Council Member Golonski has asked that the matter of Oral Communications be placed on the agenda for discussion by the Council. 

The Ralph M. Brown Act (Government Code �54950 et seq.) provides that the public has a right to address the Council on any matter on the agenda of the City Council before action is taken on that item (Government Code �54954.3), and to also address the Council on any subject within the subject matter jurisdiction of the City Council, that is, on subjects for which the City Council has some ability to take action (Government Code �54954.3).   Implementing this provision has been a matter of much discussion and various changes over the years in the City.  At times there has been a period of Oral Communications at the beginning of the meeting at which only agenda items may be discussed.  This would be followed at the end of the meeting by a period of Oral Communications at which general items within the subject matter jurisdiction of the City could be addressed.  Then at other times, both periods of Oral Communications were opened up to general matters under the subject matter jurisdiction of the City, which would include agenda items.  Most recently (June 12, 2001), the Council established four (4) periods of Oral Communications as follows:

1.     The first period of Oral Communications precedes Closed Sessions, is limited to items on the Closed Session agenda and is limited to 3 minutes per speaker.

2.     The second is on the open session and allows speakers to address anything which falls within the subject matter jurisdiction of the City Council.  This period is limited to 1 minute.

3.     The third immediately follows the second, and allows speakers to speak only to items on the agenda for that meeting.  This period is limited to 4 minutes.

4.      The fourth, and last period of Oral Communications, is at the end of the meeting, and also allows the public to speak on any item within the subject matter jurisdiction of the City Council.  In this period of Oral Communications the speakers may speak for 3 minutes, but those who have chosen to speak during the second period of Oral Communications may not also speak during this period.

Pursuant to the policy of the City Council, staff has done no additional work on this matter.  If the Council desires to further discuss the issue of Oral Communications, it is recommended that such direction be given to staff, and a more complete report will be brought back. 

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