CC 03-05-2024 Item No. 1 Revisions to Council Procedure Manual_Written CommunicationsCC 3-05-2024
Item No. 1
Study Session- Revisions to
Cupertino City Council
Procedure Manual
Written Communications
From:Peggy Griffin
To:City Council
Cc:City Clerk
Subject:2024-03-05 City Council Mtg Agenda Item #1 Study Session-Council Procedures Manual
Date:Sunday, March 3, 2024 11:02:24 PM
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Dear City Council, City Attorney Jensen and Staff,
If you make any changes at all, please add the one Council Training changes below. Training is
critical to ensure a well-run meeting.
Section 5.6 Council Training
I agree with the required ethics training but also, I believe that Council Training should occur for
ALL Council members in early JANUARY of the new year, especially after an election. It should
include
Brown Act Training/refresher including changes effective the new year.
Rosenberg’s Rules of Order (how a meeting is run)
Other than the above change, I believe the manual should stay as-is BUT if you insist on changes,
here are suggestions:
Section 6.5 Decorum
Please add at end…”City Manager and staff shall refrain from publicly criticizing Councilmembers
for actions and motivations they have taken representing the public and should share any such
concerns privately with the Councilmembers.
Section 6.6
Please modify…”City staff will make every effort to respond in a timely and professional
manner…” to add a time limit! One year is not acceptable.
Section 7.2 Preparation of Agenda
Clarify…It is not clear who this statement refers to “…an item will be scheduled for Council action
no sooner than 14 days after receipt of a request to add the item to the future agenda items list.”
Request to add an item from whom?
Section 7.6 Supplemental Materials
PLEASE do not put supplemental materials in Written Communications ever!
4pm on the day of the City Council meeting to give Councilmembers additional information is very
late! Many of our Councilmembers work. Even if they are thoroughly prepared for an item, they
have zero time to read this material BEFORE the Council meeting!
Require that Supplemental Material arriving before 4pm of the day of the meeting be
PRESENTED TO COUNCIL.
We don’t want to restrict our candidates to be just retired people. Working people and busy
volunteers have the ability to be Councilmembers, too.
Section 8.2
Do not make any changes.
Keeping as closely to the Rosenburg’s Rules of Order without special exceptions makes training
much easier. When there are important issues, Council deliberations hopefully leads to compromise
and a balanced solution. Keeping closely to Rosenburg’s Rules also allows Councilmembers and
staff to go on YouTube and other sites to review additional training videos. Please minimize the
exceptions to the rules.
Section 8.3
IF written reports for Council activities is added then a corresponding requirement for a written
report from the City Manger should also be added. Videos are not informative.
Section 8.4 Consent Calendar
Do not make any changes.
I think the current rules have reduced the “pulling of items” significantly but still have allowed
occasional items to be discussed which is appropriate. Please keep this as-is.
Section 8.5 Public Comment
Do not make any changes.
-The public is already forced to use their Oral Communications time to address non-agenda items
and Informational items.
-The public is already forced to consolidate their comments on Consent Items to one 3-minute
period.
-If more than 3-minutes is needed by the public, they must get 5 people to cede their time. That is
very difficult so it rarely happens now.
-The Mayor has the ability to reduce the time per speaker on an item.
How much more can you eliminate and still consider it “public comment”?
Section 8.8.5 Civility
Please add…”City staff shall avoid attacks on the motives, character, or personality of other
Councilmembers, City staff and members of the public. The Mayor shall rule out of order ay Staff
who engages in such attacks.”
It’s a two-way street. Respect goes both ways. Both have to abide by the same rules.
Section 8.8
Do not make any changes.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Peggy Griffin