R 3645
RESOLUTION NO. 3645
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF ARROYO GRANDE MODIFYING THE
POLICY/PROCEDURE FOR CONDUCTING CITY
COUNCIL BUSINESS
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Arroyo Grande does desire to amend the
Policy/Procedure For Conducting City Council Business.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ARROYO GRANDE
DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
1. The Policy/Procedure For Conducting City Council Business
("Policy/Procedure"), adopted by Resolution No. 3264 on December 9, 1997,
and amended by Resolution No. 3391 adopted on August 24, 1999, is hereby
amended as set forth in Exhibit A attached hereto and incorporated herein by
this reference.
2. The City Manager is hereby authorized and directed to post copies of said
Policy/Procedure in suitable places for the guidance of the public. I
On motion of Council Member Costello, seconded by Council Member Dickens and on I
the following roll call vote, to wit:
AYES: Council Members Costello. Dickens, Runels, and Mayor Ferrara
NOES: Council Member Lubin
ABSENT: None !
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The foregoing Resolution was passed and adopted this 28th day of January, 2003. i
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RESOLUTION NO. 3645
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ATTEST:
urb)IWIJL,~
ORE, DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICESI
DEPUTY CITY CLERK
APPROVED AS TO CONTENT:
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. VEN AD:,. CITY MANAGER
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
EXHIBIT A
POLICY/PROCEDURE FOR
CONDUCTING CITY COUNCIL BUSINESS
The following guidelines are to assist the City Council in the conduct of City business
and are procedural only. Failure to strictly observe such procedures shall not affect the
jurisdiction of the Council nor invalidate any action taken at a meeting that is otherwise
held in conformance with the law.
Except as otherwise provided for in this Policy, any special rule adopted by the City
Council, or as otherwise provided by state statute, the procedures of the City Council
meetings shall be governed by the latest revised edition of "Sturgis Standard Code of
Parliamentary Procedure", as modified by Council practices. The City Attorney is
designated as the parliamentarian for City Council meetings. The City Manager shall
preside as the parliamentarian in the City Attorney's absence.
1. MEETINGS
a. The City Council shall meet in regular session on the second and fourth
Tuesday of each month. !
b. Business at regular sessions shall be conducted from 7:00 PM to 12 I
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Midnight only, unless extended by unanimous consent of the City Council i
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Members present. I
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Special adjourned meetings and study sessions of the City Council may
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be called by a majority vote of the City Council.
d. The order of business for the City Council shall be as arranged by the City
Manager, except for matters set at a specific time by the Council.
2. ADDRESSING THE CITY COUNCIL
a. Each person desiring to address the Council shall proceed to the
speaker's stand upon recognition from the Mayor. The speaker shall state
for the record his/her name and address. Unless further time is granted
by the Mayor, (unless overruled by a majority vote of the Council), the
speaker shall limit his/her remarks to three (3) minutes unless special
circumstances exist. All remarks shall be pertinent to the subject at hand.
All remarks must be addressed to the Council as a whole and not to any
Member individually. No questions shall be asked of a Council Member or
member of City staff without the permission of the Mayor.
b. In order to avoid repetitious presentations and delay in the business of the
Council, whenever any group of persons wishes to address the Council on
the same subject matter, it shall be proper for the Mayor to request a
spokesperson be chosen by the group to represent its position. The
Mayor may, in his discretion, grant additional time for a speaker that has
been recognized or designated by a group to present comments on their
behalf.
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Policy / Procedure For Conducting City Council Business
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c. After a motion has been made and seconded, or a public hearing has
been closed, no member of the public shall address the Council from the
audience on the matter under consideration without first securing
permission to do so from the Mayor or a majority vote of the Council.
3. DISTURBANCE OF CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS
The following procedure and format will be used by the City Council to address
and/or exclude disruptive persons from a Council Meeting:
a. The Presiding Officer shall make the following announcement:
As the Presiding Officer and the person in charge of this meeting, I am
advising you that the rules of procedure of the City Council provides that
"no person will be permitted to make slanderous, profane, or personal
remarks against any individual. Also, as Mayor and the person in charge
of this meeting, I am advising you that the penal Code provides that every
person who, without authority of law, willfully disturbs or breaks up any
meeting, not unlawful in its character, is guilty of a misdemeanor.
Your act of making personal remarks against individuals is causing a
serious disruption of this meeting and I must ask you to immediately cease
this disturbance. If you disturb this meeting any further, I wiJI ask for your
arrest under Penal Code Section - 403.
At this time, I am going to recess this meeting for 15 minutes. At that time
we will reconvene our meeting.
b. Recess and call for police to be present when meeting reconvenes.
c. If the disturbance continues after reconvening the meeting, the Presiding I
Officer shall make the following announcement:
As Presiding Officer and the person in charge of this meeting, I am again
advising you that the Penal Code provides that every person who, without
authority of law, willfully disturbs or breaks up any meeting, not unlawful in
its character, is guilty of a misdemeanor. Your act of making personal
remarks against individuals is causing a serious disruption of this meeting.
If you do not immediately cease this disturbance, I will request the police
to arrest you under Penal Code Section 403.
d. If the disturbance continues, request the police to come forward to make
the arrest. (Government Code Section 54957.9)
4. PROCEDURES
a. Council ordinances and resolutions must be reviewed in written form
before binding action is taken on same.
Policy / Procedure For Conducting City Council Business
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b. A Council order applies mainly as a directive to City officers or employees.
It need not be in writing, as it generally applies to one specific act only.
c. In the absence or inability of the Mayor and the Mayor Pro Tem to attend a
meeting of the City Council, the Members present shall select one
Member to temporarily preside.
d. A motion shall not be debated or "put to vote", unless the same is
seconded. When a motion is seconded, if requested, it shall be stated by
the Mayor or the Director of Administrative Services/Deputy City Clerk
before debate.
e. Upon a motion having been made and seconded, it shall be deemed to be
in possession of the Council, but it may be withdrawn at any time, before
decision or amendment, with the assent of a second.
f. A Member called to order should relinquish the floor, unless permitted to
explain; and the Council, if appealed to, shall decide on the case, but
without debate. If there is no appeal, the decision of the Mayor shall be
final.
g. Upon demand of any Council Member, or at the discretion of the Mayor,
the vote shall be by roll call, expect that the vote on all ordinances or
resolutions shall be by roll call vote. i
h. Tie votes shall be lost motions.
i. Tie votes on the appeal of a Commission/Board/Committee or staff
decision sustain the action of the Commission/Board/Committee, or staff.
j. Every Council Member, unless disqualified by reason of a conflict of
interest or as otherwise provided by law, shall cast his/her vote upon any
matter put to vote by the legislative body.
k. Any Council Member who abstains from voting without a valid reason shall
be deemed to have voted with the majority on that particular issue.
I. A Council Member who publicly announces that he/she is abstaining from
voting on a particular matter for specified reasons shall not subsequently
be allowed to withdraw that abstention.
m. In order to avoid any attack on the validity of Council hearings, Council
Members shall avoid forming final conclusions or making commitments
with proponents and opponents during any meetings, conferences, or
discussions regarding the merits of the matter or issue before the body,
including but not limited to, specific zoning and related land-use proposals,
comprehensive planning, and like matters.
Policy / Procedure For Conducting City Council Business
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n. A motion to reconsider a legislative or quasi-legislative action taken by the
Council may be made only at the same meeting at which the action was
taken. Quasi-judicial actions shall not.. be subject to a motion to
reconsider.
5. COMMITTEES
a. The Council shall appoint committees as deemed necessary for the proper
conduct of City business.
b. No committee shall include in its membership more than two (2) Council
Members.
c. The City Manager, or his/her designee, shall be an ex-officio member of I
all committees. I
6. AGENDAS
a. Agendas for the Council will be prepared by the City Manager.
b. Agendas shall be posted on a bulletin board, publicly accessible, in City
Hall and/or the Council Chamber.
7. COUNCIL MEMBER REQUESTS
a. To request a formal agenda report be prepared and placed on a future
agenda, direct staff to prepare a study or analysis, or request feedback
from other Members of the City Council on a given subject. a Council
Member may place the request on the qity Council Agenda by notifying
the City Manager by 5:00 p.m. on the Thursday prior to the City Council
meeting. The request will then be identified on the Agenda along with the
name of the Council Member making the request.
b. The City Council may conduct limited discussion regarding the request
and provide direction, but no formal action may be taken regarding the
topic of the request.
c. If a majority of the City Council concurs with the request. staff will respond
appropriately.
d. Any City Council Member may make an announcement that does not
involve discussion or direction to staff during the Council Communications
portion of the meeting.
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Policy / Procedure For Conducting City Council Business
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8. MISCELLANEOUS
a. Items referred to departments for action by the City Council shall be
routed through the City Manager's Office.
b. The City Council shall occasionally review this Policy/Procedure.
c. Amendments to this Policy/Procedure shall be by majority vote of the
Council.
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RESOLUTION NO. 3645
OFFICIAL CERTIFICATION
I, KELLY WETMORE, Director of Administrative ServiceslDeputy City Clerk of
the City of Arroyo Grande, County of San Luis Obispo, State of California, do
hereby certify under penalty of perjury, that Resolution No. 3645 is a true, full,
and correct copy of said Resolution passed and adopted at a special meeting of
the City Council of the City of Arroyo Grande on the 28th day of January, 2003.
WITNESS my hand and the Seal of the City of ArrQYo Grande affixed this 31st
day of January, 2003.
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RE, DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICESI
DEPUTY CITY CLERK
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