Cerritos City Council Meeting Minutes
MINUTES OF A JOINT SPECIAL MEETING OF THE
CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CERRITOS AND THE
CERRITOS REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY
HELD MARCH 4, 2010
CALL TO ORDER
The joint special meeting was called to order at 3:05 p.m. at the Cerritos Library Skyline Room, 18025 Bloomfield Avenue, Cerritos, California.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Mayor Pro Tem Cho led the assembly in the Pledge of Allegiance.
ROLL CALL
Councilwoman/Member Carol Chen
Councilman/Member Jim Edwards
Councilwoman/Member Laura Lee
Mayor Pro Tem/Vice Chair Joseph Cho, Ph.D.
Mayor/Chair Bruce W. Barrows
PUBLIC COMMENTS
There were no public comments at this juncture of the meeting.
DISCUSSION AND/OR CONSIDERATION OF CITY COUNCIL PROTOCOL
As part of the staff report for this item the City Council/Redevelopment Agency were provided with City Council protocol documents from the Cities of Buena Park, Lancaster, Los Altos and Palo Alto for reference purposes as well as a draft City of Cerritos Council Protocol Manual provided by the Mayor. A review of these documents ensued along with staff input and comment from interested parties in the audience.
The following direction was provided to staff with regard to the draft City of Cerritos Council Protocol Manual.
Section 1.03 Overview of Basic City Documents
(B) Arcata Municipal Code: replace with provisions from Cerritos City Charter and Cerritos Municipal Code.
(C) Goals: include language related to the budget as the document that sets forth the City's goals for the coming year.
(D) Annual Budget, (E) Annual Financial Audit, (F) General Plan, (G) Five-Year Capital Improvement Program, (H) Disaster Preparedness Plan: delete.
Section 2.02 Council Organization
Revise first sentence to reflect timing of swearing-in of newly elected Councilmembers per City Charter.
Section 2.03 Role of Councilmembers
(A)(2)(d) Summary of Council Duties and Responsibilities (as set forth by Charter and State and Federal Laws): directed staff to return to City Council to consider an increase in contract approval policy to $25,000 after confirming related statutes/City Charter provisions.
Section 2.04 Election of Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem
(B) Nominations: modify language to indicate that nominations require a second.
(B)(1) Term Limits: retain language that indicates that a term limited member, who won't be able to serve as Mayor before term limitations, may not be considered for the Mayor Pro Tem position.
(C) Casting Ballots: delete.
Section 2.05 Role of Mayor
Delete reference to designate seating order for the Council dais.
(A) Presiding Officer: delete first sentence as repetitive.
(A) Presiding Officer: delete language indicating that the Mayor sets the agenda for regular and special Council meetings.
(A) Presiding Officer: delete language relating to Cerritos tradition that the Mayor does not make a motion nor second a motion except in rare and unusual circumstances.
Section 2.06 Mayor Pro Tem, Absence of Mayor and Councilmembers
Delete second sentence of first paragraph as repetitive. Delete second paragraph and replace with language that the City Council will designate from among the Councilmembers present a person to serve as Acting Mayor.
Section 2.07 Resignation of Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem
Modify title and second to state that if the Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem resigns or is removed, the City Council will select a new Mayor or Mayor Pro Tem.
Section 2.09 Appointment of Officers
The City Council is responsible for appointing four positions within the City organization: The City Manager, City Attorney, City Clerk and City Treasurer serve at the pleasure of the Council. The City Manager is responsible for all other personnel within the City organization.
Section 2.10 Boards, Commission, Committees and Task Forces
Change this entire section to reflect current City policy.
Section 3.01 Staff/Clerical Support
Change this section to reflect current policy.
Section 3.02 Office Equipment
(B)(2) Other equipment. Except as provided herein, in no event shall a Councilmember take City property to his or her home, except City-issued equipment, such as computers.
Section 3.05 Council Library
A City Council library will be provided for as indicated in this section.
Section 4.01 Council Compensation
Revise this section per City Charter and Municipal Code.
Section 4.04 Travel Policy and Procedures
Revise this section to reflect the City's travel policy. Attach City of Cerritos travel policy resolution and include language confirming State law regarding travel expenses.
Section 4.05 City Credit Card Policy
Modify language to indicate that issuance of a City credit card to Councilmembers is not mandatory.
RECESS AND RECONVENE
The meeting recessed at 5:13 and reconvened at 5:23 with all Councilmembers in attendance.
Section 5.02 Correspondence from Councilmembers
In fourth paragraph delete: "Councilmembers may occasionally be asked to prepare letters of recommendation for community members seeking employment or appointment. It is inappropriate for Councilmembers to make a recommendation or utilize City letterhead or their Council titles for such letters without approval of the majority of the Council." Retain the last sentence stating that City letterhead and staff support cannot be utilized for personal or political purposes.
Add: Reference to records retention that correspondence is a public record, limitations on use of logo, and State statutes relating to misuse of City letterhead.
Section 5.04 Proclamations
Delete language appearing in red.
Section 5.05 State Public Records Disclosure Act
Directed staff to review language and insert recommended language if necessary, particularly with regard to separation of communication between political and official, gathering of e-mail addresses for political use, official spokesperson for the City, and clarification of whether communication is from the City or an individual Councilmember.
Chapter 6
City Attorney to review conflicts of interest.
Section 7.11 Restrictions on Political Involvement by Staff
Add use of staff to provide City information to groups or organizations. Strike last sentence of second paragraph. City Manager to review fourth paragraph.
Section 8.06 Placing Items on the Agenda
Review and revise to reflect City policies regarding procedure to place items on agenda.
Section 8.09 Order or Business
City Clerk to review and revise, as needed.
Section 8.13 Public Presentations at Meetings
Revise to state that electronic media presentations by the public are only permitted for agenda items.
General
Following further review of the manual, staff was directed to delete all reference in red, add that the Mayor may limit public comment to three minutes, and add references from the City of Buena Park protocol manual related to conduct during meetings.
It was further directed that the Mayor would provide an ethics portion, the City Manager would review and provide relevant materials from the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) and League of California Cities, the City Attorney and City Clerk would review the manual to conform to existing City practices, and that another draft of the protocol manual would be returned to the City Council for further review and consideration.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 7:10 p.m.
/s/Josephine Triggs
Josephine Triggs, City Clerk
/s/Art Gallucci
Art Gallucci, Redevelopment Agency
Secretary
ATTEST:
/s/Joseph Cho
Joseph Cho, Ph.D., Mayor/Chair
Approved: March 25, 2010
