Council Agenda - City of Burbank

Tuesday, March 28, 2006

Agenda Item - 10

 

 
                             CITY OF BURBANK
                      CITY MANAGER�S OFFICE

                                MEMORANDUM
 
 

 

DATE: March 28, 2006
TO: Mary J. Alvord, City Manager
FROM: Betsy Dolan, Administrative Analyst II
SUBJECT:

Options for reducing Council meeting length

 

Purpose

 

At the March 7, 2006 Council meeting, Mayor Vander Borght requested that staff bring back options for reducing the length of Council meetings as the first step in the one step-two step agenda process.  The purpose of this report is to receive Council direction regarding whether or not the Council wishes to consider this item in more detail at an upcoming Council meeting. 

 

Background

 

The City Council has considered various options for reducing the length of Council meetings over the last ten years.  The following is a brief summary of the actions taken by the Council:

 

August 22, 1995

Revised procedures for oral communications as follows:

�      Closed Session � 3 minutes

�      Initial Open Public Comment � 5 minutes

�      Final Open Public Comment � 3 minutes

September 12, 1995

Considered calling for additional meetings as necessary to provide adequate time to complete agenda items.  Council ultimately decided not to hold additional meetings. 

May 12, 1998

Adopted the following policy:

�      Targeted a maximum of 15 minutes to complete announcements, proclamation, presentations, etc.

�      Established an 11:30 pm curfew, prohibiting the consideration of additional items past that time without a majority vote of the Council

�      Set a three minute limit on initial comments by Council members per agenda item

May 23, 2000

Changed meeting time from 7:00 pm to 6:30 pm.  Amended the Burbank Municipal Code regarding Conduct of Business at Council meetings so that all future changes regarding public comment may be made by the adoption of a resolution.  

June 12, 2001

Revised procedures for oral communications as follows:

�      Closed Session � 3 minutes

�      Initial Open Public Comment � 1 minute

�      Agenda Item Open Public Comment � 4 minutes

�      Final Open Public Comment � 3 minutes

July 15, 2003

Revised procedures for oral communications as follows:

�      Closed Session � 3 minutes

�      Initial Open Public Comment � 2 minute

�      Agenda Item Open Public Comment � 4 minutes

�      Final Open Public Comment � 2 minutes

July 19, 2005

Considered revising procedures for oral communications.  No changes were made. 

 

Analysis

 

The City Council could implement any number or combination of several options for reducing the length of Council meetings.  At the direction of the Council, staff will bring back additional information on any of the following options or any options suggested by the Council:

  • Implement a meeting curfew with procedures for considering items after the curfew only with the support of a majority of the Council

  • Change oral communications procedures

  • Limit comments by each Council member in response to each period of oral communications

  • Limit initial comments by each Council member for each agenda item

  • Implement a �last call for cards� procedure, which would prohibit the submission of speaker cards past a specified time into the oral communications period

  • Change the starting time of the meeting

  • Request that staff refrain from placing other items on the regular agenda when a lengthy public hearing is scheduled

  • Schedule lengthy public hearings on a separate night

Some agenda items that are brought forth as informational items could be placed on the agenda before the meeting as study sessions or could be considered on another night during a special meeting.  For example, in the past, the departments� budget presentations have been scheduled for special meetings separate from the usual Tuesday Council meeting (usually on several Thursday evenings).  In recent years, staff has scheduled these presentations during the regular business portion of the Council meetings so that the public can participate without having to attend a separate meeting; however, these presentations could be scheduled as study sessions before the regular Tuesday meeting, or on a separate night as a special meeting.   

 

While staff currently makes an effort to manage the length of the agendas by scheduling and reviewing them in advance, it is not always possible to control when urgent items need to be placed on the Council agenda immediately.  Staff will continue to make a concerted effort to manage the agenda and schedule items in such a way as to keep the meetings to a reasonable length. 

 

Fiscal Impact

 

There is no fiscal impact associated with this report.

 

Recommendation

 

Staff recommends that the Council provide direction regarding whether or not the Council wishes to further consider any options for reducing the length of Council meetings.  Staff will return with additional information on the requested options at the direction of the Council. 

 

 

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