TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Bruce Moe, City Manager
FROM:
Alexandria Latragna, Acting Communications and Civic Engagement Manager
SUBJECT:Title
Consider Request by Mayor Montgomery and Councilmember Howorth to Discuss Sending a Letter Requesting that Senator Ben Allen and Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi Sponsor Legislation Regulating Electronic Bike Use (City Manager Moe).
(Estimated Time: 5 Mins.)
DISCUSS AND PROVIDE DIRECTION
Body
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RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council discuss and provide direction regarding the request by Mayor Montgomery and Councilmember Howorth to discuss sending a letter requesting that Senator Ben Allen and Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi support legislation regulating electronic bike use at a future City Council meeting.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
There are no fiscal implications associated with the recommended action. However, should the City Council direct staff to analyze the request, staff time and resources may be expended to accommodate the request.
BACKGROUND:
Pursuant to the Brown Act, the City Council cannot discuss items not on an agenda unless under limited circumstances. The City Council has developed a process to allow individual Councilmembers to request, with the support of another Councilmember, that items be placed on a future agenda for City Council discussion. At that future meeting, the item is identified on the agenda in full compliance with the Brown Act. Discussion allows an opportunity to the public to provide input and the City Council, as a body, to decide whether City resources (staff time, etc.) should be incurred to present a more comprehensive report at a third City Council meeting.
Accordingly, individual Councilmembers can initiate future agenda items by following the following three-step process:
STEP ONE:
During “Future Agenda Items,” a Councilmember may request that an item be placed on the agenda. If another Councilmember concurs with placing the item on the agenda, the item is placed on a future agenda. At the request of Mayor Montgomery and Councilmember Howorth at the July 18, 2023 City Council meeting, staff has placed this item on this agenda for further discussion.
STEP TWO:
The item is placed on the agenda at the section titled, “City Council Requests and Reports Including AB 1234 Reports” at the end of the agenda with this report. If it does not require any staff time, there may be attachments (e.g., copies of ordinances, resolutions, contracts, etc. previously adopted or approved) to provide background or context. After discussion, the City Council has the following options:
a) Receive and File the report.
b) Direct staff to perform the necessary work to prepare a more comprehensive staff report and schedule the item for a future City Council meeting.
c) Provide direction that does not require additional staff time or City resources (e.g., prepare and send a letter).
d) Continue the item to a future date.
Typically, if additional staff time is required there would be a Step Three. In this case, if the Council decides to direct staff to send a letter to Senator Ben Allen and Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi requesting they support legislation regulating electronic bike use, staff would be authorized to send the letter at this time without an additional City Council meeting.
DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION:
Upon City Council consensus, staff will draft and send the letter to Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi and Senator Ben Allen requesting they support legislation regulating electronic bike use.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has reviewed this report and determined that no additional legal analysis is necessary.
ATTACHMENT:
1. Assembly Bill 530