HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000-11-20 City Council (13)City of Palo Alto
City Manager’s Report
TO:HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL 12
FROM:CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: CITY MANAGER
CMR: 410:00
DATE:
SUBJECT:
NOVEMBER 20, 2000
RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE POLICY AND SERVICES
COMMITTEE REGARDING STREAMLINING COUNCIL
PROCEDURES: AND FACILITATING POLICY DIALOGUE
RECOMMENDATION
The Policy and Services Committee recommends that Council approve the attached
recommendations regarding streamlining City Council procedures and facilitating in-
depth discussion of key policy issues.
BACKGROUND
On May 15, 2000, the City Council held a retreat at Foothills Park Interpretive Center to
consider a number of issues, including streamlining of council business and
administrative procedures. The goals of the streamlining effort were to:
Free up Council time and energy to focus on community values and major policy and
long-term planning issues
Become "smarter," more business-like and customer-friendly in our processes
Create an organizational culture that promotes risk-taking and innovation
On July 17 and July 24, the City council considered recommendations from the City
Manager for streamlining Council and Council Committee procedures, and determined
that streamlining should be undertaken under certain guiding principles, which included:
Any streamlining changes must pass a "litmus test," in that the purpose of governance
is to improve the quality of governance to constituents; in other words, citizens look
for results from government and process should not become an end in itself.
Representation and access are core values
There needs to be both actual and perceived fairness in governing
CMR:410:00 Page 1 of 2
At its September retreat, the Council also expressed concern that its opportunities for
broad-ranging discussion of policy issues were very limited, for a number of reasons:
Limited time at Council meetings given heavy agendas and complex issues
Preference not to continue one hour study sessions before regular meetings
Council Conference Room is not conducive to policy discussions
Council meetings are an ~overly formal environment for dialogue among Council
Members and with the public
On October 10, the Council referred discussion of streamlining Council business to the
Policy and Services Committee. On October 25, the Policy and Services Committee
considered both the recommendations for streamlining Council business and the issue of
how to facilitate policy dialogue. Attachment 1 summarizes the recommendations of the
Policy and Services Committee coming out of that discussion.
NEXT STEPS
Following Council review and approval of the recommendations, staff will return with
the amended Council Rules of Procedure for adoption on consent calendar.
PREPARED BY: Emily Harrison, Assistant City Manager
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
City Manager
ATTACHMENT
Recommendations for Streamlining Council Business and Facilitating Enhanced Policy
Dialogue
CMR:410:00 Page 2 of 2
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