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HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 14923 City of Palo Alto (ID # 14923) Policy and Services Committee Staff Report Meeting Date: 11/3/2022 Report Type: Action Items City of Palo Alto Page 1 Title: Supplemental Report for Item #2: Council Procedures and Protocols Handbook From: City Manager Lead Department: City Manager Policy and Services Committee – November 3, 2022 ITEM #2: Review Proposed Reorganization of City Council Procedures and Protocols Handbook and Direction to Staff on Next Steps The attached memo is a supplemental attachment which includes the Items for Consideration as additions to the City Council Procedures and Protocols Handbook. This was not included with the original November 3 Committee packet though it was referenced in the staff report. Attachments: • Supplemental Attachment: Items from Council Members for the Handbook, October 2022 1 Items Suggested for the Handbook by Council Members as of October 2022 Newer Items: 1.Mayor Burt: Should we put Council member comments at the beginning of the agenda instead of the end? 2.Cormack: League of California Cities Conferences and any other conference in which the Council designates a voting delegate to act on behalf of the Full Council: the voting delegate should abstain from voting on any new proposal presented at the specific conference that the City Council did not provide explicit direction on. 3.Cormack: Rather than state what liaisons should not do with boards and commissions, I would prefer to have the Council clarify the role of liaisons, specifically what liaisons should do, with input from boards and commissions themselves. If the liaison is limited to reiterating existing Council policy, that seems like information that staff could share as needed and that then the presence of a Councilmember might not be useful at meetings. Items that were on the list from soliciting the City Councilmembers as of March 2021: Cormack •consider adopting a policy prohibiting Councilmembers from using electronic devices for communication during public meetings. This is in keeping with the AB1234 ethics training, which states that the public expectation is that decision makers will listen during open, noticed, public meetings. DuBois Procedures 1.Adopt policy on quasi-judicial items coming to council - Suggestion is no private contacts/meetings with applicants or appellants after the item finishes with ARB and PTC Protocol Discussion 1.Use of staff time - We have a rule which limits each Council member’s use of staff time to an hour a week. This should be applied fairly across all council members 2.Liaison must refrain from personal viewpoints; they are there representing the full council, do not speak on matters on which council has not taken a position - Should consider refreshing this for clarity - had some issues last year 3.Finish Travel Expense section 4.Add/clarify on role of elected official’s role with other public agencies a.Adopt clarifying language on default behavior - expand J on page 47 to include league of city guidelines b.Ability to censure when a stated policy is in effect c.Bolstering our protocols, Page 46 https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/civicax/filebank/documents/41516 J.Advocacy Members shall represent the official policies or positions of the City Council, board or commission to the best of their ability when designated as delegates Supplemental Attachment 2 for this purpose. When presenting their individual opinions and positions, members shall explicitly state they do not represent their body or the City, nor will they allow the inference that they do. d. Incorporate some of this language from League of Cities, Role as an Elected Official, Page 14 https://www.cacities.org/Resources-Documents/Education-and-Events- Section/New- Mayors-Coucil-Members/2020-Session-Materials/2020-New- Mayors-Council- Members-Resource-Guide/10-Your-Role-as-an-Elected-Official e. Council Conduct with Other Public Agencies Be clear about representing the City or personal interests. If a Council Member appears before another governmental agency or organization to give a statement on an issue, the Council Member must clearly state if his or her statement reflects personal opinion or is the official stance of the City. If the Council Member is representing the City, the Council Member must support and advocate the official City position on an issue, not a personal viewpoint. If the council Member is representing another organization whose position is different from the City, the Council Member should withdraw from voting on the issue if it significantly impacts or is detrimental to the City’s interest. Council Members should be clear about which organizations they represent and inform the Mayor and Council of their involvement. Kou Policy considerations: • Quasi-judicial items o why/what/when Consent and Action • Consent items o what is a reasonable limit to the dollar amount for items to be on consent o remove item from Consent: suggest 2 votes instead of 3 o read/announce each Consent Item before vote is taken • Mayoral Rotation Policy Other Considerations for protocols: 1) add the City's Organizational chart 2) Code of Ethics 3) Council Liaison roles to BCCs especially, providing personal perspectives on a subject and thereby leading or giving directive as to their support. 4) Page 47 No. J - need role and advocacy clarification and procedure for Council appointee(s) to regional or state agencies/boards/committees. 5) Council Conduct with Other Public Agencies: Be clear about representing the City or personal interests. If a Council Member appears before another governmental agency or organization to give a statement on an issue, the Council Member must clearly state if his or her statement reflects personal opinion or is the official stance of the City. If the Council Member is representing the City, the Council Member must support and advocate the official City position on an issue, not a personal viewpoint. If the council Member is representing another organization whose position is different from the City, the Council Member should withdraw 3 from voting on the issue if it significantly impacts or is detrimental to the City’s interest. Council Members should be clear about which organizations they represent and inform the Mayor and Council of their involvement (https://www.cacities.org/Resources- Documents/Education-and-Events-Section/New-Mayors-Coucil-Members/2020-Session- Materials/2020-New-Mayors-Council-Members- Resource-Guide/10-Your-Role-as-an-Elected- Official).