Title
RESOLUTION of the City of San Leandro City Council to Approve Amendments to the City of San Leandro Administrative Code and to the City Council Handbook to Implement the Ways and Means by Which the City Council Will Promote Greater Efficiency in its City Council Meetings
Staffreport
WHEREAS, during the City Council’s February 6, 2021 annual planning retreat, amongst other items, the City Council discussed ways and means by which it could make its regular City Council meetings more efficient.
NOW THEREFORE, the City Council for the City of San Leandro RESOLVES as follows:
1. That the City Council Handbook shall be amended as follows:
(a) The title, “Council Goals,” in Section I., “Mayor and City Council,” at p. 8 shall be amended to:
“Council Goals and Priorities”
(b) The following language shall be added after the last sentence of the newly titled Section I., Mayor and City Council, Council Goals and Priorities, at page 8:
“All City Council items brought forward at City Council meetings under Item 14. subsequent to a City Council planning retreat shall be re-prioritized by the City Council twice a year.”
(c) The following language shall be added to the beginning of Section II., Meetings, Closed Session, at p.10:
Closed session will begin one hour before the City Council meeting unless otherwise arranged. Action items will be placed first on the closed session agenda. Typically, closed sessions are called to discuss (1) real property negotiations, (2) existing or anticipated litigation, (3) liability claims, (4) labor negotiations, or public employee appointments, (5) evaluations and discipline.
(e) Section IV., Conflicts, Liability & Decorum, Decorum and Order - Council Members, pgs. 21-22, shall be amended with new language in italics, as follows:
“a) Any Council Member who wants to speak shall address the Chair and, upon recognition by the Chair, shall confine himself/herself to the question under debate.
b) A Council Member who wants to question a staff member shall address his/her question to the City Manager, City Attorney, or the City Clerk in appropriate cases, who shall be entitled to answer the inquiry himself/herself or to designate some member of the staff for that purpose. During initial clarifying questions from City Council Members after a staff report, the Presiding Officer shall enforce a 5-question limit per City Council Member. Once every Council Member has had a chance to ask an initial 5 questions, the Presiding Officer may allow additional questions as needed.
c) A Council Member, once recognized, shall not be interrupted while speaking unless called to order by the Presiding Officer; unless a Point of Order is raised by another Council Member; or unless the speaker chooses to yield to questions from another Council Member.
d) A visual timer shall be posted for all presenters and City Council members during their comments.
e) Any Council Member challenged while speaking, shall cease speaking immediately until the question of order is determined. If ruled to be in order, he/she shall be permitted to proceed. If ruled to be not in order, he/she shall remain silent or shall alter his/her remarks to comply with rules of our Council.
f) Council Members shall accord the utmost courtesy to each other, to City employees and the public appearing before the Council and shall refrain at all times from rude and derogatory remarks, reflections as to integrity, abusive comments, and statements as to motives and personalities.
g) Any Council Member may move to require the Presiding Officer to enforce the rules, and the affirmative vote of a majority of the Council shall require him/her to so act.”
(f) Section IV., Communications - Correspondence from the Public, pg. 31 The following language shall be added after the first sentence of the second paragraph:
Any communication relating to a mater pending, or to brought before the City Council, shall be included in the agenda packet for the meeting at which such item is be considered. Any written Public Comment must be received no later than 11:59 p.m. the Sunday prior to the Monday City Council meeting. All written Public Comment submitted by the deadline will be distributed to the City Council no later than 3:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting and will be made part of the official record. Written public comment will not be read aloud.
2. That the Interim City Manager is authorized to take all actions otherwise necessary to effect the intent of this Resolution, including directing the City Clerk to implement and publicize the amendments to the Municipal Code, Administrative Code, and the City Council Handbook described herein.