Title
Adoption of Resolution Amending Resolution No. 12121 Setting the Order of Business for Continued Items of City of Alameda City Council Meetings. (City Clerk 10022020)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The order of business for City Council regular meeting agendas are set by resolution. Staff is proposing that the regular agenda order of business be amended to add a Continued Items section in order to provide a specific regular agenda section for any matters the Council does not finish discussing at a prior meeting.
BACKGROUND
Alameda Municipal Code Section 2-1.6 allows the City Council to set the order of business of its regular meetings. During the past year, the City Council has routinely voted to continue an unfinished item to a later date and time. Often, the item is continued to a special meeting prior to the regular meeting. Adding a new section to the regular agenda order of business would provide a section for the continued item.
DISCUSSION
Currently, the order of business for regular agendas is:
1. Roll Call
2. Agenda Changes
3. Proclamations, Special Orders of the Day and Announcements
4. Oral Communications, Non-Agenda (Public Comment)
5. Consent Calendar
6. Agenda Items
7. City Manager Communications (Communications from City Manager)
8. Oral Communications, Non-Agenda (Public Comment)
9. Council Referrals
10. Council Communications (Communications from Council)
11. Adjournment
Since the City Council can amend the order of business and unfinished agenda items have been continued to regular meeting nights, the resolution setting the order of business for regular agendas could be amended to add a new section titled: “Continued Items” that could fall between the current sections 5 and 6. If the City Council does not complete a discussion or decides to move an item to the next regular meeting, adding a Continued Items section would provide a specific agenda section for the item(s). The City Council would still need to vote to continue the item(s). As with current continued items, the agenda will note if public comment has been closed and Councilmembers will only have their remaining speaking time when discussion is resumed.
Creation of the new section would not limit the City Council to only continuing items to that section of the agenda. The City Council could still vote to continue the matter to other dates and times, such as a non-regular meeting date or a special meeting prior to or after a regular meeting. Special City Council meeting agendas do not have a set order of business and the continued matter can, and often is, the only agenda item.
ALTERNATIVES
The City Council could:
• Amend the order of business to add Continued Items as agenda section 6.
• Amend the order of business to add Continued Items as another agenda section, such as section 5 prior to the Consent Calendar.
• Amend the order of business and title the new section Unfinished Business.
• Not amend the order of business.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no financial impact from amending the order of business of City Council meetings.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
This action is in conformance with Alameda Municipal Code Section 2-1.6
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Environmental Review is not required to amend the City Council meeting order of business.
CLIMATE IMPACT
There are no identifiable climate impacts or climate action opportunities associated with the subject of this report.
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt a resolution amending the order of business of City Council meetings.
CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDATION
The City Manager concurs with the City Clerk’s recommendation.
Respectfully submitted,
Lara Weisiger, City Clerk
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Annie To, Finance Director
cc: Eric Levitt, City Manager
Gerry Beaudin, Assistant City Manager