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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRESO 8995Resolution No. 8995 Resolution of the Council of the City of Palo Alto Amending City Council Procedures to Add an Ad Hoc Committee Policy WHEREAS, Palo Alto Municipal Code section 2.04.100 requires the Council to establish a handbook of procedural rules governing any aspect of the conduct of meetings and hearings for the Council and its standing committees, including but not limited to agenda requirements, the order of business, rules of order, rules of evidence, closed session procedures and rules for public participation in meetings; and WHEREAS, the Council wishes to set up guidelines for creation of Ad Hoc Committees and to clarify the distinctions between Standing and Ad Hoc Committees; . NOW, THEREFORE, the Council of the City of Palo Alto does hereby RESOLVE as follows: SECTION 1. An amendment to the City Council Procedures to add a policy on Ad Hoc Committees, attached as Exhibit "A" to this Resolution, is hereby adopted. SECTION 2. The City Clerk is hereby directed to make copies of the Council Procedures available to the public and to post the rules at an accessible location in the Council Chambers, on the City's website and to make copies available to all City libraries other than the Children's Library. The form of the pUblication may be modified if necessary or desirable. II II II II II II II II II 090828 sh 0111242 1 SECTION 3. The Council finds that there is no possibility that the provisions of the City Council Procedures will have a significant effect on the environment and upon that basis finds the project exempt from the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act. INTRODUCED AND PASSED: NOVEMBER 2, 2009 AYES: BARTON, BURT, DREKMEIER, ESPINOSA, KISHIMOTO, KLEIN, SCHMID, YEH NOES: ABSENT: MORTON ABSTENTIONS: APPROVED: f~D~ Mayor APPROVED AS TO FORM: ~.~;(~ City, ager 090828 sh 0111242 2 "Exhibit A" Draft Ad Hoc Committee Policy I. Ad Hoc Committees A. Policy. The Council may use Ad Hoc Committees on a limited basis where necessary to study City business in greater depth than what is possible in the time allotted for Council and Standing Committee meetings. 1. Purpose. These rules are intended to clarify the distinctions between Standing and Ad Hoc Committees, and to set up guidelines for creation of Ad Hoc Committees. B. General Requirements. Council Ad Hoc Committees shall be subject to the following procedural rules. 091103 sh 0111328 1. Definition of Ad Hoc Committee. An Ad Hoc Committee is an advisory committee composed solely of less than a quorum of members of the Council. The work of an Ad Hoc Committee is limited to a single finite purpose. By contrast, a Standing Committee has continuing subject matter jurisdiction extending for a lengthy time period and/or a meeting schedule fixed by charter, ordinance, resolution, or formal action of the CounciL 2. Brown Act. Ad Hoc Committees do not constitute legislative bodies and are not subject to the requirements of the Brown Act. 3. Appointment. The Mayor or the City Council may appoint four or less members of the Council to serve on an Ad Hoc Committee. In contrast, only the Council and not the Mayor alone can create a Standing Committee. The Mayor will publicly announce any Ad Hoc Committee created by him or her, its membership and stated purpose and posted on the City Council website. The City Manager shall prepare a report to Council about the anticipated time commitment required for staff to assist the Ad Hoc Committee. 4. Duration. Ad Hoc Committees are created for a finite period of time. If an Ad Hoc Committee does not complete its task by the end of the calendar year, it shall not continue unless reappointed by the new Mayor in the following year. 5. Members. Ad Hoc Committees shall consist of less than a quorum of Council members only, and shall not include any other persons such as members of other legislative bodies. 6. Reporting. Ad Hoc Committees shall report their recommendations to the Council no less than once per quarter in writing or orally. Any Council Member may during the COUNCIL MEMBER QUESTIONS, 091103 sh 0111328 "Exhibit A" Draft Ad Hoc Committee Policy COMMENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS request that an updated Ad Hoc Committee report be placed on the next meeting's agenda. 7. Tennination of Ad Hoc Committee by Majority of Council. A majority of the Council may vote to tenninate any Ad Hoc Committee following placement of the issue on an agenda. 8. Conclusion. A public announcement shall be made any time the Ad Hoc Committee has concluded its work and/or upon dissolution.