Title
Recommendation to Approve Transportation Commission Bylaw Revisions
Body
To: Honorable Chair and Members of the Transportation Commission
BACKGROUND
City staff is recommending several changes to the bylaws of the Transportation Commission to help ensure that the meetings are run effectively. The recommended revisions are summarized as follows:
1. Changing the failure to attend requirement to 50 percent of meetings held during any 12 month period from the current 75 percent to ensure better participation among the Transportation Commissioners.
2. Changing the City staff person who appoints the Secretary of the Transportation Commission as the Planning, Building and Transportation Director since Transportation is one of the Planning, Building and Transportation Director’s responsibilities.
3. Changing the start time of the regular meetings from the current 7 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., which is consistent with other City commissions/boards in an effort to reduce late night meetings.
4. Revising the “Order of Business” to move the “Staff Communications” as an item towards the beginning of the meeting to reduce staff overtime for staff who do not need to stay for the entire meeting, and to change “New Business” to “Regular Agenda Items” to more accurately reflect the purpose of this item and to be consistent with the City Council order of business.
5. City staff recommends adding in the requirement to “leave the room” when a conflict of interest occurs and to delete the procedural notation to be consistent with the City’s Sunshine Ordinance.
6. Using Rosenberg’s Rules of Order rather than Robert’s Rules of Order, which is consistent with the City Council, to help community members better understand how to proceed with facilitating effective meetings.
7. Changing minor typos and making minor clarifications.
Exhibit 1 shows the Transportation Commission bylaws with the recommended changes in revision mode.
DISCUSSION
This section provides more detail about the specific parts of the bylaws that City staff has recommended to revise.
1. Maintenance of Membership - Failure to Attend Meetings (III. C.c.)
City staff recommends changing the failure to attend requirement to 50 percent of meetings held during any 12 month period from the current 75 percent to ensure better participation among the Transportation Commissioners.
Current
C. Maintenance of Membership. Persons appointed members shall continue to serve except for:
c. Failure to attend 75% of meetings held during any 12 month period, whether excused or not excused.
In accordance with the above, Chair is authorized to communicate with individual members whose absences exceed the 75% standard to seek their resignation if they cannot attend the prescribed number of meetings and, if unsuccessful, to remind them that one subsequent missed meeting will mean an automatic dismissal from the Commission.
Recommended
C. Maintenance of Membership. Persons appointed members shall continue to serve except for:
c. Failure to attend 50% of meetings held during any 12 month period, whether excused or not excused.
In accordance with the above, Chair is authorized to communicate with individual members whose absences exceed the 50% standard to seek their resignation if they cannot attend the prescribed number of meetings and, if unsuccessful, to remind them that one subsequent missed meeting will mean an automatic dismissal from the Commission.
2. Officers - Appointment of Transportation Commission Secretary (IV.B.)
City staff recommends changing the City staff person who appoints the Secretary of the Transportation Commission as the Planning, Building and Transportation Director since Transportation is one of the Planning, Building and Transportation Director’s responsibilities.
Current
B. The Deputy Public Works Director or other City staff as appointed by the DPWD shall serve as Secretary to the Transportation Commission.
Recommended
B. The Planning, Building and Transportation Director shall appoint the Secretary of the Transportation Commission.
3. Meetings - Regular Meetings - Start Time (V.A.)
City staff recommends changing the start time of the regular meetings from the current 7 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., which is consistent with other City commissions/boards in an effort to reduce late night meetings.
Current
A. The Commission shall meet at 7:00 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday of the odd months - January, March, May, July, September and November.
Recommended
A. The Commission shall meet at 6:30 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday of the odd months - January, March, May, July, September and November.
4. Agenda - Order of Business (VI.A.)
City staff recommends moving the “Staff Communications” as an item towards the beginning of the meeting to reduce staff overtime for staff who do not need to stay for the entire meeting. City staff also recommends changing “New Business” to “Regular Agenda Items” to more accurately reflect the purpose of this item and to be consistent with the City Council.
Current
A. Order of Business
1. Roll Call
2. Agenda Changes
3. Announcements / Public Comments
4. Consent Calendar
5. New Business
6. Staff Communications
7. Announcements / Public Comments
8. Adjournment
Recommended
A. Order of Business
1. Roll Call
2. Agenda Changes
3. Staff Communications
4. Announcements / Public Comments
5. Consent Calendar
6. Regular Agenda Items
7. Announcements / Public Comments
8. Adjournment
5. Conflict of Interest (VIII.C.b)
City staff recommends adding in the requirement to “leave the room” when a conflict of interest occurs and to delete the procedural notation to be consistent with the City’s Sunshine Ordinance.
Current
4. Step down from the podium until the item is completed.
[Note: This subsection to be used when commission is subject to City or State Conflict of Interest Rules. Steps 1-3 are required; Step 4 is recommended.]
Recommended
4. Step down from the podium and leave the room until the item is completed.
[Note: This subsection to be used when commission is subject to City or State Conflict of Interest Rules. Steps 1-3 are required; Step 4 is recommended.]
6. Rules of Order - Miscellaneous - Rosenberg’s Rules of Order (VIII.C.o)
City staff recommends using Rosenberg’s Rules of Order rather than Robert’s Rules of Order, which is consistent with the City Council. Rosenberg’s Rules of Order was created as a simplified version to help community members better understand how to proceed with facilitating effective meetings.
Current
o. Miscellaneous. All other matters not covered by these rules shall be decided by a majority of the Commission. Roberts Rules of Order may be used as a guide.
Recommended
o. Miscellaneous. All other matters not covered by these rules shall be decided by a majority of the Commission. Rosenberg’s Rules of Order may be used as a guide.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no financial impact from these Transportation Commission bylaw revisions.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
This action does not affect the Alameda Municipal Code, and is consistent with the Transportation Element of the General Plan, which states as follows:
Objective 4.1.4: Encourage, promote and facilitate proactive citizen participation to determine the long-term mobility needs of our community.
Policies
4.1.4.a Maintain a public forum, such as the Transportation Commission, to facilitate citizen input on transportation policy.
4.1.4.b Assist in efforts to facilitate dialogue between City departments, residents, and neighborhood organizations.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Approval of the revisions to the Transportation Commission bylaws is statutorily exempt from environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3), the general rule that CEQA only applies to actions that have the potential to cause a significant impact on the environment.
CLIMATE IMPACTS
There are no climate impacts from these Transportation Commission bylaw revisions.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation to Approve Transportation Commission Bylaw Revisions.
Respectfully submitted,
Gail Payne, Senior Transportation Coordinator
Exhibit:
1. Transportation Commission Bylaws with Recommended Revisions
2. Rosenberg’s Rules of Order