TITLE
Recommendation to request the Mayor, City Manager, City Clerk, and City Attorney to review best practices for streamlining City Council Meetings and report back on their findings within 90 days.
DISCUSSION
The Long Beach City Council meets on a weekly basis except for the last Tuesday of each month. On average, City Council meetings in 2018 ran four hours and twenty minutes. However, one-third of the meetings this year lasted six and a half hours or more - concluding at 11 :30 pm or later. Discussion of important public business in the late hours of long meetings diminishes public participation.
We are requesting the City Manager, City Clerk and City Attorney examine best practices for streamlining meetings by considering what other municipalities or government entities have implemented. This may include but is not limited to: setting a meeting curfew, tracking time and setting time limits for council members' comments" adding structure to the public comment process, receiving staff reports prior to the meeting, and closer adherence to parliamentary procedures.
FISCAL IMPACT
The fiscal impact for this item is expected to be staff time in the identified offices. The City Manager believes this can be done within existing staff resources with a minimal impact on other projects given sufficient time to conduct a review of other cities, and coordinate with City Attorney and City Clerk to provide recommendations and a report to the City Council.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
DARYL SUPERNAW
COUNCILMEMBER, FOURTH DISTRICT