November 29, 2005

SUBJECT: 2005-2006 SEATING ARRANGEMENTS FOR CITY COUNCIL AND APPROVAL OF REVISED COUNCIL POLICY 7.3.7

REPORT IN BRIEF

Based on the November 8, 2005 General Municipal Election results, the City Council needs to determine the seating arrangement of its members for November 2005 through November 2006.  Current Council Policy 7.3.7 establishes the method for determining City Council seating arrangements for the coming year and staff recommends Council revise Policy 7.3.7 to reflect recent past practice.

EXISTING POLICY

The current Council Policy 7.3.7. (renumbered as 7.3.11 as part of the Legislative Policy Update Project) states that Council seating arrangements will be determined as the last item of business at a meeting during which a Mayor and/or Vice Mayor is selected. 

The Policy further states:

·                     The Mayor shall be seated in the center seat.  Should the Mayor be absent, the Vice Mayor shall assume the Mayor’s seat.  The Vice Mayor shall be seated on either side of the Mayor, with the Vice Mayor selecting which side of the Mayor he/she will sit. 

·                     The remaining seats to be selected on the basis of seniority, with those having equivalent time of service drawing lots to determine order of seat selection.

However, instead of drawing lots, the more recent past practice of Council has been to prioritize seating selection for those with equivalent time of service by the member receiving the highest number of votes in his/her most recent election.  Consistent with this action, staff recommends that Council approves a revision to the current Council Policy 7.3.7 (Attachment A) to reflect this Council practice.

After selection of the seat to be occupied by the Vice Mayor, the following is the order in which the selection of the remaining seats would take place if Council chooses to prioritize seat selection by seniority and votes rather than seniority and drawing of lots:

    ▪     John Howe

    ▪     Dean Chu

    ▪     Ron Swegles

    ▪     Melinda Hamilton

    ▪     Otto Lee

    ▪     Anthony Spitaleri

    ▪     Christopher Moylan

PUBLIC CONTACT

Public contact was provided by posting of the agenda on the City’s official notice bulletin board, posting of the agenda and report on the City’s web page and the availability of the report in the Office of the City Clerk and the Sunnyvale Library.

RECOMMENDATION

Council approves revision to Council Policy 7.3.7 per staff recommendation and selects seats for the coming year in accordance with the revised Council Policy.

Reviewed by:

Robert Walker, Assistant City Manager

Prepared by: Katherine Bradshaw Chappelear, City Clerk

Approved by:

Amy Chan

City Manager

ATTACHMENT

A.       Proposed revision to Council Policy 7.3.7 (renumbered as 7.3.11 as part of the Legislative Policy Update Project)