For City Council Meeting [August 14, 2018]
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
APPROVAL: Ahmad R. Ansari, Interim City Administrator
FROM: Fred Galante, City Attorney
Title
Request City Council to Provide Direction on an Appropriate Policy for City Council Consideration of Ceremonial Letters, Certificates, Proclamations and Resolutions.
(ACTION)
Body
BACKGROUND:
Councilmembers have inquired as to whether the City has any established procedures for the placement of ceremonial letters, certificates, proclamations or resolutions on the City Council agenda. In response, the City Clerk’s Office provided the attached procedures it has followed (Attachment A). Following circulation of the attached, Councilmember Trujillo requested that a proposed policy be presented for consideration by the City Council.
Attached are sample policies obtained from other cities. Direction is requested on the elements to include in a policy acceptable to this Council.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION:
The procedures provided by the City Clerk’s Office spell out the following requirements to assure requests are processed in a timely manner:
All requests will go through an internal review with final approval by the City Clerk.
All requests must be submitted in a neatly printed or typed format to the City Clerk.
All requests are to be received at least three weeks prior to the date the document is needed.
By request, Certificates, Proclamations, and Resolutions may be presented by the Mayor and City Council to the respective recipient(s) during a City Council Meeting.
Requested documents are to be submitted to the City Clerk’s Office.
Concern was raised about the requirement to provide documents 3 weeks in advance. Other concerns may exist. Any suggested changes to uphold the City Council’s desires should also address the timing required for the City Clerk’s Office’s to prepare any such ceremonial documents and coordinate with recipients of such documents for attendance at the designated time of the scheduled Council meeting.
By way of example, attached are 2 sample policies obtained from other cities, Lawndale (Attachment B) and Lompoc (Attachment C). Either staff or the City Attorney’s office could secure additional examples should the Council desire more options.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT:
The requested City Council action is not a “Project” as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Pursuant to Section 15378(a), a “Project” means the whole of an action, which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. According to Section 15378(b), a Project does not include: … (5) Organizational or administrative activities of governments that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment.
GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY:
This action is consistent with Guiding Principles 1 and 3A of the General Plan:
• Rialto is a Family First Community. Essential community services and amenities must meet the needs and desires of our families.
Our City government will lead by example, and will operate in an open, transparent and responsive manner that meets the needs of the citizens and is a good place to do business.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney prepared and approved this staff report.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no financial impact for this request.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council provide direction on an appropriate Policy for City Council consideration of ceremonial letters, certificates, proclamations and resolutions. City staff and the City Attorney will work to prepare a policy for consideration at a future Council meeting reflecting the direction of the Council.