City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
Meeting Date: 02/07/11 Item Number: A-1
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM: Discussion and Direction Related to the Criteria
Applicable to Groups Participating in the City’s Public Notification System.
Contact Person/Dept.: Martin R. Cole,
Assistant City Manager
Phone Number: (310) 253-6000
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [X] No []
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: [X]
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X] Date: _______________
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Every E-Mail Notification Category (02/02/11)
Department Approval:
Martin R. Cole (01/31/11)
City Attorney Approval:
Carol Schwab (by H. Baker) (02/01/11)
Chief Financial Officer Approval:
Jeff Muir (by M. Noller) (02/02/11)
City Manager Approval:
John M. Nachbar (02/02/11)
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the City Council consider the subject of determining what criteria
(if any) should apply to groups participating in the City’s public notification system
and direct the City Manager as deemed appropriate.
BACKGROUND:
At the City Council meeting held on November 6, 2010, the City Council concurred
with the request of Council Member Andrew Weissman and directed staff to
agendize a discussion of the criteria applicable to groups participating in the City’s
public notification system. Pursuant to that direction, this item appears on tonight’s
agenda.
DISCUSSION:
The City Council has discussed the topic of public notification on many occasions
over the past five years. In December, 2007 the City Council approved City Council
Policy 2007-02 – Public Notification (Policy - a copy of which is attached).
The Policy provides for both an e-mail and postal service based notification system
into several categories of interest. Both the e-mail and postal notification systems City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
are “self service” as persons/groups may utilize the City’s website to sign up for the
e-mail notification system. Persons/groups may also sign up for a postal notification
system by contacting the City Clerk’s Office (while this system has been widely
publicized, no one has yet signed up for it). The Policy also provides that it is the
responsibility of subscribers to keep their address current with the City by notifying
the City when they move or change their e-mail address.
The Policy does not provide any criteria for participation in either the e-mail or postal
notification system (other than, of course, the need to have an e-mail address or a
postal mailing address). Therefore, any person or group that determines to sign-up
for either notification system is able to do so, often though use of the self service
feature on the City’s website.
The purpose of this item is to discuss the issue and provide direction to the City
Manager as the City Council may deem appropriate.
FISCAL ANALYSIS:
Discussion of this item does not create a fiscal impact. However, should the City
Council determine to provide direction which requires allocation of staff or other
resources, an estimate of costs related thereto would be included in a future staff
report.
ATTACHMENTS
1. City Council Policy 2007-02 – Public Notification
MOTION:
That the City Council:
consider the subject of criteria applicable to groups participating in the City’s
public notification system and direct the City Manager as deemed appropriate.
MEETING DATE: February 7, 2011
AGENDA ITEM: Discussion and Direction Related to the Criteria Applicable to
Groups Participating in the City's Public Notification System.
ATTACHMENTS •
Pages
1. City Council Policy 2007-02 1-3 City Council Adopted Policy 2007-02
Subject Matter: Public Notification
PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is to provide general guidelines for staff to use when
preparing public notifications of various actions to be considered by the City
Council, the City's Commissions/Boards/Committees, and staff, where
applicable.
This Policy shall be consistent with the City Charter and other applicable laws.
CITY CHARTER PROVISIONS •
Section 610 of the City Charter states:
The City Council shall comply with the applicable provisions of State
law regarding the giving of notice for regular and special meetings.
The City Council shall consider whether it should establish additional
procedures to provide efficient, timely and cost-effective notice in a
manner consistent with currently available technology.
This Policy is established in accordance with this City Charter provision.
LEGALLY REQUIRED NOTICE
By adopting this Policy, the City Council restates the minimum requirements
embodied in Federal, State, and Local laws. In accordance with those applicable
laws, staff shall, at a minimum, provide notice as legally required. In complying
with legally required notice, the notification list shall be expanded to include
property owners and residents/occupants until the end of the block.
USE OF CITYWIDE NOTIFICATION
From time to time, City-wide notification may be appropriate or desirable.
Whenever possible and appropriate, City-wide notification shall be coordinated
with the quarterly publication of Culver City Living. Additionally, public notices
shall be routinely placed on the City's website. To conserve server storage
space, public notices shall be removed from the website after the meeting or
event notices has occurred.
Due to the cost involved, an individual, full City-wide notification shall only be
conducted with the approval of the City Manager or at the direction of the City
Council.
IN CITY COUNCIL SPEAKER CARD
The City Council Speaker Card shall provide information to interested parties on
how to sign-up for either the E-Mail or Postal Mail Interest Lists. A sample of the
City Council Speaker Card is attached. The City Council Speaker Card may be •
amended from time to time to further the goals of this Policy.
ESTABLISHMENT OF CENTRAL E-MAIL AND POSTAL MAIL INTEREST
LISTS
Culver City has had a tradition of encouraging public participation in the
governmental process. As part of that tradition, the City has provided public
notification in excess of the levels required by law. The City has also adopted a
number of policies and procedures which make Culver City a leader in
sustainability and environmental awareness.
To provide for additional efficiencies, staff shall establish the following two
categories of interest lists: (1) An E-mail Interest List, and (2) a Postal Mail
Interest List.
E-Mail Interest List
E-Mail provides an efficient, timely, cost-effective, and environmentally sensitive
method of providing public notification. Through the use of e-mail, the City can
notify a large number of persons simultaneously and almost instantly. Duplicate
e-mails can be easily deleted, minimizing wasted resources.
Whenever practicable, the City shall encourage interested parties to sign-up for
e-mail notification through a self-service and self-selecting process.
Postal Mail Interest Lists
To accommodate those persons who may not have easy access to a computer
and/or the Internet, the City shall establish and maintain a postal mail interest list.
Various categories of interest may be created in order to accommodate various
topics. Such topics shall be established by staff based upon the number of
individuals requesting notification on a topic.
Signing Up for the E-Mail and Postal Mail Interest Lists
To encourage and facilitate the use of both Interest Lists, Staff shall provide a
number of ways in which interested persons can sign-up for both. These
methods may include (but not be limited to):
• Electronic sign-up via the City's website
• Manual sign-up via the City Council Speaker Card
• Manual sign-up via written or telephonic request It is the responsibility of residents to keep their address current with the city by
notifying the city if they move or change their e-mail address.
ADDITIONAL NOTICE
The City Manager and the City's Department Heads may determine that notice
above the minimum requirements of this Policy is in the public interest. In that
case, additional notice may be provided with the approval of the Department
Head and/or the City Manager.