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HomeMy WebLinkAbout21 - Council Policy A-6 Open Meeting PoliciesNovember 8, 1999 • Agenda Item No. 21 CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of City Council FROM: LaVonne M. Harkless, City Clerk DATE: November 8, 1999 SUBJECT: Proposed Revisions to Council Policy A -6, Open Meeting Policies, to Change Regular Council Meetings to the Second and Fourth Tuesdays RECOMMENDATION Approve the proposed revisions to Council Policy A -6, Open Meeting Policies, changing the Regular Council meetings to the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month, except in December when the only meeting will be held on the second Tuesday, effective in January of 2000. BACKGROUND At the September 18, 1999 City Council/Staff retreat, the City Council discussed changing the date of the regular meetings to Tuesday. At the same time a discussion was held about when the agenda packets would be delivered to Council if the meeting date were changed and it was determined that delivery would take place on Thursday rather than Wednesday. Based on this determination the agendas and the staff reports will be available to the public on the Friday prior to the Council meetings rather than on Thursday, effective in January of 2000. If there are supplemental agenda items or information, they will be available to the public by 5:00 p.m. on the Friday preceding the meeting. After the policy change has been approved by the City Council the City Clerk's Office will undertake a notification program prior to the effective date in order to notify the residents and other interested parties of the change. The notice will be published in The Daily Pilot and notices will be mailed to all of the homeowners' associations, all Orange County cities in conjunction with the reorganization notice and with the water bills in November and December. A copy of the flyer to be distributed is attached. At the same meeting the Council also requested that the section of the agenda when council members are given the opportunity to place items on a future agenda for discussion, action or report, be modified to include an opportunity for the Council to make announcements. The agenda has already been modified to incorporate that request, and by this action, the policy will be amended to reflect that action. M • LaVonne M. Harkless, City Clerk Attachment: Council Policy A -6 Flyer OPEN MEETING POLICIES PURPOSE A -6 .' The Newport Beach City Council and certain Boards, Commissions and Committees are required to comply with the Ralph M. Brown Act (Brown Act). The Brown Act requires public entities to deliberate, and take action, in open session. The City Council has adopted these rules to ensure compliance with the Brown Act and to promote full citizen participation in the discussions and decisions of their elected and appointed representatives. POLICY A. Regular Meetings. The City Council shall hold regular meetings on the second and fourth Mendays Tuesdays of each month except in December when the only meeting will be held on the second Mexday Tuesday. The meetings shall be held in the Council Chambers of the City Hall, 3300 Newport Boulevard in the City of Newport Beach. The regular meeting shall begin at 5:88 4M. p.m. for Study Session. Closed Session to follow immediatell theme. recess after the report ,) of Closed Session items, and reconvene at 7:00 p.m. The City Council may hold a regular meeting, special meeting, or adjourned regular or special meeting at another location within the City, or locations outside the jurisdiction of the City provided appropriate notice is given pursuant to, and the location of the meeting is consistent with, the Brown Act. When the day for any regular meeting falls on a legal holiday, no meeting shall be held on such holiday, but a regular meeting shall be held at the same hours on the following business day. B. All regular, special and adjourned meetings of the City Council, Boards, Commissions, and Committees created by the Charter or formal action of the City Council and which have continuing subject matter jurisdiction shall be called, noticed and conducted in compliance with the Brown Act. C. Regular City Council Meeting Agenda. 1. Staff shall provide the City Clerk with the title and recommendation of all items to be placed on a regular Council meeting agenda no later than 5:00 p.m. on two Fridays before the next regular City Council meeting. The City Clerk shall prepare this regular meeting agenda of all such matters 1 0 • A -6 under the direction of the City Manager. This agenda shall be delivered to the City Council Members on the Wednesday Thor preceding the Menday Tue Council meeting to which it pertains. The agenda and staff reports will be available for the public and media at the office of the City Clerk in no event later than 8:30 a.m. on the slay Friday preceding the meeting, except for supplemental agenda items which will be available in no event later than 5:00 p.m. on the Friday preceding the meeting. The City Clerk shall insure delivery of all supplemental staff reports to the Central Library before close of business on Friday. 2. Members of the City Council may place items on the agenda for discussion by submitting a title or topic sufficient to satisfy the requirements of the Brown Act on or before 5:00 p.m. on the Thursday preceding the meeting at which the item is to be discussed. These items will appear under the section of the agenda titled, "Matters which Council members would like placed on a future agenda for discussion, action, or report (non- discussion item)." The City Manager shall prepare a supplemental agenda listing all discussion items if the discussion item was • received after the cutoff time for the regular meeting agenda. 3. The regular meeting agenda shall contain a brief description of each item of business to be transacted or discussed and a statement that members of the public may offer testimony as to any matter on the agenda and may speak on non - agenda items during the public comment section of the agenda. The regular and supplemental agenda shall be posted on the bulletin board outside the main entrance of City Hall, at least 72 hours before each regular meeting, and the City Clerk shall maintain records of the name of the person posting the agenda, and the date and time of posting. 4. As a general rule, members of the City Council will ask that a matter be scheduled for a report and /or discussion prior to requesting the matter be placed on the agenda for action. However, the Council may, given appropriate circumstances, vote to place a matter on a future regular meeting agenda for action without prior discussion or report. • 2 A -6 .' CLOSED SESSION AGENDA The closed session agenda shall be prepared and posted by the City Attorney. The closed session agenda shall strictly conform to the format specified in the Brown Act. The City Attorney shall prepare a written report, or give an oral report, of any action taken in closed session that is required to be reported in open session by the Brown Act and that report shall be available for inspection and /or copying at the meeting during which the closed session is held. COUNCIL CORRESPONDENCE The City Clerk is authorized to open and examine all mail or other written communications addressed to the City Council and to immediately give a copy to the City Manager. The City Manager shall give immediate attention to administrative business referred to in the communication that does not require Council action and may be promptly concluded or shall prepare a staff report for the next available Council meeting. ORDER OF BUSINESS The agenda for regular meetings of the City Council shall contain the following items in the order listed: Studv Session Closed Session (See separate closed session agenda); Closed Session Report (if applicable); Recess; Reconvene at 7:00 p.m.; Pledge of Allegiance; Invocation; Roll Call; 0 3 0 0 A -6 Approval of Minutes; Waiver of reading in full of ordinances and resolutions; Special presentations; City Council announcements or matters which Council members would like placed on a future agenda for discussion, action or report (non - discussion item); Consent Calendar items which shall include: A. Ordinances for introduction; B. Resolutions for adoption; C. Contracts and agreements; D. City committee reports; E. Miscellaneous actions (For example: Planning Commission actions, if appropriate; budget amendments; acceptance of public works; and permit applications); 0 Disposition of Items Removed from the Consent Calendar Public Hearings; Public Comments; Continued Business; Current Business; Motion for Reconsideration; Continued Closed Session, if necessary (report if applicable); and Adjournment. The order of business shall not be changed except by majority vote of the City Council. • 4 A -6 .' PREPARATION OF MINUTES The City Clerk shall have the exclusive responsibility for preparation of the minutes, and any directions for changes in the minutes shall be made only by majority action of the City Council. READING OF MINUTES Unless the reading of the minutes of a Council meeting is ordered by a majority vote of the Council, such minutes may be approved without reading if the City Clerk previously furnished each Council member with a copy. Adopted - November 13,1967 Amended - March 28,1994 Amended - June 13,1977 Amended - June 27,1994 Amended - October 25,1977 Amended - December 12,1994 Amended - February 9,1981 Amended - February 26,1996 Amended - December 9,1996 Amended - May 26,1998 Amended - November 8,1999 (eff.1/1/2000) 411 5 4) ,vtant News W e're moving to �esdaY� ➢ Beginning in January, the Newport Beach City Council will meet on the 2nd and 4u' Tuesdays of each month (no more Monday nights!). On those Tuesdays, we will still hold study sessions at 4:00 p.m. (but give us a call beforehand because sometimes we start earlier or later), with regular meetings at 7:00 p.m. ➢ You can get agenda information and staff reports on the Friday before each Council meeting by: • Using the City's home page at www.city.newport- beach.ca.us; • Visiting the public counter at the City Clerk's office; or • Calling us at (949) 644 -3005.