City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the City Council discuss the subject of placement of items on the
City Council agenda and adopt a Resolution adopting City Council Policy 2009-01
entitled “Placement of Items on the City Council Agenda” and rescinding City
Council Policy Statement 3204 .
BACKGROUND:
On February 10, 1992, the City Council approved City Council Policy Statement
Number 3204, entitled “Agendizing Items for Discussion” (Attachment 1), which
formalizes a process to allow Council Members to place items on City Council
Agendas for consideration and to allow staff to present previously approved items for
reconsideration.
Since that process was adopted, Culver City has undergone a change in the City’s
Charter which instituted the Council/Manager form of government. Various City
practices, including those established in Council Policy 3204, have become obsolete
with the adoption of the City Charter by the voters in April, 2006.
The City Council requested staff look into the process of agendizing of Council
requests
Meeting Date: 01/12/09 Item Number: A-5
AGENDA ITEM: Discussion of Placement of Items on the City Council Agenda
and Adoption of a Resolution Adopting City Council Policy 2009-01 Entitled
“Placement of Items on the City Council Agenda” and rescinding City Council
Policy Statement 3204.
Contact Person/Dept.: Shelly Wolfberg Phone Number: (310) 253-6008
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [X] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: [X]
Public Notification:
Master Notification List (01/07/08).
Department Approval:
Martin R. Cole (01/05/09)
City Attorney Approval:
Carol Schwab (by H. Baker) (01/05/09)
Chief Financial Officer Approval:
Jeff Muir (by M. Noller) (01/06/09)
City Manager Approval:
Jerry B. Fulwood (01/07/09) City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
DISCUSSION:
Long standing practice of the City Council provides that a City Councilmember may
request an item be placed on a future agenda with the consent of a majority of City
Councilmembers. The City Manager then places the item on a future Council
Agenda.
Other Cities’ Practices
Staff has made inquiries with the cities of Beverly Hills, Santa Monica and West
Hollywood as to their cities’ practices of agendizing City Council items. Staff
members from the Cities of Beverly Hills and Santa Monica indicate that one City
Councilmember may request an item be brought back for City Council discussion.
The City of Santa Monica has a resolution that states “Any Councilmember or the
City Manager may direct that any matter within the City Council’s jurisdiction be
placed on the agenda.” It appears that depending on the item these
Councilmember-requested items may or may not have a brief memo associated with
the item. Santa Monica staff indicates that some staff City time is devoted to
preparing a memo.
Staff from the City of West Hollywood indicates generally, if it will take substantial
staff time or funding, they do a formal council item, after receiving “nodding heads”
consensus from the City Council.
Because staff reports can often times require considerable staff time to prepare, staff
recommends continuing the current practice of receiving direction from the City
Council as expressed by a majority of the City Councilmembers to place an item on
the City Council Agenda. Staff proposes memorializing this practice in the form of a
revised City Council Policy Statement (Attachment 2).
The City Council may determine to take alternative action. Dependent upon the
alternative action taken by the City Council, staff may request additional resources to
produce those reports. Alternatively, items may take additional time to be properly
prepared and placed on a future City Council agenda.
FISCAL ANALYSIS:
Adoption of the revised City Council Policy would not result in an increase in staff
time. However, adopting a new policy allowing individual Councilmembers to City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
agendize items may create additional staff time to create staff reports and may delay
the completion of Council Adopted Work Programs.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. City Council Policy Statement Number 3204.
2. Resolution (with revised City Council Policy entitled “Placement of Items on
the City Council Agenda.”
MOTION:
That the City Council:
1. Discuss the proposed City Council Policy regarding Placement of Items on the
City Council Agenda; and
2. Adopt a Resolution approving the revised City Council Policy regarding
placement of items on the City Council Agenda;
OR
3. Provide other direction to staff as deemed appropriate.
MEETING DATE: January 12, 2009
AGENDA ITEM : Discussion of Placement of Items on the City Council
Agenda and Adoption of a Resolution Adopting City Council Policy
2009-01 Entitled "Placement of Items on the City Council Agenda" and
rescinding City Council Policy Statement 3204.
ATTACHMENTS
Pages|109| City Council Policy Statement 3402
1-2
2. Resolution (with proposed new policy) 3-6CITY OF CULVER CITY
COUNCIL POLICY STATEMENT Policy Number 3204
General Subject:
City Council Date Issued 2/10/92
Specific Subject: Agendizing Items for Discussion Effective Date 2/10/92
Resolution No. MM. Action
PURPOSE:
To formalize a process to allow individual Council Members to place items on City
Council Agendas for consideration and action, and to allow staff to present previously
approved items for reconsideration.
STATEMENT OF POLICY:
The City Council hereby establishes a process for individual Council Members to
calendar issues or items they wish to bring to the attention of the other Members for
formal discussion, and a follow-on process for subsequent action on the item(s).
Council Members have a desire and intent to afford each other the opportunity to
individually bring forth, for serious consideration and deliberation, items or issues of
general or specific concern regarding the welfare of the City and its citizens; and to
provide a time lapse between the initial discussion and scheduled action in order to
provide adequate opportunity for staff research and public notification.
In addition, staff members, through the Chief Administrative Officer, may have new
information or new recommendations on previously approved Council agenda items,
including new conditions or changed status requiring reconsideration of the previous
action. Such items are best presented as "sponsored" by a Council member.
PROCEDURES:
A. Any (one) individual Member of the City Council, or a staff member through
the Chief Administrative Officer and a Council Member, may request an item be
agendized for future discussion and consideration by one of the following methods:
( 1 ) Seeking a consensus of the Council Members at any regular or
adjourned meeting to place a subject on a future agenda; or(2) Submitting to the CAO a title and brief description of the issue for
inclusion on a subsequent City Council agenda. Such request must be provided
to the CAO at least 6 working days prior to the preferred meeting date.
B. Items initiated by Council (or staff through Council) pursuant to this policy
shall be placed on the agenda following all other discussion items.
C. The requested subject shall be fully discussed by the Council, and, should three
(3) or more Members agree to further consider the matter, an agenda item will be
prepared for a subsequent meeting at which time the Council may take action.
D. When an item is agendized for future action, staff assigned by the CAO shall
research the topic in question in order to advise the Council Members of potential
operational, legal, fiscal or other consequences prior to final action. Public notification
of any pending action shall be as required by public meeting law.
cdp3204
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RESOLUTION NO. 2009-R
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF CULVER CITY, CALIFORNIA, ADOPTING CITY
COUNCIL POLICY 2009- RELATED TO PLACING
ITEMS ON THE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA.
WHEREAS, on January 12, 2009 at a regularly scheduled meeting of the City
Council, the City Council discussed a proposed policy related to the Placement of Items on
the City Council Agenda: and,
WHEREAS, the proposed policy reflects the desire of the City Council to
have majority support of the City Council prior to providing staff with direction to add an
item to the City Council agenda.
NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Culver City, California,
DOES RESOLVE as follows:
1. The City Council hereby adopts City Council Policy 2009- entitled, "Placement of Items on the City Council Agenda" which City Council Policy is
attached as Exhibit "A" to this Resolution.
2. City Council Policy 2009- shall be effective upon adoption of this
Resolution.
3. The City Manager is hereby authorized to format this policy statement in a
format consistent with other City Council Policies and shall include the final version of this
III
II'
I I I- MARTIN R. COLE, City Clerk • A. SCHWAkCity Attorney
_
City Council Policy with other adopted City Council Policies.
APPROVED and ADOPTED this 12 th day of January 2009.
D. SCOTT MALS1N, Mayor
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30City Council Adopted Policy 2009-
Adopted by Resolution on Subject Matter: Placement of Items on the City Council Agenda
PURPOSE
To formalize a process by which the City Council can place items on City Council
Agendas for consideration and action. This same process shall apply to the
Redevelopment Agency and all other legislative bodies which consists of all five
members of the City Council.
STATEMENT OF POLICY
The City Council, in its role as the policy-making and legislative body of the City,
provides direction to the City Manager on a wide ranging number of topics within
the subject matter jurisdiction of the City Council and consistent with the City's
Charter.
Past practice of the City Council has required the consent of a majority of the
members present to place an item on a future agenda. This practice of the City
Council is consistent with the vesting of all powers of the City in the City Council
as a body by the City's Charter (Section 607).
Through adoption of the annual Budget, the City Council adopts a wide ranging
and substantial workplan for the City. This workplan may result in a number of
subjects requiring the City Council's consideration as an agenda item. Also, day-
to-day operation of the City results in generation of items for the City Council's
consideration (for example: contracts, policies, ordinances, etc.).
While many items are included in the annual workplan, the City Council may
determine that it desires to consider additional items not contained in the
workplan. This Policy provides a process by which the City Council may place
items on a future agenda.
PROCEDURE
Individual Council Members who desire the City Council to consider placing an
item on a future agenda may make a request of the City Council during a
properly noticed public meeting. Items receiving affirmative support from a
majority of the Council Members present shall be placed on a future agenda.
The City Manager shall determine the placement of an item on a specific future
Agenda. In determining which future agenda to place an item, the City Manager
shall consider all of the following:
(1) Direction provided by the City Council as to a specific date the City
Council wishes to consider and item;
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cd.)(2) The cumulative items requiring consideration by the City Council at
any specific meeting;
(3) The time sensitivity of other items already tentatively scheduled for a
specific meeting.
(4) The amount of time necessary to ensure staff has sufficient time to
prepare a thorough and high quality staff report for the City Council's
consideration.
(5) The fact that certain items may arise unexpectedly or be continued
from a prior meeting.
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