City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
Meeting Date: _08/22/11 Item Number: C-7
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM: Approval of By-laws for the Culver City Committee
on Homelessness.
Contact Person/Dept.: Tevis Barnes,
CDD and Marna Johnson, CDD
Phone Number: (310) 253-5780
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [X] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [] Attachments: [X]
Public Notification: Agendas and Meetings (08/17/11); Committee on Homelessness
(08/08/11)
Department Approval:
Sol Blumenfeld (08/09/11)
City Attorney Approval:
Carol Schwab (by H. Baker) (08/15/11)
Chief Financial Officer Approval:
Jeff Muir(by M. Noller)(08/16/11)
City Manager Approval:
John M. Nachbar (08/17/11)
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council approve the Bylaws for the Culver City
Committee on Homelessness
BACKGROUND:
In an effort to better address homelessness in Culver City , the City Council at its
regular meeting on July 26, 2004 approved the formation of the Homelessness Ad Hoc
Committee and adopted short and long-term strategies to address homelessness in the
City. Since then, the Ad Hoc Committee was fully established and recognized as the
Culver City Committee on Homelessness (Committee) on April 22, 2008. The
Committee consists of seven (7) members who are residents and representatives from
the Culver City business and service community. Staff from the Housing Division
organizes and manages the meetings held every other month during the months of
January, March, May, July, September, and November for 2011. Additionally, all regular
meetings are also attended by a representative from the Police and Fire Departments
and the City Attorney’s Office. The Police and Fire Departments each provide quarterly
reports on homeless activity in the community.
Since its creation, the Committee has work with staff to accomplish the following
strategies to address homelessness in the City. These strategies were outlined in the
City Council approved Strategies to Address Homelessness adopted in 2004:
• Joined the Westside Shelter and Hunger Coalition;
• Conducted homeless counts/studies of Culver City’s homeless population;
• Developed a homeless resource guide/card; City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
• Developed a “Good Neighbor Policy” with the Armory and Winter Shelter
providers;
• Solicited and retained a Homeless Outreach Worker/Service Coordinator;
• Increased staff training to increase effectiveness in dealing with the homeless
community;
• Revisiting existing ordinances to address nuisance activity affecting parks
and other areas in the city (such as shopping carts; pan handling); and
• Worked with Parks and Recreation and Code Enforcement to enhance
existing park lighting and park patrol program.
DISCUSSION:
As a result of the continuing efforts of the Committee, on January 26, 2010 the
Committee discussed and established a subcommittee to develop draft Bylaws to
bring back to the full Committee for review and discussion. The Committee sought
to develop Bylaws as a tool to assist in providing guidelines that would help in
carrying out its mission, role and member responsibilities. The origin of the decision
to create Bylaws was as a result to better define member absences and how those
absences would be treated. During the meeting ofMay 24, 2011, the Committee
approved the final draft Bylaws. The attached Bylaws were reviewed by both
Housing staff and the City Attorney’s Office.
The Committee along with staff is seeking the City Council’s approval of the newly
created Bylaws. These Bylaws will be a very useful tool in helping the Committee
define its functions, and the roles and responsibilities of its members.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact to approve the By-laws for this Committee.
ATTACHMENTS:
Draft Culver City Committee on Homelessness By-Laws.
MOTION:
That the City Council:
Approve the By-laws of the Culver City Committee on Homelessness.
MEETING DATE: 08.22.11
AGENDA ITEM: Approval of By-laws for the Culver City Committee on
Homelessness.
ATTACHMENTS
Pages
1. Draft Culver City Committee on Homelessness By-laws 1-3 CULVER CITY COMMITTEE ON HOMELESSNESS
BY-LAWS
I. PURPOSE/MISSION STATEMENT
The Culver City Committee on Homelessness is Committed to Improving the Quality of Life in
Culver City as follows: Advise City Council and Staff in identifying Short and Long Term
Strategies to Decrease Homelessness; Review the Homeless Services Provided by Independent
Contractors and Make Recommendations to Improve Service Delivery; and Collaborate and
Educate within our Communities and Act as a Voice for the Public.
II. ORGANIZATION
a. Composition
The Committee shall consist of seven members who are Culver City residents.
b. Terms of Members
i. Citizens appointed as Committee members shall serve terms of three or four
years; limited to two consecutive terms.
ii. All members shall serve at the pleasure of a majority of the
City Council.
iii. Of those first appointed, four members shall be for three-year terms and three
members shall be for four-year terms.
iv. The fiscal year of the Committee shall be July 1st – June 30th.
c. Selection of Committee Members
i. All Committee members shall be selected without regard to race, creed, color,
religion, national origin, sex, income, age, handicap or marital status.
ii. Individuals wishing to volunteer to serve as citizen Committee members shall
complete and submit the Culver City Application and Biographical Data for
Commission, Board or Advisory Committee Membership form.
iii. All eligible citizen applicants’ names shall be submitted to the City Council for
consideration.
d. Absences of Committee Members
i. Any Committee Member who has an unexcused absence from any two (2)
consecutive meetings of the Committee; has a total of three (3) unexcused
absences from any meetings within any twelve (12) months period; or has a total
of four (4) absences, whether excused or unexcused within a twelve (12) month
period shall thereby, automatically forfeit his/her membership in said Committee.
ATTACHMENT 1
1ii. The City Council has the authority to determine before forfeiture that an absence
is justified. In the event of forfeiture, the City Council shall appoint a successor to
serve the balance of the term.
iii. An excused absence is defined as notification to appropriate City Hall staff 24
hours prior to meeting date.
e. Appointments to Fill Vacancies
If a Committee vacancy occurs, the City Council shall appoint a successor to serve the
balance of the term.
III. OFFICERS
a. Designation of Officers
i. The Committee shall elect its own officers from among the citizen members
consisting of a Chairperson and a Vice Chairperson.
ii. The Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of the Committee shall be elected
annually and shall serve at the pleasure of the Committee.
b. Duties of the Officers
i. The duties of the Chairperson shall consist of presiding over all general
Committee meetings and forwarding recommendations of the Committee to the
City Council.
ii. The Vice Chairperson shall perform the duties of the Chairperson when that
person is absent or if the Chairperson is unable to complete his or her term as
Chairperson, for any reason.
IV. MEETINGS
a. General Meetings
i. The Committee shall meet regularly on the fourth Tuesday of every odd number
month at 7:00 p.m., and at other times as needed at the City of Culver City, City
Hall, or other location if determined by City Hall staff to be necessary to
accommodate and/or facilitate public attendance at the meeting.
ii. All regular Committee meetings shall be open to the public and duly noticed at
least seventy-two hours prior to the meeting.
iii. A majority of the Committee Members shall constitute a quorum for the
transaction of general business.
b. Special Meetings
i. The Chairperson or the Vice Chairperson may call special Committee meetings
with at least twenty-four hours written notice given in advance of a special
meeting. A majority of the Committee members shall constitute a quorum for the
transaction of special business.
ATTACHMENT 1
2c. Conduct of Meetings
i. In compliance with the State’s Open Meetings Law, commonly known as “The
Brown Act,” Committees can only take action on items that appear on the
agenda. Members wishing to have an item placed on the agenda for discussion
must obtain a majority of Committee Members support to place an item on a
future agenda. Committee Members who believe they may have a concern
related to Brown Act compliance shall consult with the City Attorney.
ii. While considering items at Committee meetings, disagreements may arise, which
is normal and part of the process in participatory government. However, it is
important that Committee Members conduct meetings with proper decorum and
respect.
iii. To facilitate proper decorum, Roberts Rules of Order shall be the parliamentary
standard when conducting meetings.
V. VOTING
i. A majority of board members constitutes a quorum. In absence of a quorum,
no formal action shall be taken except to adjourn the meeting to a subsequent
date.
ii. Passage of a motion requires a simple majority (ie, one more than half the
members present).
VI. CONFLICT OF INTEREST
Any member of the Committee who has a financial, personal, or official interest in, or conflict
(appearance of a conflict) with any matter pending before the Committee, of such nature that it
prevents or may prevent that member from acting on the matter in an impartial manner, will offer
to the Committee to voluntarily excuse him/herself and will vacate his seat and refrain from
discussion and voting on said item.
VII. STAFF SUPPORT
A designated City Hall staff representative shall provide staff support to the Committee, who shall:
i. Take minutes and coordinate with the Chairperson the preparation and
dissemination of required reports;
ii. Perform follow-up activity deemed necessary by the Committee
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