City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
Meeting Date: 01/28/2013 Item Number: A-6
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM: Discussion of the Regular Meeting Dates of the
City Council
Contact Person/Dept.:
Martin R. Cole/City Manager’s Office
Phone Number:(310) 253-6000
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [X] No []
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: []
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X] Date: _______________
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Agenda and Meetings – City Council (01/23/13)
Department Approval:
Martin R. Cole (01/22/13)
City Attorney Approval:
Carol A. Schwab (by H. Baker) (01/22/13)
Chief Financial Officer Approval:
Jeff Muir (by M. Noller) (01/23/13)
City Manager Approval:
John M. Nachbar (01/23/13)
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the City Council consider the Regular Meeting dates of the City
Council and, if desired, direct the City Manager as deemed appropriate.
BACKGROUND:
Since the passage of Measure V (the New City Charter) by Culver City voters in
2006, the City has undergone some significant changes in both its operational model
and its finances. The New City Charter was proposed, in part, to increase efficiency
in the City’s governmental operations. And, the economic downturn experienced
worldwide since 2008, coupled with the State’s dissolution of redevelopment
agencies throughout the state, has required the City to constantly review its
operations and implement improvements to increase efficiency and spend the
people’s money as wisely as possible while continuing to provide a high level of
service to the Culver City community.
Until approximately 2008, the City Council met on the second and fourth Mondays of
each month. The Redevelopment Agency Board (comprised of the Members of the
City Council) met on the first and third Mondays of each month. When necessary
(which was often), both bodies met on Mondays which lead to holding a City Council
meeting almost every Monday.
Beginning in 2009, the City Council and Redevelopment Agency Board began to
meet less frequently, often driven by a lesser number of items requiring City Council
and/or Agency Board action. Also, as the City Council-City Manager form of
government matures in Culver City, items that are of an administrative nature that,
under the Chief Administrative Officer form of government, needed City Council City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
action, are now handled by the City Manager or other staff. With the dissolution of
the Culver City Redevelopment Agency on February 1, 2012, as part of the State of
California’s dissolution of all redevelopment agencies throughout the State, the
Agency Board has been replaced by a Successor Agency which has the
responsibility of winding down the affairs of the former Culver City Redevelopment
Agency. All of the above have led to fewer items that require City Council action
when compared with prior years.
Currently, Section 3.01.100 of the Culver City Municipal Code provides that the City
Council’s regular meetings shall be on the second and fourth Mondays of each
month. Should the City Council wish to alter this schedule, then an Ordinance would
need to be prepared to reflect the City Council’s desired meeting schedule.
Depending on the direction in which the City Council would like to proceed, such an
Ordinance could be prepared such that the Regular Meetings could be as
determined by Resolution of the City Council. In that case, a proposed resolution
would also need to be prepared for the City Council’s consideration.
DISCUSSION:
Over the last two years (and especially since the dissolution of redevelopment
agencies in February 2012), the City Council has been holding three meetings per
month, two “Regular Meetings” and one “Special Meeting.” Sometimes, the first
meeting of the month (the Special Meeting) had fewer items on the agenda. And, in
some cases, there were insufficient items needing City Council action and the
meeting was cancelled.
Based upon this experience, staff requests the City Council consider altering its
Regular Meeting schedule to more efficiently allocate resources dedicated to
meeting preparation. Staff recommends this discussion because of the following
important points:
(1) Staff Resources Have Been Reduced: The number of staff positions has
been reduced with nearly 80 positions being eliminated Citywide to address the
reduction in City revenues resulting from the economic downturn. While the
significant support provided by the voters’ strong approval of Measure Y will
allow the City to generally maintain its current staffing levels, fiscal realities do
not allow the City to increase it staffing at this time.
(2) Holding Fewer Regular Meetings Allows for More Substantive Meeting
Agendas: In a scenario where the City Council meetings are held in one week
and meeting preparation is completed in a second week, staff is better able to
prepare items for the City Council consideration, provide follow-up more rapidly
to items acted upon by the City Council, and provide more accurate public notice
of items scheduled for future meetings.
City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
(3) Having a Regular Meeting Cycle Provides Consistent Opportunity for the
Public to Plan to Attend Meetings of Interest: Having a predictable schedule
when Regular City Council meetings are held can be beneficial to members of
the public in the case they wish to address the City Council on items not on the
agenda or in planning their schedule to provide input on items appearing on the
agenda.
(4) Additional Meetings are an Option: Should the City Council determine to
alter its Regular Meeting schedule, when needed, additional meetings can be
scheduled.
Should the City Council determine to discuss altering its Regular Meeting schedule,
following are several options for consideration (presented in no particular order):
(1) Designate a certain number of “Mondays” as Regular Meeting dates: For
example, the first and third Mondays…or the second and fourth Mondays;
(2) Designate “the Monday after a Friday when City Hall is open (or closed);”
(3) The City Council could consider meeting on another day of the week
(however, that would often necessitate changing the standing meeting dates of
City Commission(s) and/or Committees).
Should the City Council desire to implement a revised City Council meeting
schedule, then staff will return to City Council with any necessary Ordinance or
Resolution, as applicable, to implement Council’s direction.
FISCAL ANALYSIS:
Any fiscal impact would depend on any changes the City Council would like to
implement. Should the City Council determine to alter the City Council Regular
Meeting schedule and direct the City Manager to return with appropriate follow-up
items, that staff report would contain a more detailed fiscal analysis.
ATTACHMENTS:
None.
MOTIONS:
That the City Council:
Consider the schedule for Regular Meetings of the City Council and direct the
City Manager as deemed appropriate.