File #: 13-073    Version: 1 Name: Council Requests to Add Items to Agenda
Type: Staff Report Status: Filed
In control: City Council
Meeting Date: 2/19/2013 Final action: 2/19/2013
Enactment date: Enactment #:
Title: Staff Report for Resolution Amending Section IV of the City of San Leandro Councilmembers Handbook, Related to Requests by Members of the Council to Schedule Agenda Items
Sponsors: Chris Zapata
Related files: 13-064
Title
Staff Report for Resolution Amending Section IV of the City of San Leandro Councilmembers Handbook, Related to Requests by Members of the Council to Schedule Agenda Items

Staffreport
SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS

To refine the process used by Councilmembers to request items for consideration on the City Council agenda, staff recommends Council adopt a resolution, amending Section IV of the Councilmembers Handbook, to add a new section to the City Council agenda, entitled “Council Requests to Schedule Agenda Items”.

BACKGROUND

Section IV of the City of San Leandro Councilmembers Handbook contains the following paragraph:

“REQUESTS BY MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL TO SCHEDULE AGENDA ITEMS
Any item raised as a future agenda item at one of its regular meetings by a Council Member will, by consensus of the Council, be referred to staff for placement on an upcoming Council agenda (Work Session or regular Council Meeting) or Council Committee agenda. The Presiding Officer will ask Council members to indicate their interest in considering the item, then announce whether or not there is consensus to schedule the item on a future agenda.”

Staff would like to assist the City Council in the scheduling and managing of their public meetings. A proposed new section of the agenda, entitled “Council Requests to Schedule Agenda Items”, is intended to create smoother work flow, and to allow the Council a specific time to propose agenda items in a more formal manner.

Analysis

Many cities have a process in place to allow Councilmembers to request items for placement on the Council agenda.

As with our current process, some cities allow the member to make the request verbally during a specified portion of the agenda. The Council, by consensus of a majority of the members, approves the item for placement on a future agenda. As the requested item is not agendized, a formal vote cannot be taken and consensus is requested instead.

Other cities require that a request be made i...

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