REPORT TO GOVERNANCE AND ETHICS COMMITTEE
SUBJECT
Title
Discussion and Action on Proposed Special Meeting Scheduling Policy
Report
BACKGROUND
The City Charter states the City Council shall hold regular meetings at least twice each month, at such times as it shall fix by ordinance or resolution, and may adjourn or readjourn any regular meeting to a date certain, which shall be specified in the order of adjournment, and when so adjourned, each adjourned meeting shall be a regular meeting for all purposes.
Typically, City Council meetings have been adjourned by 12 a.m. and items not requiring immediate approval have been continued to a future meeting. Due to the workload and ongoing City projects and initiatives, the past two years have demonstrated the need for scheduling additional special meetings to support completion of Council agenda items.
More frequently in recent months, the volume of Council items requiring action has resulted in the need to schedule additional special City Council meetings or special closed sessions to ensure timely consideration of City business. While the City Clerk's Office currently polls Councilmembers to identify a workable date, no formal procedure has been established for that polling process. Establishing a defined structure for scheduling these meetings will provide consistency, transparency, and fairness, and will ensure that any scheduling decision is supported on the record and may be followed without challenge.
As part of the work plan, the Governance and Ethics Committee expressed interest in establishing guidelines when scheduling additional special City Council meetings and Closed Sessions, including start times. In addition, the Committee members discussed the option of increasing the regular meeting schedule from two to three regular City Council meetings per month.
DISCUSSION
The following is a summary of the various types of meetings that may be scheduled for the City Council. Annually, the City Clerk's Off...
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