Council Meeting: July 24, 2001
Santa Monica, CA
FROM: City Staff
Subject: Modification to the Start Time for
City Council Meetings, Discussion of
the Deliberation Process and Resolution Effecting Changes as Recommended
or Direction to Staff to Return with a Resolution Reflecting Council
Preferences
This report recommends that the City Council take public comment, consider a modification to the start time for City Council meetings, discuss the deliberation process and other potential changes in the meeting process that will help insure the efficiency and timeliness of the Council meetings, and adopt the attached Resolution effecting changes or direct that a Resolution with alternate content be prepared.
At the January 9, 2001 City Council meeting, staff was
directed to return with recommendations for changing the start time of Council
meetings and altering the categories and order of business with the objective
of increasing the efficiency of meetings while ensuring broad public
participation. On January 23, 2001, Council adopted a resolution changing the
start time for Council meetings to 5:15 p.m. and certain other changes to the
categories and order of business for Council agendas.
During the past six months the Council meetings have been
scheduled to commence at 5:15 p.m. This earlier start time was desirable so
that 1) Public Sessions could begin and end at hours convenient for public
participation with the goal of concluding Council meetings by 11:00 p. m. 2)
Closed Sessions would not be rushed early in the evening or conducted at so
late an hour that some Council members could not be present and 3) given there
is generally a larger number of staff present for Consent Calendar items, these
items would be heard at the beginning of the meeting and staff could be
released, thus not incurring overtime in most cases.
During Council discussion on the earlier start time, concern
was expressed that 5:15 p.m. might be too early for some Council members,
especially those working presently and from time-to-time outside the city. It
was, however, agreed that the earlier start time would be tried and modified
later, if necessary.
Over the past six months, with exception of the special
meeting schedule associated with the annual budget process and two special Closed
Session meetings, the Council has had only one special meeting in addition to
the two regularly scheduled meetings per month. However, Council has not
regularly had a quorum at the earlier start time to begin the meeting.
Generally, the meetings have begun 15 to 20 minutes after the scheduled start
time. As well, the Council meetings have not concluded before 11:00 p.m.
Several Council members have expressed concern with the early start time as
well and the lateness of the meetings.
The Mayor and Mayor Pro-Tempore have met with staff to
assess the Council meeting modifications approved in January along with the
concerns expressed by various Council members.
Generally, the order of business is working well. However,
modifying the start time to 5:45 p.m. or 6:00 p.m. might ensure a quorum to
begin the Council meeting. The Consent Calendar would continue to be considered
first. Closed Session would follow with the continued goal of reconvening open
session by 6:45 p.m.
The length of Council meetings is often governed by the high
level of public input that occurs on some matters. There are strategies that
Council should consider that could help achieve more efficiency and timeliness
of the meetings, yet maintain healthy deliberation on matters before Council.
The following are strategies for Council to consider.
1)
When
an item is presented by staff, Council members have the opportunity to ask
questions for clarification before pubic comment is taken. Council members
should avoid deliberating the item and merely ask questions for clarification.
2)
Public
Comment is the opportunity for the public to provide input for Council to
consider as it deliberates on a specific item. Council members, again, should
merely ask questions for clarification and avoid appearing to debate or
cross-examine the person making the public comment.
3)
With
respect to Council deliberations, Council members may want to concur on how
best to communicate in the most efficient manner that will allow members to
feel that their points of view have received adequate consideration. Some
additional reminders that might be helpful to consider include, avoid repeating
the same point by several individuals, always be mindful of the length of one’s
comments, and perhaps limit the number of “rounds” of comment on an item.
Finally, staff will continue to
place items on agendas to support the efficiency and timeliness of the Council
meetings.
The proposed modification in the start time of City Council
meetings will have no direct fiscal impact, although as indicated, it is
possible that overtime expenditures are being reduced by having the Consent
Calendar handled at the beginning of the meeting.
It is recommended that the City Council take public comment,
discuss the above changes and adopt the attached Resolution, if desired, or
direct staff to return with a Resolution reflecting Council’s preference for
change.
Prepared
by: Gordon R. Anderson, Assistant City
Manager