November 16, 2004
SUBJECT: Start Times of Regular Council Meetings and Study Sessions; Adjournment Times and Procedures for Regular Council Meetings
REPORT IN BRIEF
At the November 9, 2004 City Council meeting Council voted to change the start time of regular city council meetings to 7:00 p.m., effective January 2005. A resolution documenting this new start time is attached. Council also voted on new procedures for meeting adjournment times and study session start times. A legislative policy is attached reflecting these. The new start and adjournment times are intended to assist in limiting late-night Council meetings and to encourage public participation.
BACKGROUND
At the November 9, 2004 Council meeting staff presented a report (RTC 04-400, Length of Council Meetings, Start/End Times, Duration and Frequency) summarizing a survey conducted by staff at council request documenting Council meeting practices of local cities. Council has underscored the importance of community input and citizen engagement in the conduct of City business, and the critical role of City Council meetings in this effort. Council identified concerns that lengthy Council meetings extending into late-night or early-morning hours limit public participation, and potentially diminish the quality of discussion and/or decision making. An earlier start time, and requiring Council to vote in order to start new items after 11:30p.m., may assist in limiting late-night meetings.
In December 1997 the City Council meeting start time was changed from 8:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. to facilitate community involvement (see Attachment B, RTC #97-526, Start Time of Council Meetings; Resolution No. 212-01).
EXISTING POLICY
Sunnyvale City Charter, Section 608: Regular Meetings.
The City Council shall hold regular meetings at least twice each month, at such times as it shall fix by ordinance or resolution and may adjourn or re-adjourn any regular meeting to a date certain, which shall be specified in the order of adjournment and when so adjourned, each adjourned meeting shall be a regular meeting for all purposes. (Amended effective December 21, 1976: previously Section 707)
Resolution No. 212-01. Regular City Council meetings shall be held on at least two (2) Tuesdays each month at 7:30 p.m.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact to this report.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made through posting of Council agenda on the City’s official notice bulletin board, posting of the agenda and report on the City’s web page, publication of the Council agenda in the San Jose Mercury News, and the availability of the report in the Library and the City Clerk’s Office.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Rescind resolution 212-01 and adopt a resolution fixing the start time for regular city council meetings at 7:00 p.m. (Attachment A).
2. Adopt legislative policy setting council meeting adjournment times and procedures thereof, and setting Council study session start times (attachment B).
3. Direct staff to draft an alternate resolution fixing the start time for city council meetings.
4. Take no action.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends alternatives #1 and #2:
1. Rescind resolution 212-01 and adopt a resolution fixing the start time for regular city council meetings at 7:00 p.m.
2. Adopt legislative policy setting council meeting adjournment times and procedures thereof, and setting council study session start times.
Approved by:
Amy Chan
City Manager
Prepared by: Coryn Campbell
Manager, Neighborhood and Community Services
Attachments (pdf format)
A. Resolution
B. Legislative Policy