TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Bruce Moe, City Manager
FROM:
Quinn Barrow, City Attorney
Alexandria Latragna, Policy and Management Analyst
SUBJECT:Title
Consideration of Adopting an Urgency Ordinance and Introducing an Ordinance to Amend the Existing Prohibition on the Use of City Resources for Political Activity in and on City Facilities (City Attorney Barrow).
A) ADOPT URGENCY ORDINANCE NO. 22-0007-U
B) ADOPT ORDINANCE NO. 22-0007
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Recommended Action
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt Urgency Ordinance No. 22-0007-U and Ordinance No. 22-0007.
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FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
There are no fiscal implications associated with the recommended action.
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION:
On August 2, 2022, the City Council directed staff to return with an urgency ordinance and an ordinance revising MBMC Section 4.120.055 which prohibits the use of resources for political activities.
The Ordinance would not be effective through the regular process - first and second reading, effective 30 days after second reading until after campaigning is likely to have begun for City candidates. As a result, staff recommends the adoption of an urgency ordinance with identical operative provisions to the non-urgency ordinance. Accordingly, the ordinances will be referred to as "the ordinance" herein. If adopted tonight, the urgency ordinance would be effective today, and in place before campaign commences for local candidates.
The proposed ordinances addresses the use of City resources by anyone for political activity and restricting political activity in and on City facilities. The following amendments are included in the draft ordinance tonight:
* Adding a definition of "political activity".
* Clarifying an exception for situations where City officials are conveying the position of the City Council as adopted at an open public meeting in response to a request for inform...
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