all these circumstances, staff recommends that Council extend the pilot program for an additional three months to March 31, 2023.
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
There are no budgetary impacts associated with this staff report.
Prepared By: Nikima Newsome, Assistant City Clerk
Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. SR-06-21-2022 8.A. Amend Council Rules and Boards & Commissions Policies (1
B. R11427_Council Rules
C. Written Comment