Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutEstablish City Council Policy Re: Individual Councilmember r C/5) CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH I MEETING DATE: June 16, 1997 DEPARTMENT ID NUMBER: AD97-05 Council/Agency Meeting Held: E hk�97 Deferred/Continued to: ,�,,p WA pr ved ❑ Conditional) A proved l7 enied � City Clerk' Ignature Council Meeting D e: u 16, 1 97 � Department ID Number: AD97-05 CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION SUBMITTED TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS SUBMITTED BY: MICHAEL T. UBERUAGA, City Administr r t�—.--- PREPARED BY: RICHARD BARNARD, Deputy City Administrator SUBJECT: CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS REQUEST FOR SERVICES Statement of Issue,Funding Source,Recommended Action,Alternative Action(s),Analysis,Environmental Status,Attachment(s) Statement of Issue: J Should the City Council establish a formal policy and procedure which prescribes the process that individual city council members are to follow when requesting services from members of the city staff, which require the expenditure of city funds or city staff time to carryout the requested service? Funding Source: Not Applicable Recommended Action: Adopt as City ncil Policy, the policy and p edure as presented in t nalysis section of this Request for cil Action (RCA) Repo ntitled "Request for rvices by Individual City Council Me s", and direct the City inistrator to incorpo the Policy into Administrative Regulation Alternative Action(s): 1. Presen odifications to the propos City Council policy, "Reque for Services By Individual Council Members". 0025962.01 -2- 06/09/97 10:13 AM • REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION MEETING DATE: June 16, 1997 DEPARTMENT ID NUMBER: AD97-05 2. h a City Council Ad Hoc Conn ee to study the issue of Co Requests r 30 days, an report and recommen back for consideration to th I City Council. 3 ontinue with the current Administrative Policy 102 and not adopt a formal policy and procedure for City Council Requests. Analysis: Currently Administrative Regulation 102, Council Requests, attempts to address both City Council directed requests for work or information, as well as individual council members request for services to be carryout by city staff. While the Administrative Regulation sets forth a four (4) hour rule for requests by individual council members, the mechanic's for monitoring the existing policy is not currently in place. The recommended policy that is before the City Council would set the policy by which individual city council members would request services from city staff and establishes the procedure the city staff would follow in f responding to the individual city council member. Recommended Policy: 4.2 REQUEST FOR SERVICES BY INDIVIDUAL CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. 4.2.1. Individual city council members are encouraged to direct their request for city staff services through the City Administrator or the City Administrator's designee. However, city council members are encouraged to go directly to Department Heads for information in order to minimize any delays and to insure the timeliness and accuracy of the information they are desirous of receiving. 4.2.2. When a request for city staff service is made by an individual city council member, to any member of the city staff, other than the City Administrator, the city staff person shall comply with the individual city council member request in accordance with the following procedure. 4.2.2.0 The City staff person responsible for complying with the request shall complete A Request for Services Form. 4.2.2.1. Work that is estimated to take under two (2) hours to complete shall be pre-approved by the Department Head. 0025962.01 -3- 06/09/97 10:13 AM REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION MEETING DATE: June 16, 1997 DEPARTMENT ID NUMBER: AD97-05 4.2.2.2. Work that is estimated to be more than two hours but less than four (4) hours to complete, requires the Department Head to receive authorization from the City Administrator prior to proceeding with the work. 4.2.2.3. Request for work by an individual city council member that is likely to exceed (4) hours of work requires authorization from the City Council. 4.2.2.4 Upon completion of the council members requested service the responsible city staff person shall complete the Request for Services Form and forwarded it to the City Administrator, or his designee. The forms shall be kept on file in the City Administrators office for city council members information. The City Administrators is to annually prepare a summary of the completed Request for Services Forms and distribute the _ report to the City Council. While this policy and procedure puts into place a more formalized process it will allow all city council members to be more aware of what is being requested of staff by individual members of the city council. It will also allow staff to track and report to the city council on the amount of time spent by staff responding to individual city council members requests. The formalized process does offer a number of positive benefits for both the City Council and the City Administrator. 1. The policy puts in place a process for allowing the City Administrator and City Council to be more aware of how the staff is spending its time. 2. Provides both the City Council and City Administrator feedback on the amount of time city staff is spending responding to individual city council members request for service. 3. Put into place a procedure by which issues or topics of interest to individual city council members can be debated and discussed at the City Council level prior to city staff beginning work on a given topic. 4. Assist the City Council.in establishing City Council priorities. 0025962.01 -4- 06/09/97 10:13 AM REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTIO MEETING DATE: June 16, 1997 DEPARTMENT ID NUMBER: AD97-05 The formalized process does set responsibility and will increase the amount of bureaucracy in the system. The policy will help the city staff keep focused on those issues that the City Council has collectively determined to be important to the community, and those issues that the City Council wants city staff spending its time addressing. Environmental Status: N/A Not Applicable Attachment(s): City Clerk's Page Number No Description 1. Memo from Mayor Ralph Bauer to City Administrator, Mike Uberuaga, s Dated May 27 1997 ......2.. Administrative Regulation 102, Council Request, Dated July 1, 1993 ......,. .....:........................................ .................................................. .......3:..... ...Draft Co. .PX.of the Request for Services Form....................................................................... RCA Author: Richard Barnard: phone extension 5577 STAFFREQ.DOC -5- 06/09/97 1:55 PM J � CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH CITY COUNCIL COMMUNICATION TO: Mike Uberuaga, City Administrator FROM: Ralph Bauer, Mayor DATE: May 27, 1997 SUBJECT: COUNCIL REQUESTS FOR STAFF TIME OR CITY FUNDS FOR EVENTS In order to maintain the integrity of the city's organization, it is requested that when a individual Council Member makes a request of any staff member for services which require city funds or staff time, or requests which will result in a significant event, the staff member, no matter what level, should see to it that the City Administrator is informed so that appropriate action or response can be taken. The City Administrator should then develop a procedure that allows the Mayor, Mayor Pro Tempore, and remaining Council Members to be aware of the notice of request from individual Council Members. Following the Council/Department Head workshop held on February 1, 1997, we agreed to "develop policy for Council adoption on the handling of requests by individual Council Members for staff work." Would you please develop a proposal and place this matter on the June 16, 1997, City Council meeting agenda for Council consideration. If this policy is supported by a majority of the Council, please make certain that every city employee understands and complies with the policy. RB:paj xc: City Council Members ADMI TRATIVE REGULA% _JNS - -- OFFICE OF THE CITY ADMINISTRATOR Number: 102 Sections: 1-6 Effective Date: July 1, 1993 SUBJECT: Council Requests 1. Pig. This administrative regulation is to establish a system to a) ensure that department heads are aware of procedures and their responsibilities as it relates to direction from City Council. members either at.a City Council meeting or by direct assignment; and b) ensure that City Counoil members are aware of.follow-up action taken as a result of their direction. 2. Authorit . Charter of the City of Huntington Beach, Section 401(h). 3. AWlication. This regulation applies to all city departments. 4. Policy. Direction given to city staff by the City Council will be transmitted at the City Council meeting by the Council through the City Administrator's Office to the Department Director for the required response. Directions or requests requiring more than four hours of staff time should be voted on and approved by a majority of the City Council: 4.1 City Council Members occasionally request information directly from departments. This is allowed in order to expedite the exchange of information to Council Members. However, in order to stay on the principal goals and objectives established by the City Council, information requests must be differentiated from reports and studies. The guide on determining what is a request for information is.staff work which can be done in an estimated less than four hours. Reports and studies which take more than four hours to compile and prepare, require Council direction to the City Administrator. The City Administrator in turn will direct the work to be done. 5. Responsibility 5.1 The Management Assistant in the City Administrator's office will coordinate the follow-up procedures on behalf of the City Administrator: 5.2 The Department Directors shall be responsible for ensuring an appropriate response to inquiries and advise the City Administrator's representative of the status within the requested timeline. 6. Procedures. 6.1 On requests generated at a City Council meeting, action memorandums will be prepared and sent to Department Directors from the Management Assistant detailing reports requested or action to be taken as a result of Council direction. A number will be assigned to the request and a deadline will be established for each item. City 9 Of Huntington Beach � A., ADMOISTRATIVE REGULA . iONS AR 102 Page -2- 6.1a A summary of the follow-up items and their status will be maintained by the Management Assistant in the City Administrator's office as the "Council Pending List." The Council Pending List will be distributed to the Department Directors at each Department Head meeting. The City Council will receive an updated copy of the Council Pending List with each regular City Council Agenda packet. 6.1b If the department cannot meet the established timeline, the Department Director shall communicate to the Management Assistant referencing the request number and giving reasons for the delay as well as an estimated date for completion. 6.1 c Reports should be addressed to the City Administrator, but sent to the Management Assistant to insure a central receiving point for City Council follow-up reports. 6.2 On direct Council requests, the Department Director will review the request and if more than four hours are required to complete the report requested, it will be so noted to the City Administrator for processing through the City Council. Upon action by the City Council, the request will be resubmitted to the Department Director with the City Council authorization attached. 93 /r,ity Administrator Date 0818A i • �' "� City Of Huntington Beach "DRAFT" >........... <:<::::::>:::>::.:>::::>::>:::::>:><::>::>::>::>:>:. > > ' '' _'' ::::::::::::::.::::::::.............::::::::.......:::::::::::...:.::::.:::::.::......................:.:..: >> > < > ...................................................................::.:..:............................. :::::.......: >::: ITT.:.::: +G N T I B R:: :. Council Member Requesting Service: Date Service Requested: Date Service Completed: Name/Position of Staff Performing Services: Number of Hours Estimated to Compete Work Assignment: hours Number of Hours Actually Used to Complete Work Assignment: hours Short Description of the Work Assignment: Department Head Signature Date City Administrator Signature Date (only ifrequired) CC: City Council City Administrator "DRAFT"