CITY OF SEBASTOPOL
CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA ITEM
Meeting Date: December 19, 2023
To: Honorable City Councilmembers
From: Agenda Review Committee
Responsible Department: City Administration
Subject: Amendment to City Council Protocols/Format of Meeting Agenda and Requirement for Written Summary Reports
Recommendation: Consideration of Amendment to Council Meeting Format Funding: Currently Budgeted: ☐ Yes ☐ No Not Applicable Account Code: N/A
Costs authorized in City Approved Budget: ☐ Yes (Finance Initialed _____) ☒ No (Finance Exempt) ====================================================================================== INTRODUCTION/PURPOSE:
The item is to request Council consider the amendment to the City Council protocols for format of Council Meeting agenda and requirement for short summary reports.
BACKGROUND:
City Council Policy Number 5 was adopted to approve Establishing Rules for the Conduct of Its Meetings, Proceedings and Business to provide an effective environment for the City Council to provide leadership to ensure that the business of the City is conducted in an orderly and efficient manner to facilitate sound City Council and public deliberation and decision making. The City of Sebastopol has adopted these formal rules of procedure to govern the conduct of our meetings in an effort to increase meeting efficiency and effectiveness, and to ensure the meetings run smoothly and follow an accepted format.
DISCUSSION:
The Agenda Review Committee is comprised of the Mayor, the Vice Mayor, the City Manager, the City Attorney, the Assistant City Manager and the City Clerk and it is the Committee’s responsibility to prepare City Council agendas. Per the current Council protocols, agendas are currently formatted as follows:
CALL TO ORDER
ROLL CALL
SALUTE TO THE FLAG
ORDER OF AGENDA: At the City Council meeting, the Mayor may reorder items on the agenda to accommodate the public or to address other concerns.
PROCLAMATIONS/PRESENTATIONS
PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA (FIRST COMMENT PERIOD)
STATEMENTS OF CONFLICTS OF INTEREST BY MAYOR/CITY COUNCILMEMBERS FOR ITEMS ON THE AGENDA
CONSENT CALENDAR
INFORMATIONAL ITEMS/PRESENTATION
PUBLIC HEARING(s)
REGULAR CALENDAR AGENDA ITEMS (DISCUSSION AND/OR ACTION) PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA (SECOND COMMENT PERIOD):
REPORTS
• City Manager/Attorney/Assistant City Manager/City Clerk Reports. • City Council Reports/Committee/Sub-Committee Meeting Reports: (Reports by Mayor/City Councilmembers Regarding Various Agency Meetings/Committee Meetings/Sub-Committee Meeting Agenda Item Number: 10a Agenda Item Number: 10a
City Council Meeting Packet of: December 19, 2023
/Conferences Attended and Possible Direction to its Representatives (If Needed) on Pending issues before such Boards)
• (This will be either verbal or written reports provided at the meeting) • Council Communications Received (Information/Meetings/Correspondence Received from the General Public to Councilmembers)
CLOSED SESSION
ADJOURNMENT
However, the Agenda Review Committee has the authority to change the order of an agenda dependent upon projected length of an agenda item. At the City Council meeting, the Mayor may reorder items on the agenda to accommodate the public or to address other concerns.
In the last few months, due to the length of City Council meetings, there are often times that a Council meeting either is adjourned at the 10:30 pm adjournment time, or if unanimously approved to go beyond the 10:30 pm adjournment time, is not able to conclude City business; therefore those items are either not heard or are continued to a future City Council meeting. Many of these items such as the City Staff or Council reports contain either time sensitive information or information that is beneficial to members of the public. These reports may include but not limited to: City Committee Meetings held or attended; conferences or trainings attended; regional or State meetings attended; report on various community events and activities; or other matters related to the operations of the City and the general well-being of the community such as status of City projects.
Although there is no action on these items, they are key to transparency in government.
Tonight’s item proposes that the current agenda format be reorganized to have the Reports be agendized first prior to the remainder of the agenda. This will allow the Council and staff to provide information to the community on key issues, updates from committees, and events of interest. It is also further requested that short summary informational reports be in the form of written reports so that members of the community who cannot attend the meeting will be able to access the reports from the City website. It is recommended that the short summary reports be required to be included in the City Council packet that is posted for that meeting. The proposed new format is listed below:
CALL TO ORDER
ROLL CALL
SALUTE TO THE FLAG
ORDER OF AGENDA: At the City Council meeting, the Mayor may reorder items on the agenda to accommodate the public or to address other concerns.
PROCLAMATIONS/PRESENTATIONS
REPORTS
o City Manager/City Attorney/Assistant City Manager/City Clerk Reports. o City Council Reports/Committee/Sub-Committee Meeting Reports: (Reports by Mayor/City Councilmembers Regarding Various Agency Meetings/Committee Meetings/Sub-Committee Meeting /Conferences Attended and Possible Direction to its Representatives (If Needed) on Pending issues before such Boards)
o (This will be written reports provided for the City Council packet. It is understood that there may be additional report out at the Council meeting if a meeting or event took place after the posting of the meeting packet).
o Council Communications Received (Information/Meetings/Correspondence Received from the General Public to Councilmembers)
PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA (FIRST COMMENT PERIOD)
STATEMENTS OF CONFLICTS OF INTEREST BY MAYOR/CITY COUNCILMEMBERS FOR ITEMS ON THE AGENDA
CONSENT CALENDAR
INFORMATIONAL ITEMS/PRESENTATION
PUBLIC HEARING(s)
REGULAR CALENDAR AGENDA ITEMS (DISCUSSION AND/OR ACTION) Agenda Item Number: 10a Agenda Item Number: 10a
City Council Meeting Packet of: December 19, 2023
PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA (SECOND COMMENT PERIOD):
CLOSED SESSION
ADJOURNMENT
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
The proposed action is exempt ☒ Yes ☐ No from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
GOALS:
This action supports the following City Council Goals and General Plan Actions:
• Goal 5: Provide Open and Responsive Municipal Government Leadership • 5.3.3. Encourage and increase public awareness of City Policies, decisions, programs and all public processes and meetings, by investigating effective methods of communication and obtaining feedback from the community.
• Goal 6: Maintain a highly qualified Staff that works to provide services to serve and protect the residents, visitors and business of this community.
• Action CHW 5c: Practice an open-door policy in City programs, and actively engage and encourage participation from all individuals regardless of ethnicity, race, religion, class, disability, sexual orientation, and gender.
• Expand and Encourage Community Involvement in the Government Process by Increasing the Public’s Understanding of local Government Operations and Increasing Interaction with Elected Officials’ • Continue to maximize public participation in local government actions and maintain excellent levels of City government service.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
As of the writing of this staff report, the City has not received any public comment. However, if staff receives public comment from interested parties following the publication and distribution of this staff report, such comments will be provided to the City Council as supplemental materials before or at the meeting. In addition, public comments may be offered during the public comment portion of the agenda item.
PUBLIC NOTICE:
This item was noticed in accordance with the Ralph M. Brown Act and was available for public viewing and review at least 72 hours prior to the scheduled meeting date.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact associated with the action taken tonight.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends Council:
1. Approve amendment to the format of the agenda and requirement for short summary reports and direct staff to return to the next City Council meeting with a Consent Calendar agenda item incorporating approved amendment to Council protocols; or
2. Not approve the proposed amendment and retain existing Council protocols; or
3. Provide direction to staff for requested changes to agenda format not noted in this agenda item report Attachments:
Proposed Agenda Format
Agenda Item Number: 10a Agenda Item Number: 10a
City Council Meeting Packet of: December 19, 2023
CITY COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA
Meeting of : ______________________
CALL TO ORDER
ROLL CALL
SALUTE TO THE FLAG
ORDER OF AGENDA: At the City Council meeting, the Mayor may reorder items on the agenda to accommodate the public or to address other concerns.
PROCLAMATIONS/PRESENTATIONS:
REPORTS: CITY COUNCIL/CITY STAFF REPORTS/COMMUNICATIONS/ANNOUNCEMENTS/FUTURE MEETINGS:
City Manager-Attorney/City Clerk Reports: (This will be written reports and oral provided at or prior to the meeting).
• City Council Reports/Committee/Sub-Committee Meeting Reports: (Reports by Mayor/City Councilmembers Regarding Various Agency Meetings/Committee Meetings/Sub-Committee Meeting /Conferences Attended and Possible Direction to its Representatives (If Needed) on Pending issues before such Boards. (This will be either verbal or written reports provided at the meeting) • Council Communications Received (Information/Meetings/Correspondence Received from the General Public to Councilmembers)
• Future City Meeting Dates/Events (Informational Only): (See City Web Site for Up-to-Date Meeting Dates/Times)
PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA (FIRST COMMENT PERIOD):
Up to Twenty (20) Minute Time Limit (Two Minutes for up to ten speakers). Additional public comment will be held at the end of the discussion and action items for up to an additional twenty (20) minutes. Mayor has discretion to allow for additional time beyond the 20 minutes allocated for public comment dependent upon the subject matter or number of speakers.
Process for calling on Speakers: Mayor or designee shall ask for public comment as follows: Speakers to be called on in an alternate manner (One speaker in person to be called on first; then one speaker remote to be called on second with additional speakers to be called on in the same manner) based upon the time limit.
STATEMENTS OF CONFLICTS OF INTEREST: Conflicts of interest may arise in situations where a public official deliberating towards a decision, has an actual or potential financial interest in the matter before the Council. In accordance with state law, an actual conflict of interest is one that would be to the private financial benefit of a public official, a relative or a business with which the Councilmember is associated. A potential conflict of interest is one that could be to the private financial benefit of a Councilmember, a relative or a business with which the Councilmember is associated. A Councilmember must publicly announce potential and actual conflicts of interest, and, in the case of actual conflict of interest, must refrain from participating in debate on the issue or from voting on the issue and must remove themselves from the dais.
CONSENT CALENDAR: The consent agenda consists of items that are routine in nature and do not require additional discussion by the City Council or have been reviewed by the City Council previously. These items may be approved by one motion without discussion unless a member of the City Council requests that the item be taken off the consent calendar.
The Mayor will read the consent calendar items; ask if a Councilmember wishes to remove one or more items from the consent calendar; and then open public comment to the members of the public in attendance. At this time, a member of the public may speak for up to three minutes on the entire consent calendar and request at that time that an agenda item or items be removed for discussion.
If an item or items are removed from the consent calendar, the item shall be placed at the end of the regular agenda items unless otherwise determined by the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tern.
Agenda Item Number: 10a Agenda Item Number: 10a
City Council Meeting Packet of: December 19, 2023
Councilmembers may comment on Consent Calendar items or ask for minor clarifications without the need for pulling the item for separate consideration. Items requiring deliberation should be pulled for separate consideration and shall be placed at the end of the regular agenda items unless otherwise determined by the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem.
INFORMATIONAL ITEMS/PRESENTATIONS: Informational Items or Presentations are items that are informational only and do not require action by the City Council. Presentations shall be scheduled as necessary for the promotion of an event or service or general information items to the Council and should be limited to ten (10) minutes in length.
PUBLIC HEARING(s):
REGULAR CALENDAR AGENDA ITEMS (DISCUSSION AND/OR ACTION):
ADDITIONAL PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA: Two minutes per speaker for up to twenty (20) minutes total for public comments but can be reduced at Mayor’s discretion depending upon the number of speakers or Mayor has discretion to allow for additional time beyond the 20 minutes allocated for public comment dependent upon the subject matter or number of speakers.
CLOSED SESSION:
ADJOURNMENT OF CITY COUNCIL MEETING
Agenda Item Number: 10a Agenda Item Number: 10a
City Council Meeting Packet of: December 19, 2023