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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 05231995 - I0.3 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS 1 .0.-3.0.-3 Contra FROM: INTERNAL OPERATIONS COMMITTEE �;,�. Costa County DATE: ?r '�T• May 15, 1995 `°°" SUBJECT: REPORT ON PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS' AGENDA IN ORDER TO BETTER SERVE THE NEEDS OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATIONS: 1. CONTINUE with our existing practice of convening in closed session at 8:30 A.M. and convening the public meeting at 9:30 A.M. 2. CONTINUE our current pilot project of meeting on the third Tuesday of the month beginning at 12:00 Noon in closed session, with the public session being convened at 1:00 P.M. , with major planning hearings or other items of significant public interest being scheduled beginning at 6:00 P.M. for the convenience of the public and to enhance the opportunity for public input to our deliberations. 3. As a general rule, LIMIT speakers to three minutes, using the new light and buzzer equipment we have had installed. 4. AUTHORIZE the Director of General Services to install one more telephone line in the Board Chambers behind the press area. 5. IMPLEMENT the pre-meeting sessions with participants in land-use hearings as approved by.the Board on May 9, 1995. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE: RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURES : We� ACTION OF BOARD ON May 23,1995 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED X OTHER X IT IS BY THE BOARD ORDERED that'(':the above recommendations are APPROVED. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED BY THE BOARD that the County Administrator is REQUESTED 't6 attend Ari upcoming Internal Operations Committee meeting to discuss possible computer systems updating. VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE _X_UNANIMOUS(ABSENT ) AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. ATTESTED May 23 , 1995 Contact: PHIL BATCHELOR.CLERK OF THE BOARD OF cc: Members, Board of Supervisors SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR County Administrator County Counsel All Department Heads (Via CAO) BY DEPUTY 7 I.O.-3 -2- 6. CHANGE the organization of the Board agenda as outlined on the attached report, generally dividing the agenda into five sections, as follows: ❑ CONSENT ITEMS ❑ PRESENTATIONS ❑ DISCUSSION ITEMS ❑ DELIBERATION ITEMS ❑ PLANNING HEARINGS 7. DIRECT the Clerk of the Board and the County Administrator to transition to the new format as soon as possible, given that some public hearings may already have been scheduled and noticed. 8. APPROVE the attached criteria for generally determining a "Consent" item from other types of agenda items and DIRECT the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors and County Administrator to implement their use. 9. DIRECT the County Administrator to prepare an expanded form to be used to place an item on the agenda so it is possible to determine in which section of the agenda the item should be placed and how much time should be allowed for the item and REQUEST that Board members and their staffs, as well as County Departments, use the new form and provide as much information as is possible in order to attempt to more accurately estimate the time an item will require. 10. REMOVE as referrals to the Internal Operations Committee the criteria for "Consent" items, leaving the other items on referral for the purpose of providing oversight as required for the balance of 1995 and for the purpose of making further recommendations for refinements to the Board agenda as events dictate. BACKGROUND: There are three separate referrals having to do with the Board agenda and suggestions to facilitate Board meetings. We have jointly considered all three referrals and are reporting back on all three at this time. On December 20, 1994, the Board referred to our Committee the establishment of criteria for what items should go on the Consent Calendar. On February 14, 1995, the Board referred to our Committee a recommendation from Supervisor Rogers that our Committee consider changes to the Board's meeting time. This item was reported back to the Board of Supervisors on March 14, 1995 with the pilot project on having one evening meeting a month where the Board meeting would start at 12:00 Noon. However this matter was left on referral to our Committee so that we could consider it with the other related referrals. On March 7, 1995, the Board referred to our Committee a recommendation from Supervisors DeSaulnier and Torlakson that the Committee look at criteria for the format of the Board agenda to include time limitations for Determination items, Hearing items, "S" items, and the allotment of time for Public Comment. On April 3, 1995 staff met with our Committee, as a result of which we directed that the County Administrator return to our Committee with a more detailed proposal for ways in which to schedule items for the Board in such a way that the public's time will be conserved and people will be better able to predict when an item will be considered by the Board. On May 15, 1995, we met with the County Administrator and other staff and Department Heads and considered a report from the County Administrator. The recommendations we have made in this report and the attached document outlining changes to the Board agenda have resulted from our consideration of all input we have received. I.O.-3 -3- In order to make this new format work properly, Board members and their staff will have to be more careful in submitting agenda items to identify whether a presentation will be made and, if so, how much time should be allowed for the item and how many speakers are anticipated. The County Administrator has already indicated that he will be designing a new form to obtain additional information from County staff when agenda items are submitted. However, because staff often does not know when "honors and proclamations" items . will be removed from the "consent" calendar by a Board member for a presentation, it is important that this fact be identified when the item is placed on the agenda. In the same manner, Board members and their staff are asked to estimate the time needed for "S" items which are placed on the agenda, particularly when the item is likely to be controversial and several speakers are anticipated to be present. In this way, adequate time can be allowed for these items and members of the general public can better estimate when an item is likely to be taken up by the Board of Supervisors. It will also be important that the Board be willing to reschedule items which were initially thought not to be controversial but which become controversial at the last minute. In this way, adequate time can be allowed for discussion of the item and the discussion will not further delay other scheduled hearings later in the day for which time has been reserved ahead of time. We are recommending that these items remain on referral to our Committee so that we can identify any unforeseen problems which may come to our attention in the course of implementing these recommendations and refine the agenda process. PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE ORGANIZATION OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS' AGENDA 1. 9:30 A.M. Consider "Consent" calendar: - General (separated into categories as is done now) - Correspondence - Information - Committee Reports - Recommendations of Board `Members As is ,now the case, any type of Consent Item can be pulled by a Board member. . However, "Consent" would be expanded to include Committee reports and "S" items on which no discussion is required. It will be important when agenda items are submitted to indicate whether the item is truly a "Consent" item or not. If even a couple of minutes of discussion is anticipated, the item should be listed for the second or third section of the agenda. Once any items that are to be removed have been removed, all remaining items would be approved by a single motion, as is done now. On the third Tuesday, the "Consent" calendar will generally be scheduled for 1 :00 P.M. 2. 9:35 A.M. Presentations: Listed here would be service awards and items normally listed under "Honors and Proclamations" on the "Consent" calendar, but where a representative of an organization will be present to receive the proclamation or award or where an organization wishes to make a presentation to the Board. In order to allow sufficient time here, it will be important to know exactly how many of these presentations there will be and how long each will take. This information should be supplied when the item is submitted to the. Clerk of the Board. 3. 9:45 A.M. Consider "Discussion" calendar: [This portion of the agenda will generally be scheduled at 9:45 A.M., but will be moved earlier or later by the County Administrator, depending on the length of the "Presentation" items]. - Consent items that were pulled for brief discussion - Correspondence items with only one speaker - Committee reports which require some brief discussion - Relatively quick and non-controversial "Determination" items - Building Inspection Abatement Actions - Hearings on fee schedule increases - Other hearing items (other than Planning hearings) which are expected to take no more than five minutes. - Personal ("S") items that will involve some brief discussion. After the "Consent" calendar and "Presentation" items, the Board would turn to the "Discussion" calendar. Some of -the "Consent" items that have been pulled could be considered individually at this point as the Board does now. But, in addition, a variety of other items which can be disposed of fairly quickly would be taken up at this point. This could include most other Committee Reports, "S" items, many of the current "Determination" items and many of the current 11 :00 A.M. hearings. The general rule should be that no item will be considered in this section if it appears that it will require more than five minutes. If anything requires more than five minutes, it should go to the fourth (11 :00 A.M."Deliberation" calendar) section. I This would allow up to 15 items at five minutes each to be taken up between 9:45 A.M. and 11 :00 A.M. These could all be scheduled at 9:45 A.M. or broken down into finer categories at 9:45 A.M., 10:00 A.M., 10:15 A.M., 10:30 A.M., 10:45 A.M. On the third Tuesday, this portion of the calendar will be scheduled to begin at 1 :15 P.M. 2 4. 11 :00 A.M. Consider "Deliberation" calendar: [This portion of the agenda will generally be scheduled at 11:00 A.M., but will. be moved earlier or later, depending* on the length of the "Presentation" and "Discussion" calendars which precede it]. Public Comment. - General [What are now the significant "Determination" items] - Correspondence [If multiple speakers are expected to be present] - Committee Reports [Controversial or where multiple speakers are expected to be 'present] - Recommendations of Board Members [Controversial or where multiple speakers are expected to be present] Finally, the Board would turn to those items where the Board has to make a difficult decision, including what are now the bulk of "Determination" items, or any other item where there are several speakers and the item is expected to take more than five minutes. This could also include a controversial Committee report or personal item from a Board member. Hopefully, on most Tuesdays this section would include only a limited number of items and all of the rest of the non-Planning business would have been disposed of by 11 :00 A.M. These items could then be set for a time certain at either 11 :00 A.M. or 11 :30 A.M. according to how much time staff or a Board member estimates would be required. Any week where it appears that the 9:45 a.m. calendar will be finished fairly quickly, these items would be scheduled to begin earlier, as early as 10:00 A.M. if possible. If an item that was originally estimated to be a "Consent" or "Discussion" item looks as though it is going to get controversial, it should be put over either to an available slot in this section or held over for the next week or some other-future date, at which time adequate time can be reserved for it. On the third Tuesday, this portion of the calendar will be scheduled to start as early as 1 :15 P.M. or 1 :30 P.M., but no later than 2:30 P.M. 3 5.A. 2:00 P.M. Consider Planning "Consent" Calendar: It has been suggested that the Community Development Department establish a separate "Consent Hearing" calendar which would be heard at 2:00 P.M. This could dispose of any hearings which are expected not to be controversial or where only one or two speakers are expected. These items might actually be "noticed" for 1 :30 P.M. or 1 :45 P.M. so staff can show participants the "Planning Hearing" video, answer any questions participants may have and insure that the item is truly a "Consent" item. On the third Tuesday, the Planning "Consent" Calendar would be scheduled for 6:00 P.M. if required, although these hearings will generally -be limited to the other Tuesdays. 5. B. 2:30 P.M., 3:00 P.M., 3:30 P.M. Consider Planning "Hearing" Calendar: Beginning at 2:30 P.M.(or earlier if there are few or no "Consent" hearings), hearings would be scheduled at a time certain, depending on staff's or a Board member's estimate of the-time which will be required. Hearings would actually be "noticed" for about 15 to 30 minutes earlier in order to allow staff to meet with the participants and show the "Planning Hearing" video and attempt to brief the participants on the process and define the issues more narrowly, where this is possible. On the third Tuesday, the Planning Hearings would generally be scheduled to begin at 6:15 P.M. if any "Consent" hearings have been scheduled. 4 DEFINITION OF "CONSENT" ITEMS: [Clarify what goes on Consent Calendar by defining what goes on the 9:45 A.M. "Discussion" or 11:00 A.M. "Deliberation" Calendar]: An item should usually be placed on the 9:45 A.M. or 11 :00 A.M. Calendar: ❑ When public testimony is expected (other than hearing items). ❑ When it is expected that the item will be controversial, regardless of whether public testimony is expected. ❑ When staff is aware that the Board members are not all in agreement on what course to pursue. ❑ When staff does not have a clearly defined recommendation to make [Consider Action to be Taken] ❑ When a staff recommendation still requires a decision by the Board [Select a Board representative to the Committee] ❑ When a large amount of money may be involved. ❑ When a major new program or major new policy direction is recommended. ❑ When staff wants to bring something positive to the attention of the public, the Board and the media. Items which do not meet most of these criteria will generally be placed on the 9:30 A.M. "Consent" calendar.