TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Mark Danaj, City Manager
FROM:
Liza Tamura, City Clerk
George Gabriel, Management Analyst
SUBJECT:Title
Request by Councilmember Montgomery and Councilmember Lesser to Discuss Public Comment Policy During City Council Meetings.
CONSIDER ADOPTING RESOLUTION NO. 17-0140
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Recommended Action
RECOMMENDATION:
Discuss and provide direction as to whether persons may speak twice on the same item at a City Council meeting.
Body
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
No fiscal implications associated with the recommended action.
BACKGROUND:
Public comment rules are established by the City's rules of order for the conduct of City Council meetings by City Council Resolution. The resolution is typically referred to as the "Meeting Management" resolution. The City Council has periodically refined the Meeting Management Resolution several times to serve the dual goals of allowing the public ample opportunity to speak and efficiently conduct City Council meetings.
At the October 17, 2017 City Council meeting, Councilmember Montgomery and then Mayor Lesser requested that the Resolution be revisited for the purpose of discussing whether a person may speak twice on the same item (once during public comment and then later when the Council considers a specific item).
DISCUSSION:
As shown on the attached Legislative Digest, Staff has drafted Resolution No. 17-0140 with an amendment to Section 3 to clarify that, in addition to being offered the opportunity to speak for up to three minutes during public comment, speakers will be provided up to two minutes on agenda items when such items are being considered if such speaker has not commented on that item during public comment:
"Speakers may provide public comments on any matter that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the City Council, including items on the agenda including the Consent Calendar. Each speaker m...
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