City Council Staff Report Page 1 of 2 September 9, 2025 Agenda Item No.
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DATE: September 9, 2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
FROM: Joan Malloy, City Manager
SUBJECT: Adopt a Resolution of the City Council of Union City Amending the 2025 Commission Norms and Guidelines – Inclusion of AB 1661 Harassment Prevention Training Requirements and 24-Month Ineligibility Provision
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Staff has prepared targeted amendments to the Commission Norms and Guidelines to incorporate AB 1661 harassment prevention training requirements explicitly and to align the Automatic Terminations section with the Union City Municipal Code. The updated language specifies that failure to complete either AB 1234 or AB 1661 training results in automatic removal and a 24-month ineligibility for reappointment to any City board, commission, or committee from the date of vacancy.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT
This action aligns with Goal B: Governance and Organization Effectiveness of the City’s Strategic Plan by reinforcing best practices in local government operations and ensuring that commission policies are clear, consistent, and compliant with applicable laws. The updates to the Commission Norms and Guidelines strengthen organizational effectiveness, promote transparency, and support the professional development of appointed officials through mandated ethics and harassment prevention training.
BACKGROUND
The Commission Norms and Guidelines serve as a foundational document for members of all boards, commissions, and committees, outlining expectations for service, training, attendance, ethical conduct, and public interaction. The document was last adopted on June 11, 2025.
Following feedback from Planning Commissioner Lew at the August 7, 2025, Planning Commission Regular Meeting, staff conducted a review to confirm that the guidelines accurately reflect the legal obligations under Government Code Sections 53235 et seq. (AB 1234) and 53237 et seq. (AB 1661), which require biennial ethics and harassment prevention training for commissioners and alternates.
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City Council Staff Report Page 2 of 2 September 9, 2025
DISCUSSION
The current Commission Norms and Guidelines reference AB 1234 ethics training, but did not explicitly list AB 1661 harassment prevention training in both the State-Mandated Training section and the Automatic Terminations section. UCMC § 2.20.100 requires completion of both trainings and imposes a 24-month ineligibility for reappointment following a vacancy due to non-compliance. The proposed amendments:
FISCAL IMPACT
None.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends Council adopt the resolution amending the 2025 Commission Norms and Guidelines to (1) add harassment prevention training requirements under Assembly Bill 1661 alongside existing ethics training requirements under Assembly Bill 1234, and (2) clarify that failure to complete either training results in a 24-month ineligibility for reappointment to any City board, commission, or committee, consistent with UCMC §
2.20.100.
Prepared by: Thai Nam Pham, City Clerk
Submitted by: Thai Nam Pham, City Clerk
Attachments:
1. Draft Resolution
2. Updated 2025 Commission Norms and Guidelines