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File #: 24-001 MEETING DATE: 6/4/2024
REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
SUBMITTED TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
SUBMITTED BY: Eric G. Parra, Interim City Manager
VIA: Travis K. Hopkins, Assistant City Manager
PREPARED BY: Catherine Jun, Deputy City Manager
Subject:
Adopt Resolution•No. 2024-23 to Adopt a Revised City Council Manual
Statement of Issue:
Consider adopting a revised City Council Manual to facilitate Council meetings and business. The
revised Manual maintains significant portions of the previous Council Manual (revised and adopted in
2019) but features additional rules of order and improved organization, in order to continuously
provide a foundation of guiding principles that will support the City Council's work as the legislative
body of Huntington Beach.
Financial Impact:
There is no fiscal impact.
Recommended Action:
Adopt Resolution No. 2024723, "A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Huntington Beach
Adopting a Revised City Council Manual."
Alternative Action(s):
Do not approve the recommended action, and direct staff accordingly:
Analysis:
Charter section 304(c) states, "The City Council shall establish rules for the conduct of its
proceedings..." which include Council meetings, business, and other administrative matters. Many
cities have formally adopted such rules to facilitate their Council's work as their legislative body. In
Huntington Beach, City Council directed staff to review best practices and bring forth rules that
outline the Council's duties, standards of conduct, the orderly facilitation of meetings and
discussions, and other matters. Given this opportunity, staff has revised the existing City Council
Manual from 2019 to incorporate these rules, along with various other policies that were previously
dispersed across different documents. Staff has also enhanced the organization of the Manual, for
City of Huntington Beach Page 1 of 2 Printed on 5/30/2024,
powered LegistarM
File #: 24-001 MEETING DATE: 6/4/2024
ease of use.
The Council Manual is and will continue to remain a living document that may be revised by the City
Council, within the parameters of the Charter, current municipal codes, and applicable laws.
Updating the Council Manual when needed ensures the Council can operating efficiently based on
current best practices and regulations. The last major revision was adopted by Resolution in 2019;
furthermore, more administrative and routine updates to the Manual are presented annually to City
Council in January. Staff requests consideration of Resolution No. 2024-23 to replace the 2019
Manual with the proposed revised City Council Manual (see Exhibit A).
Environmental Status:
This action is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections
15060(c)(2) (the activity will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change
in the environment) and 15060(c)(3) (the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378) of the
CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 3, because it has no potential for
resulting in physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly.
Strategic Plan Goal:
Non Applicable - Administrative Item
For details, visit www.huntingtonbeachca.gov/strategicplan
<http://www.huntingtonbeachca.gov/strategicplan>.
Attachment(s):
1. Resolution No. 2024-23 to Adopt a Revised City Council Manual
2. Exhibit A: Revised City Council Manual (June 2024)
City of Huntington Beach Page 2 of 2 Printed on 5/30/2024
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RESOLUTION NO. 2024-23
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH ADOPTING A
REVISED CITY COUNCIL MANUAL
WHEREAS, on March 18, 2019,the City Council approved a revised Council Manual by
the adoption of Resolution No. 2019-09. Amendments to the Council Manual have been
approved by resolution,
NOW, THEREFORE,the City Council of the City of Huntington Beach does hereby
resolve as follows:
1. That the revised Council Manual for the City of Huntington Beach, a copy of which is
attached hereto as Exhibit"A,"is hereby adopted and approved.*
2. That this Resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Huntington Beach at a
regular meeting thereof held on the 4th day of Aube ,2024.
751b '
Mayor
REVIEWE PROVED INITIATED AND APPROVED
14,
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City Manager ssistant City Manager
APPROVED AS 0 FORM
C(j(rty Attorney
* Section IX-G Statewide Ballot Propo itions repealed by Minute Action
on 1st day of October, 2024.
24-14558/339337
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CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH
CITY COUNCIL
hAANUAL
JUNE 2024
City Council Manual 2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. HISTORY 4
II. INTRODUCTION 5
A. Regulatory Guidance 5
III. POWERS AND DUTIES (GENERAL) 7
A. Form of Government 7
B. City Council 7
C. Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem 8
IV. STANDARDS OF CONDUCT 9
A. Code of Ethics 9
B. Respectful Workplace 9
C. Standards of Conduct 9
V. MEETING TYPES 11
A. Regular Meetings 11
B. Special Meetings 12
C. Emergency Meetings 12
D. Adjourned Meetings 12
VI. MEETING AGENDAS 13
A. Agenda Process 13
B. Agenda Documents 14
VII. MEETING PROCEDURES 16
A. Parliamentarian 16
B. Conducting the Meeting 16
C. Discussion Rules 20
D. Motions 22
E. Voting 23
VIII.MEETING ACCESS 26
A. Meeting Rooms 26
B. ADA Access 26
C. Council Chamber Capacity 26
D. Broadcasted Meetings 27
City of Huntington Beach June 2024
City Council Manual 3
E. Meeting Notifications 27
IX. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST 28
A. Overview 28
B. Training 28
C. Political Reform Act (PRA), Government Code Section 81000 et seq. 28
D. Government Code Section 1090 29
E. Conflict of Interest Maps 29
F. Political Activities 29
G. Statewide Ballot Propositions 30
H. Participation with Outside Groups 30
I. Nepotism 30
J. Levine Act (Government Code, Section 84308) 31
K. Rules for Gifts and Honoraria (Government Code Section 89503) 31
X. OTHER COUNCIL BUSINESS 32
A. Required Trainings and City Policies 32
B. California Public Records Act (CPRA) 33
C. Council Communications with the Public 34
D. Media Relations 34
E. Social Media Policy for Elected and Appointed Officials 35
F. Legislative Positions 35
G. Appeal of Planning Decisions 35
H. General Office Administration 36
I. Ceremonial Observances 37
XI. BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, AND COMMITTEES (BCC) 38
A. Structure of BCCs 38
B. Roles and Responsibilities 38
C. Communications with City Council 39
D. Appointment and Removal Procedure 39
City of Huntington Beach June 2024
City Council Manual 4
I. HISTORY
The City Council Manual was first adopted by resolution in 1976 and is a living document that has been
amended by the City Council,when needed. In the past, amendments to the Manual have been approved
by resolution, which are listed in the table below. Please note that these amendments do not include
routine changes that may be needed when information is updated from year to year (i.e. annual Council
Liaison List).
Date Major Amendments Details
09/20/1976 Council Manual Adoption Resolution No.4330
11/13/1989 Council Manual—Significant Revision Resolution No. 6085
03/18/2019 Council Manual—Significant Revision Resolution No. 2019-09
06/04/2024 Council Manual—Significant Revision Resolution No. 2024-23
City of Huntington Beach June 2024
City Council Manual 5
II. INTRODUCTION
Pursuant to Section 304(c) of the City Charter, City Council shall establish rules for the conduct of its
proceedings. These rules are incorporated in this Manual to facilitate the City Council's work in carrying
out their duties as the City's chief legislative body.
However, if a Council Member wishes to take an action that diverges from Council Manual guidelines, he
or she may make a motion to: (1) set aside the most recent Resolution above to temporarily suspend the
Manual and (2) approve the proposed action. If the motion is approved, the Council Manual will be
reinstated promptly thereafter.
A. Regulatory Guidance
The following is a list of regulations (in alphabetical order) that the City and its officials adhere to. Many
of the rules in this Manual refer to the following:
1) Huntington Beach Administrative Regulations (AR): ARs are standard operating procedures for
internal city functions. ARs are prepared and implemented by applicable departments and
authorized by the City Manager. ARs supplement existing policies, ordinances, or resolutions
adopted by City Council. www.huntingtonbeachca.gov/ar
2) Huntington Beach City Charter The Charter is a foundational document that defines the
organization, powers, and procedures of municipal governance in Huntington Beach. The Charter
can only be adopted, amended, or repealed by voter majority. https://ecode360.com/HU4937
3) Huntington Beach General Plan: The General Plan is prepared by the City in accordance with State
requirements and provides a policy framework for various matters including land use,transportation,
open space, and housing. www.huntingtonbeachca.gov/general-plan
4) Huntington Beach Municipal Code and Zoning Code: The Municipal and Zoning Codes contain
City laws and regulations adopted by ordinance. For an ordinance to be adopted, it requires two
votes at separate Council meetings: one for introduction and a second for adoption (unless it is an
emergency ordinance). It then goes into effect 30 days thereafter. https://ecode360.com/HU4937
5) Huntington Beach Operating Budget The operating budget describes the funds available to each
department to deliver services during a fiscal year, which begins July 1 and ends June 30.
https://huntingtonbeachca.gov/departments/finance/index.php
6) Huntington Beach Resolutions: A formal expression of opinion, an adopted policy, or legal action
by the City Council that often deals with limited duration or special matters. Adoption requires a
single vote of Council and takes effect immediately. Per Charter Section 502,the Council may act by
resolution or minute action in all actions that are not required by the Charter or to be taken by
ordinance. https://records.huntingtonbeachca.gov/WebLink/Welcome.aspx
7) Huntington Beach Strategic Plan: The Strategic Plan is a framework that ensures priorities and
goals set by the City Council are clearly communicated to all staff and residents; that strategies are
City of Huntington Beach June 2024
City Council Manual 6
developed to meet those goals; and that the City is accountable to achieving them in a timely
manner. www.huntingtonbeachca.gov/strategicplan
8) Ralph M.Brown Act:The Brown Act is a body of State regulations to ensure open government and
fairness in its proceedings. Broadly stated, it requires all meetings of legislative bodies be open to
the public except for authorized closed sessions. www.calcities.org/resource/open-public-v-a-
guide-to-the-ralph-m.-brown-act
This list is not exhaustive and does not include applicable California State Statutes and Federal laws. To
understand their applicability to specific matters of City governance, please contact the City Attorney's
Office.
City of Huntington Beach June 2024
City Council Manual 7
III. POWERS AND DUTIES (GENERAL)
A. Form of Government
The City operates under a Council—Manager form of government,whereby residents elect the City Council
who sets policy and appoints a City Manager to administer the affairs of the City. Residents also elect
three Charter Officers - City Attorney, Clerk, and Treasurer —who have specific duties prescribed in the
Charter. Lastly, the City Manager appoints 9 Department Heads to oversee their specific areas of
responsibility.
Together, Charter Officers and Department Heads assist the City Manager with administering the affairs
of the City in the most efficient, fiscally responsible, and harmonious manner consistent with Council
direction and all governing laws. (Charter200 309-311,401,403)
B. City Council
The City Council acts as one body to make decisions in the public interest. All members are equal in the
establishment of policies,voting, and other significant matters. Policy is established by a majority vote of
the Council, unless otherwise required by law.
1) Duties
a) Hold regular meetings at least twice each month; establish rules for the conduct of its
proceedings. (Charter 303, 304c)
b) Oversee proceedings including:judge the qualification of its members,judge all election returns,
administer oaths and affirmations in any investigation or proceeding pending before the Council;
compel the attendance of witnesses; examine them under oath and compel the production of
evidence before it; issue subpoenas; and maintain control of all legal business and proceedings
and property of the legal department; employ other attorneys to take charge or contract any
legal matter or business. (Charter 304b)
c) Except for the purpose of investigation and inquiry, the members of the City Council shall deal
with the administrative service under the jurisdiction of the City Manager solely through the City
Manager, and no member of the City Council shall give orders to any subordinate of the City
Manager, either publicly or privately. (Charter 307)
d) Manage employment and personnel matters related to the City Manager. In conjunction with
the City Manager, manage the employment of the Chief of Police. (Charter 401)
e) By ordinance, maintain a comprehensive personnel system. Establish reasonable compensation
and fringe benefits for City officials and employees. (Charter 403)
f) Establish boards, commissions, and committees (BCCs) deemed necessary for the orderly
functioning of the City. Appoint individuals to applicable BCCs,which must report directly to the
City Council. (Charter 405)
City of Huntington Beach June 2024
City Council Manual 8
g) Adopt ordinances or resolutions to implement major policy decisions such as approving the
operating budget, establishing fines and taxes, granting a franchise, issuing a bond, awarding
major contracts. (Charter 308,,604, 606, 611, 613, 615)
h) Council Members occasionally request information directly from departments.This is allowed to
expedite the exchange of information to Council Members. However, to meet the principal
goals,objectives,and performance measures approved by the City Council, information requests
must be differentiated from reports and studies. Reports and studies which take more than four
hours to compile and prepare, require Council-approved direction to the City Manager. The City
Manager in turn will direct the work to be done. (AR 102)
C. Mayor and Mayor Pro Tern
1) Mayor's Duties
a) Has the primary but not exclusive responsibility for interpreting the policies, programs, and
needs of City government to the public; as needed, inform the public of any major change in
policy or program. (Charter 305)
b) Serves as the Presiding Officer at Council meetings and as the official head of the City for all
ceremonies. Issues proclamations, certificates, and awards. If the Mayor is unavailable, the
Mayor Pro Tern or designee may sign these documents. (Charter 305-306,AR 572)
c) Signs all Council-approved ordinances, resolutions,contracts,and other documents requiring an
official signature, except when the City Manager has been authorized by Council action to sign
certain documents on the City's behalf. (Charter 500, 613)
d) Assigns Council Members to citizen-led Boards,Commissions,and Committees(BCCs)as Council
Liaisons, to Council Committees, and to outside agencies for the upcoming calendar year. The
Mayor solicits from Council a prioritized list of assignments that are of interest to them in early
December and prepares a preliminary list of assignments for the City Council's review. The final
Council Liaison List should be approved by the first meeting in January. (Reso. 99-83)
2) Mayor Pro Tem's Duties
The Mayor Pro Tern will perform or assist with the duties of the Mayor during the Mayor's absence,
disability, or at the Mayor's request. (Charter 306)
3) Selection of Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem
The Mayor and Mayor Pro Tern serve at the pleasure of the City Council for a one-year term starting
in December. Traditionally, the Council rotates the selection of Mayor and Mayor Pro Tern every
year during the first regular Council Meeting in December. Resolution No.6320 lays out the selection
procedures in detail.
If City Council wishes to diverge from these procedures, it must set aside Resolution No. 6320 and
establish different procedures. Once implemented, the Resolution will be reinstated immediately
thereafter.
City of Huntington Beach June 2024
City Council Manual 9
IV. STANDARDS OF CONDUCT
A. Code of Ethics
In October 1993, the City Council adopted a Code of Ethics to establish a standard of conduct that will
help ensure a "responsible, fair, and honest city government that operates in an atmosphere of respect
and civility." All elected officials, officers, employees, and members of BCCs are asked to sign a form to
acknowledge receipt of the Code of Ethics.
In terms of enforcement, "any official found to be in violation of the Code of Ethics may be subject to
censure by the City Council. Any member of an advisory board, commission, or committee found to be in
violation may be subject to dismissal. In the case of an employee,appropriate action shall be taken by the
City Manager or by an authorized designee." (Resos. 6524 and 6540)
B. Respectful Workplace
The City's Respectful Workplace Policy: (a) encourages open and constructive communication, increased
engagement,and teamwork to maintain a positive, productive,and respectful environment in the City;and
(b) discourages and does not tolerate behavior that offends, humiliates, intimidates, harasses, threatens,
distresses, discriminates against, or intrudes upon any individual conducting business in the City. This
policy applies to all workplaces, including the Council Chambers.
C. Standards of Conduct
1) City Council
a) Attend all City Council meetings and start promptly. Be prepared to engage with Council, staff,
and members of the public on each agenda item.
b) Comply with the letter and spirit of all governing laws and policies applicable to the City.
c) Honor the role of the Presiding Officer, who is tasked with preserving order, decorum, and fair
and equitable treatment of all persons during meetings.
d) All Council Members may speak and agree to disagree. Keep comments concise and on topic
to provide opportunities for everyone to express themselves.
e) In general, do not engage in personnel issues, unless it is placed on the closed session agenda
or as otherwise appropriate concerning the City Manager or other City official appointed by the
City Council. (Charter 307,401)
f) Keep open communication with the public and offer opportunities to discuss issues with them.
g) Do not make promises on behalf of the entire City Council, without Council approval.
City of Huntington Beach June 2024
City Council Manual 10
2) Staff and Charter Officers
a) Staff should provide City Council with information that is comprehensive, impartial, accurate,
timely, and supported with documentation.
b) Staff should recommend a course of action that is anticipated to improve the community,
adheres to all laws and regulations,employs public funds responsibly, and supports the Strategic
Plan and other approved policies.
c) Executive Leadership Team (ELT) members, comprised of Charter Officers and Department
Heads, must attend all Council meetings and be prepared to respectfully and thoroughly answer
any questions from Council Members regarding their respective Requests for Council Action
(RCAs).
3) Public
a) While the City Council welcomes public involvement and supports and defends free speech,the
City rejects comments from anyone that are discriminatory, defamatory, or otherwise not
protected free speech. Those comments will not inform or be considered by the Council and
may be cause for the Mayor to interrupt the speaker.
b) The Presiding Officer or designee may warn that person that their behavior is disrupting the
meeting and that their failure to stop may result in their removal. Disrupting means engaging
in behavior that disrupts, disturbs, impedes, or renders infeasible the orderly conduct of the
meeting. If they do not promptly stop, the Presiding Officer in consultation with the Sargeant-
at-arms, City Manager, and City Attorney, may remove the person if they do not promptly cease
their disruptive behavior per California Government Code Section 54957.95 or take a recess to
ensure the continued, orderly conduct of the meeting.
c) No person may stand or sit in the aisles or block any doorways or other exits.
d) Placards, signs, and posters may be brought into the Council Chambers unless they obstruct the
view of other audience members. They must remain with the holder and cannot be placed in
adjacent seats or common areas.
(Government Code Section SB 1100-Open Meetings: Orderly Conduct, 54953.5, 54957.95.AR 924)
4) Enforcement
The Chief of Police will assign one or more Sergeant-at-Arms to all City Council meetings. The
Sergeant-at-Arms should carry out all instructions given by the Presiding Officer or their designee
(with consultation with the City Manager and City Attorney, as needed) for maintaining order and
decorum at meetings.
City of Huntington Beach June 2024
City Council Manual 11
V. MEETING TYPES
A. Regular Meetings
Regular meetings are held on the first and third Tuesdays of every month and typically begin with Study
and Closed Sessions (as needed) at 4:00 P.M. The Regular meetings typically follow at 6:00 P.M. The
Council Meeting schedule is subject to change and is set by the City Manager, in conjunction with the
Mayor, Mayor Pro Tem, and City Clerk. Meetings may be cancelled if a quorum is not met. If a regular
meeting falls on a holiday, the meeting will be held on the next business day. (Charter303a,304a)
1) Study Sessions
Study Sessions provide an informal setting to encourage in-depth discussion and gauge opinions or
preferences on the issue at hand. City Council typically do not take formal votes in Study Session,
particularly without a formal Request for Council Action that includes recommended actions.
2) Closed Sessions
Closed Sessions are the only part of a Council meeting that the public cannot attend. State law
permits closed sessions in limited circumstances to avoid revealing confidential information that
may, in specified circumstances, prejudice the legal or negotiating position of the City or
compromise the privacy interests of employees.
a) Closed Session Exceptions
i. Pending, threatened, existing, or initiation of litigation.
ii. Public employment issues involving the appointment, employment,evaluation, discipline,or
dismissal of a public employee or to hear complaints and charges brought against the
employee.
iii. Labor negotiations
iv. Real estate negotiations
v. Threat to the security of the public or public facilities
vi. Certain other matters as defined in the Brown Act
b) Attendees and Confidentiality
i. Closed sessions may only involve members of the City Council, City Attorney or designee,
City Manager, City Clerk, and support staff/consultants who are necessary to present and
discuss the item. All materials and discussions must be kept in strict confidentiality by every
individual in attendance, until the matter is publicly disclosed.
• Per Section 310 of the HB Charter,the City Clerk or designee must attend each closed session
meeting, record the topics and decisions made, and sign the minutes. The City Attorney's
Office will then maintain a closed session minute book consistent with the provisions of
California Government Code Section 54957.2 and the City's Records Retention Policy These
action minutes are not a public record subject to inspection and must be kept confidential.
o The action minutes are only available to members of the City Council who voted and
were not conflicted out of the closed session item. If there has been a violation of
Government Code Sections 54950 through 54962 that is alleged to have occurred in
City of Huntington Beach June 2024
City Council Manual 12
closed session,the action minutes can be made available to a court of general jurisdiction
in which the City lies.
c) Other
i. Members of the public must be allowed the opportunity to comment before the convening
of closed session.
ii. The Council must publicly report any reportable action taken during closed session and the
vote or abstention of every member present. Reports are typically made orally during
Regular Session, under the Closed Session Report given by the City Attorney. (Government
Code 54956.7 through 54957 and Sections 54957.6 and 54957.8,AR 115)
3) Regular Sessions
Regular Session meetings are fully opened to the public and carry the bulk of City Council business
that ranges from routine consent calendar items to public hearings. Additional details are available
in Section VI.
B. Special Meetings
A special meeting may be called at any time by the Mayor or by a majority of the members of the City
Council, by written notice to each member of the City Council and to a local newspaper of general
circulation, radio or television station requesting notice in writing. Such notice must be delivered
personally or by mail at least twenty-four hours before the time of such meeting as specified in the notice.
The call and notice shall specify the time and place of the special meeting and the business to be
transacted. No other business shall be considered at such meeting. If any person entitled to such written
notice files a written waiver of notice with the City Clerk, it may be dispensed with. This notice requirement
shall be considered fulfilled as to any person who is present at the meeting at the time it convenes. (Charter
303b)
C. Emergency Meetings
In the event of an emergency affecting the public peace, health or safety, a special meeting may be called
as provided in this section with less than twenty-four hours written notice by the Mayor or by any member
of the City Council in the absence of both the Mayor and Mayor Pro Tern provided that the nature of the
emergency is set forth in the minutes of the meeting. (Charter 303b)
D. Adjourned Meetings
Any meeting of the City Council may be adjourned by majority vote to a later date, place, and time, if no
adjournment is for a period beyond the next regular meeting. The Clerk must post the order of
adjournment at the Civic Center within 24 hours of adjournment. Furthermore, no meeting may continue
past 11:00 P.M.without a majority vote of the City Council. (Resolution No. 2015-46 Charter 303a)
City of Huntington Beach June 2024
City Council Manual 13
VI. MEETING AGENDAS
A. Agenda Process
The City Manager's Office accepts all agenda item requests and finalizes the Council meeting agendas, in
consultation with the Mayor, Mayor Pro Tem, City Clerk, and City Attorney.
1) Requesting an Agenda Item
a) For Study Session and Regular Session Items
i. Charter officers and Department Directors may submit Study and Regular Session items to
the City Manager via Legistar for review and acceptance. Afterwards, items are forwarded to
the City Clerk for final review and placement on the agenda.
b) For Closed Session Items
i. Upon determination by a department that a closed session is needed to discuss matters
permitted under the Brown Act, Department Heads will request the City Attorney to prepare
the appropriate memorandum to agendize it. Also, a brief description of the item that will
appear on the Closed Session agenda will be provided. (AR 115)
c) For Council Member Items (also known as H-Items)
i. Up to 3 Council Members may author and submit H-Items that direct the City Manager and
staff to provide research or implement a policy.
o The City Manager's Office will log each Council Member Request approved by the City
Council and work with the appropriate departments to implement them.
2) Agenda Routing
a) The review and approval process of each agenda item is referred to as the routing process and
must be completed in accordance with the Agenda Deadline Schedule.
b) Per Administrative Regulation 106, Department Heads are responsible for submitting agenda
items,which include a comprehensive RCA and required attachments.
c) The agenda process includes a bi-weekly meeting to review the upcoming Council agenda. This
meeting is typically held on the Monday prior to the agenda posting date and is led by the City
Manager and includes the Mayor, Mayor Pro Tern, and Executive Leadership Team.
d) The City Manager is then responsible for overseeing the routing process, by which the Finance
Department,the City Manager's Office,and the City Attorney's Office review, modify(as needed),
and approve each agenda item for content, accuracy, form, and legality.
3) Agenda Posting
a) After the routing process is complete,the agenda item is forwarded to the City Clerk's Office for
additional review and final placement on the agenda.
City of Huntington Beach June 2024
City Council Manual 14
b) The Brown Act requires all regular Council Meeting agendas be posted at least 72 hours prior to
the meeting dates and times. The City typically posts agendas on the Wednesday prior to the
meeting, or 6 days (approximately 144 hours) in advance.
c) Per Administrative Regulation 607, the City Clerk's Office distributes the agenda packet to City
Council (via iLegislate) and also posts it publicly at the Civic Center and City's website.
d) The City Clerk must not accept any agenda item or revised agenda item after the deadlines
established by law. (AR 706 and 607)
B. Agenda Documents
Actionable items on a Council agenda are generally comprised of a Request for Council Action (RCA)
prepared by staff; in other cities, an RCA is referred to as a staff report that should include a fair and
balanced assessment of a potential policy, program, or issue, as well as a recommended action, alternate
action, and consideration of no action.
1) Request for Council Action (RCA)
Per Administrative Regulation 106, a complete RCA accompanies all actionable items on a Council agenda
and should include the following:
a) Subject-A brief summary of the request.
b) Statement of Issue - Succinctly describes the issue and the matter that needs to be decided.
c) Financial Impact- The potential cost related to the action and whether it has been budgeted or
requires new funding.
d) Recommended and Alternative Actions - The recommended course of action related to the
agenda item. An alternative action and potential impacts (if any) are also included.
e) Analysis - The rationale for the recommended action that includes background and factors to
consider, including deadlines for actions and operational impacts to the City.
f) Environmental Status - If the action requested includes development or construction of the
project, its environmental impact must be identified. (AR 202)
g) Strategic Plan Goal—Identifies the Strategic Plan Goal and Strategy that the RCA satisfies.
h) Attachments (may include one or more of the following)
i. Ordinances — A law adopted by the City Council that typically has broad applicability,
significant impact, and extended duration. Ordinances are required when adding to or
amending the Municipal Code or the Zoning and Subdivision ordinance. Actions such as
adopting budgets, levying taxes, establishing fines or other penalties, granting a franchise,
and conducting municipal elections require ordinances. Furthermore, proposed ordinances
require special noticing procedures and two readings across two separate meetings to be
considered for adoption by Council; ordinances must be approved by at least four Council
Members and signed by the Mayor. Ordinances are effective 30 days after adoption, with
few exceptions.
ii. Emergency Ordinances—Declared by Council to be necessary for the immediate preservation
of the public peace, health, or safety, and containing a statement of the reasons for its
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urgency. Emergency ordinances may be introduced, enacted, and adopted during just one
regular, special, or emergency meeting; they also take effect immediately upon adoption if
it is approved by at least five affirmative votes. Emergency ordinances expire automatically
after 120 days, and Council may vote to extend it.
iii. Resolutions—A formal expression of opinion, an adopted policy or legal action by the City
Council that often deals with limited duration or special matters, such as taking certain
actions, adopting this Manual or personnel policies. Adoption requires a single vote of
Council and takes effect immediately. Per Charter Section 502, the Council may act by
resolution or minute order in all actions that are not required by the Charter to be taken by
ordinance.
iv. Contracts/Agreement (with exhibits, if applicable) — Contracts for services, goods,
professional and expert services, and public works projects that exceed a certain dollar
threshold require City Council approval. Prior to being added to an agenda, contracts must
be reviewed and approved as to form by the City Attorney,and the contractor should provide
a signature and any required certificates of insurance, before the Council considers the item
at a meeting.
v. Tract Map, Location Map and/or Other Exhibits—A location map and/or parcel map showing
the affected location, as detailed in the RCA.
vi. Subleases, Third Party Agreements, Etc. — Any legal documents partnering with another
entity. Must be approved as to form by the City Attorney.
vii. Public Works Documents—Plans and specifications for the proposed construction of a capital
improvement project (CIP); maintenance impact statement detailing the cost and staffing
impacts of a new CIP, bonds from contractors, bid packages, etc.
viii. Request for Proposals or Qualifications—Formal solicitation for bids and qualifications from
firms that have the ability to complete the specified project or program. These Requests
typically accompany contracts that are awarded to the winning proposer.
ix. Presentations— PowerPoint decks that may be used by staff to present the RCA to Council.
All decks for Consent Calendar, Administrative, and Public Hearing items must be submitted
in Legistar by the agenda deadline.
2) Minutes
Written minutes,upon approval of the Council,are the official, permanent record of the City. Minutes
are prepared and distributed by the City Clerk in a timely manner. Minutes are not verbatim but
provide detail on major discussion points and decisions made. The official minutes are posted on
the City's website and accessible to the public.
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VII. MEETING PROCEDURES
A. Parliamentarian
The parliamentarian advises the Presiding Officer (generally, the Mayor) in responding to points of order
and addressing the general conduct of the meeting according to the rules. This is an advisory and
consultative role appointed by the City Council; parliamentary law gives to the Presiding Officer the power
to rule on questions of order or to answer parliamentary inquiries. Traditionally, the City Attorney or
designee serves as the parliamentarian and decides questions of order per the rules in this Manual and
the latest version of Robert's Rules of Order.
B. Conducting the Meeting
City Council agendas have a typical sequencing that begins with ceremonial matters and transitions to
items that require deliberation and action. Any Council Member may make a motion to reorder the
structure as the need arises. A typical agenda sequence for a Council Meeting is below:
1) Call to Order
a) The Presiding Officer (generally the Mayor or designee) will take the chair and call the meeting
to order. In the absence of the Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem,the City Clerk will call the meeting to
order, and a Presiding Officer will be appointed among seated Council Members. Upon the
arrival of the Mayor or the Mayor Pro Tem, the appointed Council Member will relinquish the
chair after concluding the business presently before them.
b) There are instances in which the Call to Order may start later than expected, particularly when
the prior session requires more time to conclude or based on other extenuating circumstances.
2) Roll Call
a) The City Clerk must conduct the roll call and record the Council Members physically present.
b) A roll call may determine a quorum, which is required to hold a meeting and conduct business.
A quorum is defined as a simple majority of the City Council (4). If the Council has three or fewer
present, the meeting is adjourned. If the Council began with a quorum, it could also lose it, if
sufficient Council Members leave. (Charter 304)
c) Council Members are expected to attend all regular,emergency,and special meetings. However,
if a Council Member knows in advance that they will be absent, the Council Member should give
written notice to the Mayor, City Manager, and City Clerk as soon as possible. The City Clerk will
announce the Council Member's absence during the roll call, and the Council may determine if
it is excused.
d) Excused absences are typically limited to the following circumstances, but are left to the Council
to make the final determination:
i. Death in the family; personal illness or illness of an immediate family member
ii. Council-related business
iii. Required work-related duties
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iv. Emergencies
v. Parental leave
vi. Religious or cultural holidays
e) If a Council Member misses all regular Council meetings for 30 consecutive days following the
last regular Council meeting that he or she attended, the seat will become vacant unless the
Council Member's absence was permitted by the City Council. This permission must be in the
official minutes. (Charter 312(b))
3) Council Member Comments (during the opening of Study/Closed Sessions only)
Council Members may voluntarily make brief announcements for up to 3-minutes. Council may not
discuss or take any action on these communications.
4) Pledge of Allegiance
The Mayor will call on individual Council Members to lead the Pledge of Allegiance.
5) Invocation
a) The invocation is intended to recognize the role that freedom of religion has played in the history
of the country and the contribution that religious groups make to the quality of life in the
community. They are not intended to promote, exclude, or disparage any religious beliefs.
b) Per an H-Item from December 10, 2003 (authored by former Mayor Cathy Green), the current
Mayor has the prerogative to determine whether or not City Council meetings should open with
an invocation.
c) Traditionally,the outgoing Mayor has had the discretion to select an invocation leader for his/her
final Council meeting as Mayor, typically held on the first Tuesday in December.
6) Closed Session Report
Per the Brown Act, the City Council must reconvene the Council meeting after a closed session and
publicly state any reportable closed session actions and vote taken, which will be reported by the
City Attorney. (Government Code Section 54957.1)
7) Announcement of Supplemental Communications
a) Members of the public unable to participate in the meeting but interested in communicating
with the City Council on agenda items are encouraged to submit a supplemental communication
via email at supplementalcomm@surfcity-hb.orq. Supplemental communications are public
record, and if they are related to an agendized item and received by 9:00 AM on the day of the
meeting, they will be distributed to the City Council prior to the start of the meeting, posted to
the City website, and announced, but not read, prior to the beginning of Public Comments.
b) Communications received after the 9:00 AM deadline will be incorporated into the administrative
record after the Council meeting.
8) Public Comments
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The City provides opportunities for the public to address the City Council on any item agendized
under study and/or closed session. The regular meeting at 6:00pm also provides for public comment
on both agendized and non-agendized matters within the City's jurisdiction.
a) Signing Up for Public Comments
i. Signs-up for Request to Speak will begin in person 30 minutes prior to the start of study,
closed, and regular meeting sessions, whichever comes first. Sign-ups will be accepted until
the commencement of the public comment period.
ii. Individuals will be called by the City Clerk to speak at the appropriate time, based on the
order in which they submitted their Request to Speak form.
b) Providing Public Comments
i. Each speaker has up to three (3) minutes to provide public comment, unless the Presiding
Officer determines that the volume of speakers warrants reducing the time.
ii. The City Clerk is responsible for maintaining the time for each speaker. Either the City Clerk
or the Presiding Officer may inform the speaker when their speaking time has expired.
iii. All speakers are encouraged, but not required to identify themselves by name.
iv. Speakers may not donate any part of his or her time to another speaker.
v. All speakers should address the City Council as a whole, rather than individual Council
Members or staff.
vi. Public comments for public hearing items take place when it is time to consider them, but
after the staff presentation on it has been made.
c) City's Ability to Respond to Public Comments
i. Consistent with the Brown Act, public comment periods should not serve as back-and-forth
discussions between the public speaker and City officials.
ii. No action or discussion may be taken on any non-agenda item. However, California
Government Code section 54954.2(a)(3) permits Council Members or staff to briefly respond
to statements or questions posed by public comment speakers in the following manner:
o On their own initiative or in response to questions from the public, ask questions for
clarification, make a brief announcement, or make a brief report on his/her activities.
o Provide a reference to staff or other resources for information.
o Request staff to report back to the Council at a subsequent meeting concerning any
matter.
o Direct staff to place a matter of business on a future agenda.
iii. If the Speaker addresses a question to a specific Council Member, that question should go
through the Presiding Officer,who may respond or pause to allow another Council Member
to ask to be recognized.
iv. If the Speaker is commenting on a non-agendized item,the City Council must not discuss or
take any action on the item per the Brown Act. Instead, Council Members may request to
place the non-agendized item on a future agenda for discussion.
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d) Conduct During Public Comments
While the City Council welcomes public involvement and free speech, it rejects comments from
anyone that are discriminatory, defamatory, or otherwise not protected speech. Those
comments will not inform or be considered by the City Council and may be cause for the
Presiding Officer to interrupt the public speaker. Such public comments will not be consented
to or otherwise adopted by the City Council in its discussions and findings for any matter during
the meeting.
9) Council Committee Appointment Announcements
Council Members may make brief announcements on any individual appointments made to a board,
committee, or commission (BCC);they may not discuss or take any action on these announcements.
10) AB1234 Reporting
Per AB 1234 (Government Code Section 53232.3(d)) Council Members who attend a meeting,
conference, or similar event at the expense of the City must provide a brief report of the meeting,
conference, or similar event during the next regular City Council meeting.
11) Openness in Negotiations Disclosures
Council Members must publicly disclose any meetings or communications with City employee
associations related to the negotiations of labor agreements. Disclosures must be made by the next
regular City Council Meeting.
12) Reports by the City Manager, City Attorney, City Clerk,and/or City Treasurer
These Charter Officers may provide an update on a program, policy, or issue within their scope of
work. These items are updates only and are not considered to be actionable.
13) Consent Calendar
a) The City Manager places routine or standard business items that do not always need lengthy
deliberation on the Consent Calendar. These items will be acted upon with one motion and vote.
Typical consent calendar items may include the final reading and adoption of ordinances and
resolutions, agreements, minor budgetary adjustments, reports of operations, etc.
b) Council Members may pull Consent Calendar items for separate discussion and action. The Clerk
will read into the record the title and number of each pulled item, which will be considered after
the Council acts on the remainder of the Consent Calendar.
c) Council Members should inform the City Manager before noon on the day of a Council meeting
with any item they may wish to pull in addition to any questions they may wish to ask of staff.
This practice allows the City Manager to notify staff that may need to be present at the Council
meeting and prepare informed answers.
14) Public Hearings
a) Public hearings are formal meetings for receiving public testimony and input on a significant
matter that may be implemented in the City. At other times, public hearings are mandated by
local, state, or federal law and are intended to invite a greater level of public input as well as
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discussion by the Council. Typical items include land use projects and adoption of the City's
annual operating budget.
b) The Presiding Officer begins by opening the Public Hearing and requesting presentations from
staff, applicants, and appellants involved in the matter under discussion. Each presentation is
followed by Council Member questions, if any. Afterwards, the Presiding Officer will open the
hearing to public comments. Following the close of public comments, the City Council may
engage in deliberation, followed by a motion and vote.
c) At times,the City Council may require an additional meeting to consider the Public Hearing item.
To do so, the Council must vote to continue the item to a set date. If it is continued without a
set date, additional public noticing requirements may be necessary.
15) Administrative Items
a) Administrative items include major initiatives, policies, or programs presented by staff to City
Council for in-depth deliberation and action. These items typically begin with a presentation
from staff followed by Council deliberation, a motion, and vote.
16) H-Items (also known as Council Member Items)
H-Items are requests for various programs, policies, ordinances, resolutions, and/or funding for a
specific initiative. Since agenda items, including Council Member Requests, can take a considerable
amount of staff time to implement, the City Manager will first work with the requesting Council
Member(s) to conduct an initial assessment of the Request that includes:
a) Steps required to implement(i.e. research, outreach, request for proposals, legal review, etc.)
b) Staff time and other resources
c) Funding needs
d) Timeline
e) Alignment with Strategic Plan
Up to 3 Council Members may jointly author a Council Member request. The City Manager will
review it with the Council Member(s)to finalize the request with as much pertinent detail as possible,
so that the Council is able to make an informed decision. Among other considerations, the ability
to schedule new Council Member Requests will also depend on the nature of the item itself, other
agenda subjects that are already scheduled, and the amount of time available in a Council meeting.
17) Adjournment
Following the conclusion of all items, the Presiding Officer will invite a motion to adjourn the
meeting, noting the date and time of the next scheduled regular meeting.
C. Discussion Rules
Discussion rules ensure that every Council Member has a reasonable and equal opportunity to be heard
before a final decision is made.
1) Order of Discussion
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a) After the Presiding Officer announces the agenda item and invites the appropriate staff member
to provide a report and recommendation, he or she opens the floor for City Council discussion.
b) Each Council Member may have an opportunity to speak on an agenda item, both prior to and
after a motion is made. Following comments by all Council Members who wish to speak, the
Presiding Officer may provide additional rounds of comments for each Member, as needed.
2) Obtaining the Floor
a) Any Council Member wishing to ask technical questions or engage in discussion should make a
request to obtain the floor.
b) Upon being recognized, the Council Member may hold the floor until completion of their
remarks or until the Presiding Officer withdraws the recognition.
c) With the concurrence of the Presiding Officer, a member holding the floor may address a
question to another member and that member may respond while the floor is still held by the
member asking the question. A member may opt not to answer a question while another
member has the floor.
3) Interruptions
a) Once a Council Member has the floor, another Council Member may not interrupt except to
make a point of order(made when a Member believes the Council Rule of Order and Procedure
are being violated). In such a circumstance, the Council Member holding the floor will cease
speaking until the point of order is resolved.
4) Discussion
a) It is the duty of the Presiding Officer to keep the subject clearly before the Council Members,to
rule out irrelevant discussion, to restate the question whenever necessary, and to ensure proper
decorum and respectful discourse between Council Members throughout discussion.
b) A Council Member should not speak more than once on a particular subject until every other
Council Member has had the opportunity to speak.
5) Tabling Procedure
a) Tabling an item stops discussion and causes a vote to postpone the item indefinitely or to a
specified time and date.
b) There are several ways to table an item, and each one applies to a specific circumstance and
desired outcome. They include Postpone to a Certain Time/Definitely, Postpone Indefinitely, Lay
on the Table, and Objection to the Consideration of a Question. For guidance on how to utilize
them properly, please contact the City Manager's Office for a detailed overview or refer to
Robert's Rules.
6) Right of Protest
a) Any Council Member has the right to express dissent from, or protest to, or comment upon, any
action of the City Council. This expression must be done in a professional manner and when he
or she has properly obtained the floor.
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7) Calling for the Question
a) The purpose of calling for the question is to disallow further debate and put the issue to an
immediate vote. A Council Member may move to "call for the question" on an item being
considered. The motion requires a second, is no longer debatable, and must pass by a two-
thirds vote. If the motion carries, the item is no longer debatable, and the Council must vote.
D. Motions
Motions serve as vehicles to making decisions. The Mayor or Council Members may call for a motion on
any agenda item. However, the Presiding Officer will facilitate the motion making process.
1) Basic Motion
a) After the initial round of discussion, the Mayor or any Council Member may make a motion.
Before the motion can be considered, it must be seconded. Once a motion has been properly
made and seconded, it must be stated by the Presiding Officer or the City Clerk before the
Presiding Officer opens the floor for deliberation, offering the first opportunity to speak to the
Council Member who made the motion, and then to any Council Member recognized by the
Presiding Officer. Once the motion has been fully debated and the Presiding Officer calls for a
vote, no further debate will be allowed.
b) If a motion clearly contains two or more divisible parts, any Council Member may request the
Presiding Officer to divide the motion into separate motions to provide Council Members an
opportunity for more specific consideration.
2) Motion to Amend
a) If a Council Member wants to change a basic motion that is before the body, they would move
to amend it. A motion to amend takes the basic motion that is before the body and seeks to
change it in some way. This motion would require a formal second to move it forward.
b) In contrast, a "friendly amendment" is a change to a motion that is supported by both Council
Members who made the initial motion and seconded it. Therefore, the friendly amendment is
incorporated automatically into the motion without a formal move to amend.
3) Substitute Motion
a) If a Council Member wishes to entirely replace the basic motion that is before the Council and
submit a new motion, they must move a substitute motion, and receive a second.
4) Multiple Motions
a) If there are multiple motions on the floor,votes should begin with the last motion that was made
(typically a substitute motion). If it is approved, votes on the previous motions would not be
taken. If it is not approved, the Presiding Officer will conduct a deliberation and vote on the
preceding motion and so forth.
b) There may only be up to 1 original motion and 2 substitute motions on the floor at any time.
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5) Withdrawing a Motion
a) A motion may be withdrawn by the mover with the consent of the second and in the absence of
objection from any other Council Member.
6) Motion to Reconsider
a) Only a Council Member who voted on the prevailing side of an original motion can make a
motion to reconsider it; any Council Member may second, regardless of his/her vote.
b) After a motion to reconsider is approved,the City Council can revisit the original motion,discuss
it further, and vote on it again.
c) The motion to reconsider can only be made at the same meeting that the original motion was
voted on. The only exception is in the case of a meeting in which it takes place over a series of
days; in that event, the motion to reconsider can also be made on the next succeeding day in
which the Council meeting is held.
d) The vote required to adopt a motion to reconsider shall be a simple majority of Council Members
present and voting, except that such motion shall require four(4)affirmative votes to reconsider
any motion which required four(4) affirmative votes for adoption.
7) All Other Matters
The City will refer to the latest edition of Robert's Rules of Order(www.rulesonline.com)for all other
matters related to managing motions.
E. Voting
1) Voting Procedures
a) The vote on all motions will be by roll call and recorded by electronic or other means necessary
to record the vote. Votes upon being called for by the City Clerk include a "Yes/Aye" for an
affirmative vote; "No/Nay"for a negative vote; and "Abstain"for an abstention (which are most
common when there is a personal conflict of interest regarding the item being voted on.)
i. While it is the duty of Council Members to vote, one can abstain if they feel it is needed.
Abstentions most commonly arise when a Council Member has a conflict of interest on the
matter that is being voted upon. Abstentions are counted and noted, but not as a "Yes/Aye"
or"No/Nay"vote.
b) In most cases, the affirmative votes of the majority of seated Council Members will be required
to act on an agenda item or adopt an ordinance, resolution, or motion.
c) There are some exceptions in which a 2/3 majority is required to act on an agenda item, including
placing a tax measure on a general election ballot.
d) If the question contains two or more divisible propositions, the Presiding Officer may, at the
request of any Council Member,divide the question (also called a "split vote"). For example: (1)
waive further reading of an ordinance (requests unanimous vote) and (2) adopt.
2) Conflict of Interest
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a) A Council Member must not vote on an agenda item if he or she has a conflict of interest (i.e.
financial conflict, property ownership within a proposed area that will be affected). That Council
Member must openly state an abstention and publicly identify the conflict before recusing him
or herself and leaving the dais during discussion or voting.
b) However,the Council Member may remain on the dais for Consent Calendar items,if the member
abstains from voting on the conflicted item before the Consent Calendar is voted on in 1 motion.
c) More details on Conflicts of Interest are available in Section IX—Conflicts of Interest.
3) Tie Votes
If a vote results in a tie, the motion fails and may be continued on the agenda of the next regular
meeting unless the City Council specifically provides otherwise. One exception to this rule involves
tie votes on appellate matters regarding a motion to sustain the lower body's decision sustains the
decision of the lower body. (See Item 5 below.)
4) Changing Votes
A member may change his or her vote only if he or she makes a timely request to do so immediately
following the announcement of the vote by the City Council and prior to the time that the next item
of business is taken up.
5) Vote Required on Appellate Matters
Where action has been taken by a lower body that would be final if not appealed, such as decisions
by the Zoning Administrator or the Planning Commission, and is subsequently appealed to the
higher body, the following procedure applies:
a) If the motion is to sustain the lower body's decision, a majority of those present and voting is
sufficient(four affirmative votes not required). It is not necessary to make a motion to overrule.
When there is a tie vote,the lower body is sustained. However, if the motion to sustain gets less
than a tie vote, a motion to overrule must be made.
b) If the motion is to overrule the decision of the lower body,four(4)affirmative votes are required.
If there are less than four (4) affirmative votes, the decision of the lower body is deemed
sustained, and no further vote is required.
c) If a motion is made to modify the decision of the lower body,two separate steps must be taken:
i. First, the motion to modify requires four(4) affirmative votes.
ii. Second, if the motion to modify is adopted,a motion to sustain the decision of the lower
body as modified requires the same vote as the motion to sustain.
iii. A motion to overrule the decision of the lower body, as modified, requires four (4)
affirmative votes. If there are less than four affirmative votes, the decision of the lower
body, as modified, is deemed sustained without further vote.
iv. If a motion to modify fails, the next motion is either to sustain or to overrule the
subordinate body.
6) Other Actions
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In all situations where a City Council action under the express provisions of the City Charter or
ordinances shall or may be by resolution, a "minute action" of the Council shall be deemed a
resolution for all purposes, and such action shall not fail merely because it lacks the form or title of
a resolution. Minute actions require the affirmative votes of a majority of Council Members present
and voting. (Charter 502)
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VIII. MEETING ACCESS
A. Meeting Rooms
All meeting rooms are in the Lower Level of City Hall at 2000 Main Street, Huntington Beach, CA 92648.
ADA Access to these Meeting Rooms is available by calling the elevator from the City Hall Lobby (first
floor) or utilizing the access ramp that leads from the top of the Civic Center Amphitheater down to the
Lower Level.
1) Council Chambers
Study session, regular session, special and emergency meetings are traditionally held in the Council
Chambers, barring any circumstances that prevent the Chambers from being used or warrant a
different meeting space to better facilitate an agenda item (i.e. strategic planning workshops).
2) Caucus Room
Closed session is typically held in the Caucus Room, located in a conference room behind the
Chambers.
3) Conference Rooms B7 and B8 (Lower Level)
If the Council Chamber nears capacity,Conference Rooms B7 and B8 will be opened to accommodate
more attendees. The Rooms face the Chambers but are also equipped with video and audio
equipment to improve meeting visibility and sound.
4) Other Locations
In the past,the City Council has held certain meetings off-site or at different times and may continue
this practice, as long as they follow Brown Act requirements.
B. ADA Access
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), services are available to members of the
community who require special assistance to participate in public meetings. If any individual requires
special assistance, 48-hour prior notification will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements for an
assisted listening device (ALD) for the hearing impaired, American Sign Language interpreters, a reader
during the meeting, and/or large print agendas. Individuals should call the City Clerk's Office at(714) 536-
5227 for more information.
C. Council Chamber Capacity
Council Chamber attendance is limited to the posted seating capacity to ensure ADA and Fire safety access.
The Sergeant-at-Arms, in conjunction with the Fire Department,will appropriately regulate entrance to the
Council Chambers when the capacity is likely to be exceeded. When City Council is in session, members
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of the public shall not remain standing in the seating area or aisles of the Chambers. Sitting on the floor
is not permitted.
If the City Manager anticipates that public attendance for a meeting will be substantially greater than the
capacity of the Council Chambers and there is insufficient time to secure the City Council's approval to
hold the meeting at an alternate facility, the City Manager, or designee, will arrange to move the meeting.
The change of meeting site will be announced by the most rapid means of communication available at the
time.
D. Broadcasted Meetings
Members of the public who are unable to attend Council meetings in person may watch on cable and
online platforms both live and on demand:
Outlet Airing Location
HBTV Channel 3 Channel 3 (for Spectrum and Frontier Customers)
HBTV Online bit.Iy/SurfCityTV
Agenda & Minutes Library https://huntingtonbeach.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx
YouTube www.youtube.com/cityofhb
Facebook www.facebook.com/cityofhb
X (formerly Twitter) www.X.com/cityofhbpio
E. Meeting Notifications
The City is committed to keeping the public informed about upcoming meetings and agenda items.
Notifications about meetings are posted in various locations including:
1) https://huntingtonbeach,legistar.com/calendar.aspx
2) Bulletin boards located outside the Council Chamber doors
3) City's social media platforms (www.huntingtonbeachca.gov/social-media)
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IX. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
A. Overview
Guidelines regarding conflicts of interest are in place to ensure that Council Member actions are fair and
taken in the public interest. Any time a Council Member believes a potential for conflict of interest may
exist, he or she is encouraged to consult with the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) for guidance.
Violations may result in significant penalties.
B. Training
The City Attorney's Office will provide in-depth trainings on Conflicts of Interest, the Political Reform Act
(PRA), Government Code Section 1090, Code of Ethics, and Election Activities, annually in January.
Additional trainings for City Council are listed in Section X—Other Council Business.
C. Political Reform Act (PRA), Government Code Section 81000 et seq.
1) The PRA prohibits public officials from making, participating in, or in any way attempting to use their
official position to influence a governmental decision in which they know, or have reason to know,
that they have a disqualifying financial interest. Therefore, if a public official has a conflict of interest,
the official must disqualify oneself from acting on or participating in the decision.
2) Charter Section 313 and the PRA require the City to adopt and implement a Conflict of Interest code,
which must be regularly updated. The code is available under Resolution No. 2023-01. Key points
include:
a) The incorporation of CA Code of Regulations Section 18730, which provides the rules for
disqualification procedures, reporting financial interests, and references the current gift limit.
b) A comprehensive list of all designated officials and employees within the City who make
governmental decisions based on the positions they hold and must disclose their financial
interests as specified in the code.
c) Designated officials and employees must file a statement of economic interest(Form 700)within
30 days of taking office, annually thereafter, and upon leaving office.
i. All designated filers must file Form 700 information electronically through NetFile, the
City's online portal certified by the FPPC to accept Form 700 and FPPC campaign
disclosure documents. The City Clerk's office administers the NetFile application and
keeps in contact with all new and existing filers to provide account information, alert
filers of deadlines, and assist them with navigational issues. The filer portal is located at
https://netfile.com/Filer. The City Clerk will record and make these statements available
for public inspection.
ii. The Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) is responsible to provide public officials
with answers to questions on their Form 700. Frequently asked questions and an online
advice system can be accessed at www.fppc.ca.gov/Form700.html.
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d) A list of disclosure categories based on an individual's duties and responsibilities within the City
as well as the types of interests that must be disclosed publicly. Examples of interests include
investments, business positions, sources of income including gifts, loans and travel payments,
and real property interests.
e) Exclusions to the Code and guidance on disqualifying oneself in the presence of a conflict of
interest.
3) An overview of Conflicts of Interest under the PRA is available on the FPPC's website.
D. Government Code Section 1090
Government Code Section 1090 prohibits an officer,employee,or agency from participating in making (i.e.
approve, discuss, plan, negate, and solicit bids) government contracts in which the official or employee
within the agency has a financial interest. Section 1090 applies to virtually all state and local officers,
employees, and multimember bodies, whether elected or appointed, at both the state and local level.
For more information, review this quick guide to Section 1090 on the FPPC website:
www.fppc.ca.gov/learn/section-1090.html
E. Conflict of Interest Maps
Form 700 information is used by City staff to create a conflict of interest map for each public official who
is responsible to make policy decisions for the City.
1) The City Clerk's Office will provide the maps to City Council Members, so they may determine
whether a conflict of interest exists in any matter coming before the City Council Member as a direct
result of the individual's property proximity to a proposed project.
2) Real property in which the public official has an economic interest will be deemed "directly involved"
where the realty is either the subject of the government action or is located within 500 feet of the
real property that is the subject of the governmental action. Real property is the "subject of
government action" in any of the following contexts: zoning; rezoning; annexation; de-annexation;
land use entitlement;license;permit;taxes;fees;and public improvements(e.g.,streets,water,sewer,
etc.). (FPPC § 18704.2.)
F. Political Activities
The role of the City is to provide fair, impartial, and accurate facts about election items. This is also the
role of City employees, elected officials, and appointed officials when they are working in their official
capacities. Doing so is imperative to safeguarding the public's trust in government.
1) The City may place measures on a ballot, provide impartial analyses, and adopt official positions
through Council action. However, the City and its employees, elected officials, and appointed
officials - when they are working in their official capacities - may not advocate for or against any
measures or candidates for elected positions. Public funds, resources, and staff time must also not
be used to influence voters.
City of Huntington Beach June 2024
City Council Manual 30
2) However,City employees,elected and appointed officials may engage in such activities on their own
time and with their own resources. Those who choose to do so must follow a few simple, but
important rules of thumb. Additional details are available in our Guide to Election Activities Brochure
or www.fppc.ca.gov.
an„statewide ballot proposition. *Section IX—G Statewide Ballot Propositions repealed
by Minute Action on 1st day of October, 2024
H. Participation with Outside Groups
1) Conferences and Similar Meetings
a) At any conference or other such meeting where the City is represented by one or more members
of the City Council,the following guidelines shall be followed per Resolution 4366.
i. Whenever possible, Councilpersons shall represent the City as "instructed delegates by
majority vote of the City Council."
ii. In the event no prior instructions or directions have been given, a poll shall be taken of
the delegates attending such conference, or other such meeting, so that any vote or
action taken by such Councilpersons shall reflect the wishes of a majority of delegates.
b) Additional guidelines include:
i. Members of the Council should avoid discussion or comment on City matters at
conferences or other such meetings or on social media, other than as part of the
scheduled program. Discussions where four or more City Council Members are present
could inadvertently create a"serial meeting"of a majority of the members of the Council
in violation of the Brown Act
ii. Each Council Member has a travel budget used for expenses when attending conferences
or training as detailed in Section X—Other Council Business.
I. Nepotism
The City Council, City Manager, Department Director, or any officer with appointive powers must not
appoint to a salaried City position;
a. a relative by blood or marriage within a third degree to any Council Member;or
b. a relative by blood or marriage within a third degree to a City Manager, Department Director, or
any officer with appointive powers
This provision shall not affect the employment or promotional status of a person who has attained a
salaried position with the City prior to the existence of a situation contemplated in this Charter section;
City of Huntington Beach June 2024
City Council Manual 31
however, Council members or officers with appointive powers in such a situation shall disqualify
themselves from all decisions affecting the employment and promotion status of such person. (Charter
313)
J. Levine Act (Government Code, Section 84308)
Section 84308 prohibits City Council and other public officials from taking part in an entitlement for use
proceeding if the official has received a campaign contribution exceeding $250 from a party/participant in
the proceeding within the past 12 months. An official is also prohibited from accepting, soliciting, or
directing a contribution exceeding $250 from a party or participant while a proceeding is pending and for
12 months after a final decision. In certain instances, an official may avoid violating this section by
returning contributions in excess of$250. Additional information is on www.fppc.ca.gov.
K. Rules for Gifts and Honoraria (Government Code Section 89503)
The Political Reform Act imposes limits on gifts, prohibits honoraria payments, and imposes limits and
other restrictions on the receipt of travel payments received by:
a) Local elected officers and other local officials specified in Government Code Section 87200.2
excluding judges; and
b) Designated employees of local government agencies(i.e., individuals required to file statements
of economic interests under a local agency's conflict of interest code); and
c) Candidates for any of these offices or positions and judicial candidates. (Sections 89502 and
89503.)
The Act also imposes limits and other restrictions on personal loans received by certain local officials.
The gift limit increased to $590 for calendar years 2023 and 2024.
For additional information on Gifts, Honoraria,Travel Payments and Loans, please visit the FPPC's
website: https://www.fppc.ca.gov/learn/public-officials-and-employees-rules-/gifts-and-honoraria.html
City of Huntington Beach June 2024
City Council Manual 32
X. OTHER COUNCIL BUSINESS
A. Required Trainings and City Policies
1) Ethics Training (State Mandated)
In addition to the Code of Ethics ("Code"), each Council Member is required by State law (AB 1234
and Gov't Code Sec. 53235) to receive at least 2-hours of training in general ethics principles and
ethics laws relevant to his or her public service every two years.
a) The City Clerk's Office will work with Council to receive their training module and provide
instructions to complete their requirements. This Office will ensure compliance with this
training requirement.
b) Council Members who complete the required training must submit their certificate of
completion to the City Clerk's Office per the City's Record Retention Policy.
c) In January of each year, the Council reviews and affirms the Code during a regular meeting. The
Code must also be reviewed annually by all employees and BCCs.
2) Sexual Harassment Prevention Training and Education (State Mandated)
State law (AB 1661) requires all City officials in California to complete at least 2-hours of sexual
harassment prevention training and education if the local agency provides any type of
compensation, salary, or stipend to those officials.
a) Training includes federal and state statutes outlawing sexual harassment, solutions available to
victims, and "practical examples"to teach officials how to prevent sexual harassment,
discrimination, and retaliation in the workplace.
b) City Council members must take this training within the first six months of taking office and
renew at least once every two years. Attendance is aligned with the City's commitment to
always preventing inappropriate conduct and creating a work environment that is safe,
respectful, and free of any types of harassment, discrimination, and retaliation.
c) The City Clerk's Office will work with Council Members to receive their training module and
provide instructions to complete their requirements. This Office will also ensure compliance
with this training requirement.
d) Administrative Regulation 922 Anti-Harassment, Discrimination, and Retaliation Policy provides
additional details.
3) Additional Required Training
The City is committed to providing Council Members with all other trainings they may need to
engage in Council business. The following trainings will be coordinated by the City Manager's
Office, following the swearing in of new Council Members. These trainings are listed and
scheduled on the Master Meeting Calendar maintained by the City Clerk's Office:
a) Led by the City Attorney's Office
• City Charter
• Brown Act
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City Council Manual 33
• Municipal Code
• California Public Records Act
• Code of Ethics
• Understanding Collective Bargaining
• Roles and responsibilities of the City Attorney's Office
• Levine Act
• Common legal matters
• Administrative Regulations (only those that apply to the City Attorney's Office)
b) Led by the City Manager's Office
• New City Council Onboarding, Orientation, and Dais Training
• Administrative Regulations
c) Led by Various Departments or Agencies
• Elections Activities(City Clerk's Office)
• Records Retention Policy and California Public Records Act(City Clerk's Office)
• Financial policies and fiduciary responsibilities (Finance)
• Media and crisis communications (City Manager's Office—Office of Communications)
4) Other Required City Policies
All City Officials are required to review and adhere to these additional City policies:
• Code of Ethics -Conflict of Interest Code - Statement of Economic Interest
• Administrative Regulation 102—Council Requests
• Administrative Regulation 301 —Official Travel and Other Business Expenses Policy
• Administrative Regulation 509—Social Media Policy for Elected &Appointed Officials
• Administrative Regulation 511 —Ticket Distribution and Disclosure Policy
• Administrative Regulation 512—Procedures for Proclamations and Certificates
• Administrative Regulation 605—Email and Computing Resource Use
• Administrative Regulation 607—Digital Agendas and Due Process
• Administrative Regulation 921 —Equal Employment Opportunity Policy
• Administrative Regulation 922—Anti-Harassment, Discrimination & Retaliation Policy
• Administrative Regulation 923—Violence in the Workplace policy
B. California Public Records Act (CPRA)
The CPRA was passed by the California Legislature in 1968 and requires that government records be
disclosed to the public, upon request, unless there are privacy and/or public safety exemptions, which
would prevent doing so. The term "public records" encompasses a wide array of materials including
handwritten, typed, printed, scanned, photographed, copied, emailed, faxed, recorded (sound and video),
online content, some content on personal devices, and others. Public records must be retained for a
period, depending on the type of material and its purpose, in order to help comply with the detailed
requirements of the CPRA. The records retention schedule is overseen by the City Clerk's Office who also
coordinates the submittal of CPRA documents.
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City Council Manual 34
C. Council Communications with the Public
Providing multiple channels for the public to communicate with the City Council is critical to conducting
the people's business.
1) Email and MyHB
a) Members of the public may communicate with all seven Council Members with one email sent
to City.Councik surfcity-hb.orq or to"All Council Members"via the MyHB app. These emails are
automatically forwarded to the select staff members of the City Manager's Office who will:
• Forward the email to the appropriate department to prepare a response on the Council's
behalf, within 48 hours. When the response is finalized, the staff member will forward it to
the sender and cc: the entire City Council, so they are aware it has been addressed.
• The City's internal protocol regarding processing citizen inquiries and appointments to the
City Council and City Manager is addressed in the Council Communications Workflow.
2) Telephone or In Person
Members of the public may schedule a meeting with City Council Members by calling the City
Council Office at (714) 536-5553 or visiting in person at 2000 Main Street, 4th Floor.
D. Media Relations
The Office of Communications utilizes a wide array of media platforms, coordinates community events,
manages the City's branding, and works with the media to inform the community about the City Council's
policy decisions, upcoming programs and events, emergency situations, and more.
1) Communicating with the Press
The Office of Communications is the City's point of contact for all media agencies and will provide
agencies with relevant details about any Council-approved policy/program as well as operational
matters and emergent situations that require immediate responses. If requested,the Office will work
primarily with the Mayor to provide a statement reflective of the entire Council's decision. The Office
may also reach out to staff who can serve as subject matter experts.
If individual Council Members receive a request for a statement or interview, they should notify the
Office of Communications,which monitors all requests and can be relied upon to provide the Council
Member with factual details. There is no obligation for a Council Member to provide a statement.
However, if one was provided that is different than the Council's decision, or if one is provided prior
to a City Council decision, it should be attributed to the Council Member as an individual, and not
the City.
2) Online Platforms
The Office of Communications manages the content uploaded to the City's social media platforms
across multiple departments that include Instagram, X(formerly Twitter), Facebook, Next Door, and
City of Huntington Beach June 2024
City Council Manual 35
YouTube. The Office also oversees the development and management of content on the City's main
website,www.huntingtonbeachca.gov, as well as other ancillary websites.
E. Social Media Policy for Elected and Appointed Officials
The City regards social media as a useful tool to communicate and engage with its citizens. The
purpose of this policy, memorialized under Administrative Regulation 509, is to establish a formal
process for the use of social media by individual elected and appointed City officials.
F. Legislative Positions
1) Intergovernmental Relations Committee(IRC)
a) The Intergovernmental Relations Committee (IRC) prepares an annual Legislative Platform and
reviews recommendations from staff and other agencies on the need for the City to take a
position on legislation pending before either the State or Federal governments. Any
recommendations approved by the IRC are taken to the City Council for approval, per
Administrative Regulation 803.
b) The Mayor is authorized to send letters stating the approved City Council position on the
specified legislation on behalf of the City to the legislators.
c) However, when legislation is moving quickly and requires decisive action, the chair of the IRC,
with approval from the Mayor and the City Manager, can take a position on behalf of the City.
If the Mayor is unavailable, the Mayor Pro Tem may act on the Mayor's behalf. If the Mayor is a
member of the IRC, then the chair of the IRC and the Mayor Pro Tem, and the City Manager
would make the decision. This position will subsequently be brought to the IRC and Council.
d) The IRC is also responsible for preliminary review of the City's funding priorities and for working
with State and Federal legislators and the City's lobbyists to seek funding. To that end,the Mayor
and/or the IRC chair may travel to Washington D.C.and Sacramento each year.
G. Appeal of Planning Decisions
1) A City Council member may appeal a decision of the Community Development Director, Design
Review Board, Planning Commission, or Zoning Administrator. The appeal shall be processed in
the same manner as an appeal by any other person but need not be accompanied by the fee
prescribed for an appeal. (HBZSO§248.28)
2) The City Council member appealing the decision is not disqualified by that action from
participating in the appeal hearing and the deliberations nor from voting as a member of the
reviewing body.(HBZSO§248.28)
3) The time limit for filing the appeal is ten (10) calendar days after the decision. The appeal must
specify in detail the reasons for the appeal, and the hearing is limited to the specific reasons.
City of Huntington Beach June 2024
City Council Manual 36
H. General Office Administration
1) Office, Parking,and Dais Assignments
The Mayor will have the discretion to assign parking stalls, dais seats, and offices for each Council
Member and Charter Officer. Public Works staff will install parking signs for everyone following the
swearing in ceremony. The Council's Administrative Assistant will coordinate with all outgoing and
incoming Council Members to assist with any needs related to moving offices.
2) Compensation
Charter Section 302 authorizes the following compensation to Council Members for their services:
a) Monthly Salary
Council Members receive a monthly salary of$175.
b) Expense Allowance
Per Municipal Code 2.28.010, each Council Member receives a monthly expense allowance for
ordinary and routine expenses while serving on the Council. The amount of this monthly
allowance is codified in Municipal Code 2.28.010 and is adjusted annually by the Consumer Price
Index.
c) Reimbursements for Council Authorized Travel& Other Business Expenses
• Also codified in Municipal Code 2.28.010, all City Council Members will be reimbursed for
authorized travel and other expenses when on official duty.
• The Administrative Assistant to the City Council will also verify each year the amount
budgeted for authorized travel, and guidelines for use of funds can be found in
Administrative Regulation 301. A per diem allowance is available for each full day of out-of-
town travel (beyond a 50-mile radius from the City) to a conference or training, and/or on
official business authorized by the Council. If/when a Council Member depletes allocated
travel funds, additional travel may be funded by another Council Member who still has travel
funds available.
• While the Mayor Pro Tern and each City Council Member receive equal shares of the travel
budget in a given fiscal year,the Mayor receives an additional 20%to fully engage in his/her
role as the ceremonial head of the City during the first half of the year. When the Mayor Pro
Tern assumes the role of Mayor in December, his or her travel budget will be increased by
20% during the second half of the fiscal year.
d) Health Insurance Benefits
Per Municipal Code 2.28.020,Council Members are offered medical, dental,vision, life, long-term
disability, and accidental death insurance. Council Members may add their dependent at an
additional monthly premium cost.
City of Huntington Beach June 2024
City Council Manual 37
I. Ceremonial Observances
1) Oath of Office Ceremony(1st Meeting in December)
The outgoing Mayor, City Manager, City Clerk, Public Affairs Manager, and Administrative Assistant
will coordinate to prepare a light meeting agenda that focuses on the Oath of Office ceremony. This
has traditionally included:
a) Selection of the new Mayor and Mayor Pro Tern.
b) Incoming Mayor presenting a special "Ultimate Surfer" statue to the outgoing Mayor for his or
her service.
c) Outgoing Mayor presenting a gavel with a wooden case to the incoming Mayor
d) Gifts, if the outgoing Mayor so chooses, to present to Council Members, City Manager, and
elected officials
e) An opportunity for the outgoing and incoming Mayor to provide speeches to memorialize the
transition.
2) Passing of Former or Current Huntington Beach Elected Officials
If a former or current Elected Official of Huntington Beach passes away, the City will take the
following steps to ensure that his or her service with the City is honored.
a) At the end of a Council Meeting, allow seated Council Members to make closing remarks that
recognize the official's passing and honor his/her life and contributions to the community.
Adjourn the meeting in his or her memory.
b) The Office of Communications will issue a brief statement acknowledging the passing and noting
high-level accomplishments.
c) The City Council Office will send flowers and a message from staff to the family of the official.
d) The City Manager will order flags to be lowered to half-staff to honor the passing of any current
or former elected official of Huntington Beach. Flags will remain at half-staff for up to 10
calendar days.
City of Huntington Beach June 2024
City Council Manual 38
XI. BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, AND COMMITTEES (BCC)
A. Structure of BCCs
There are nearly 30 Boards, Commissions, and Committees (BCCs) led by citizen appointees as well as
Council Members. Each BCC advises City Council as one body. With some exceptions, it is each BCC's job
to understand the issues within their scope and potentially make recommendations to the Council.
Like the City Council, BCCs are subject to the Brown Act. They must post all meeting agendas at least 72
hours in advance and have a quorum to conduct business. Parliamentary procedures and Robert's Rules
of Order also guide BCC meetings. Additional guidance is available in the BCC Manual.
B. Roles and Responsibilities
1) BCC Members
The Huntington Beach Municipal Code(HBMC) and/or other governing documents(e.g. resolutions,
bylaws) specifies the duties and responsibilities of each BCC.
2) Council Liaisons
Several BCCs are assigned two (2) Council liaisons who are the first line of communication to the
Council. Council Liaisons also recommend filling vacancies in the BCCs (except those that are
Individually Appointed)for Council approval. Lastly, please note that Council liaisons are not a voting
member unless stated otherwise in the Municipal Code. For more information about the roles of
Council liaisons, please refer to Resolution No. 99-84
3) Staff Liaisons
Staff Liaisons are the conduit between BCCs and the City Council, providing professional guidance
and administrative support to help BCCs accomplish their objectives. Staff responsibilities include:
a) Prepare and post BCC agenda packet material and meeting notices.
b) Assist the Chair with meeting protocol as necessary.
c) Maintain the BCC's webpage on the City's website.
d) Maintain official records including member documents and meeting minutes.
e) Facilitate communications with the BCC, Department Head,City Manager or City Council to keep
everyone informed about the BCC's work.
f) Provide research and report, as needed.
g) Present BCC recommendations to the City Council, as needed.
4) City Clerk's Office
The City Clerk's Office maintains the Maddy Act Local Appointment list, BCC-related records, and
public records requests. For some BCCs, the City Clerk is the filing officer for Fair Political Practices
Commission (FPPC) Form 700 Statements of Economic Interests as required by City and State laws.
City of Huntington Beach June 2024
City Council Manual 39
C. Communications with City Council
BCC members may speak to City Council members individually but cannot speak or act on behalf of that
body unless the body reaches the decision with a majority vote in a public meeting.
BCCs can request the Staff Liaison to assist with composing correspondence or any material to Council. It
should be specified whether it is for information only or recommends action. Such requests should be
made as a collective action of that body, not individual requests/opinions. However, it is also
recommended that the Council Liaisons first be advised in advance of any communication to the City
Council. Some BCCs may submit an annual report of their activities to the City Council and shall make
other reports as the Council shall deem necessary and proper by working with the Staff Liaison.
D. Appointment and Removal Procedure
1) BCC Member Appointment
BCC members are appointed by individual City Council Members or two Council Liaisons,depending
on the structure of the group. Members must be U.S. citizens and residents/electors of the City
during the appointment process and term.
When a vacancy occurs, they will be posted at City facilities and advertised on the City website.
Interested individuals can submit an online application on the City's Boards and Commissions
webpage,and an active file of qualified applicants will be maintained by the City. With support from
the Staff Liaison,Council Liaisons evaluate applications and put forth a recommendation to the entire
City Council for approval. As desired by Council Liaisons, interviews will be scheduled as part of the
appointment process;for more information, please refer to Administrative Regulation 111.
2) BCC Composition and Terms
The composition of BCCs (number of members and the structure) vary from group to group. Each
BCC's composition is laid out in its respective sections in HBMC Title 2 (Administration and
Personnel) and/or their bylaws.
To afford the maximum opportunity for citizen service, no person shall be eligible for appointment
for more than two (2) consecutive, four (4) year terms, exclusive of a prior appointment to fill an
expired term that is less than 2 years. Appointees shall serve on only one (1) standing BCC at any
given time.
Members may voluntarily resign from the Board at any time. Such members should submit a formal
letter/notice of resignation to the Council/Staff Liaisons or the City Council. In such a case, or any
other vacancies for whatever cause, successors are to be appointed by the City Council, for the
unexpired term of the office.
3) BCC Member Removal
BCC Members may be appointed and positions maintained by individual or majority of City Council.
(HBMC 2.100.100)
City of Huntington Beach June 2024
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"Committed to Responsive and Exceptional Public Service for All."
Res. No. 2024-23
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
COUNTY OF ORANGE ) ss:
CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH )
I, ROBIN ESTANISLAU, the duly elected, qualified City Clerk of the
City of Huntington Beach, and ex-officio Clerk of the City Council of said City, do
hereby certify that the whole number of members of the City Council of the City of
Huntington Beach is seven; that the foregoing resolution was passed and adopted
by the affirmative vote of at least a majority of all the members of said City Council
at a Regular meeting thereof held on June 4, 2024 by the following vote:
AYES: Moser, Bolton, Burns, Van Der Mark, Strickland, McKeon, Kalmick
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
RECUSE: None
9A6iniUd,144d
City Clerk and ex-officio Clerk of the
City Council of the City of
Huntington Beach, California
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79
City Council Manual 2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. HISTORY 4
II. INTRODUCTION 5
A. Regulatory Guidance 5
III. POWERS AND DUTIES (GENERAL) 7
A. Form of Government 7
B. City Council •
7
C. Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem 8
IV. STANDARDS OF CONDUCT 9
A. Code of Ethics 9
B. Respectful Workplace 9
C. Standards of Conduct 9
V. MEETING TYPES 11
A. Regular Meetings 11
B. Special Meetings 12
C. Emergency Meetings 12
D. Adjourned Meetings / 12
VI. MEETING AGENDAS 13
A. Agenda Process 13
B. Agenda Documents 14
VII. MEETING PROCEDURES / 16
A. Parliamentarian / 16
B. Conducting the M eting 16
C. Discussion Rule 20
D. Motions 22
E. Voting /' 23
VIII.MEETINGCESS 26
A. Meeting Rooms 26
B. AD Access 26
C. ouncil Chamber Capacity 26
D. Broadcasted Meetings 27
City of Huntington Beach JunP2.024
City Council Manual 3
'9
/
E. Meeting Notifications 47
IX. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST 28
A. Overview
B. Training / 2
288
C. Political Reform Act (PRA), Government Code Section 81000 et seq. 28
D. Government Code Section 1090 29
E. Conflict of Interest Maps / 29
/F. Political Activities 29
G. Statewide Ballot Propositions / 30
H. Participation with Outside Groups / 30
I. Nepotism 30
J. Levine Act (Government Code, Section 84308) 7 31
K. Rules for Gifts and Honoraria (Government Code Section 89503) 31
X. OTHER COUNCIL BUSINESS 32
A. Required Trainings and City Policies 32
B. California Public Records Act )(CP R9 33
C. Council Communications with t efPublic 34
D. Media Relations ji 34
E. Social Media Policy for Ele, ed and Appointed Officials ict 35
F. Legislative Positions / 35
G. Appeal of Planning D‘cisions 35
H. General Office Ad, inistration 36
I. Ceremonial 01servances 37
Xl. BOARDS, COMMISSIONS,AND COMMITTEES (BCC) 38
A. Structure/4r BCCs 38
B. Roles 4cl Responsibilities 38
C. Co ,munications with City Council 39
D. ppointment and Removal Procedure
/
. . 39
City of Huntington Beach Jungq024
City Council Manual 4
I. HISTORY
The City Council Manual was first adopted by resolution in 1976 and is a living document that haeen
amended by the City Council,when needed. In the past, amendments to the Manual have been asproved
by resolution, which are listed in the table below. Please note that these amendments do not include
routine changes that may be needed when information is updated from year to year (i.e. annual Council
Liaison List).
Date Major Amendments Details
09/20/1976 Council Manual Adoption Resolution N.o 4330
11/13/1989 Council Manual —Significant Revision Resolution No. 6085
03/18/2019 Council Manual —Significant Revision Resolution No. 2019-09
' TBD Council Manual —Significant Revision* Resolution No. 2024-23
*Pending City Council Approval on 6/4/24
City of Huntington Beach JuneSZ024
t
City Council Manual 5
/
II. INTRODUCTION
Pursuant to Section 304(c) of the City Charter, City Council shall establish rules for the conduct of its
proceedings. These rules are incorporated in this Manual to facilitate the City Council's work in carrying
out their duties as the City's chief legislative body.
However, if a Council Member wishes to take an action that diverges from CounciJA anual guidelines, he
or she may make a motion to: (1) set aside the most recent Resolution above toltemporarily suspend the
Manual and (2) approve the proposed action. If the motion is approved, the Council Manual will be
reinstated promptly thereafter.
A. Regulatory Guidance
The following is a list of regulations (in alphabetical order) tha the City and its officials adhere to. Many
of the rules in this Manual refer to the following:
1) Huntington Beach Administrative Regulations (AR): ARs are standard operating procedures for
internal city functions. ARs are prepared ai/d implemented by applicable departments and
authorized by the City Manager. ARs supplement existing policies, ordinances, or resolutions
adopted by City Council. www.huntingtonbeachca.gov/ar
2) Huntington Beach City Charter: Tfie Charter is a foundational document that defines the
organization, powers, and procedures of municipal governance in Huntington Beach. The Charter
can only be adopted, amended, or repealed by voter majority. https://ecode360.com/HU4937
3 Huntington Beach General Plan: The General Plan is prepared bythe Cityin accordance with State
9 / p P
requirements and provides a policy framework for various matters including land use,transportation,
open space, and housing. �ww.huntingtonbeachca.gov/general-plan
4) Huntington Beach M)unicipal Code and Zoning Code: The Municipal and Zoning Codes contain
City laws and regulations adopted by ordinance. For. an ordinance to be adopted, it requires two
votes at separate Cluncil meetings: one for introduction and a second for adoption (unless it is an
emergency ordinance). It then goes into effect 30 days thereafter. https://ecode360.com/HU4937
5) Huntington/Beach O eratin Budget: The operating budget describes the funds available to each
Operating 9
department to deliver services during a fiscal year, which begins July 1 and ends June 30.
https:///hufntingtonbeachca.gov/departments/finance/index.php
6) Huntington Beach Resolutions: A formal expression of opinion, an adopted policy, or legal action
by/the City Council that often deals with limited duration or special matters. Adoption requires a
jingle vote of Council and takes effect immediately. Per Charter Section 502,the Council may act by
resolution or minute action in all actions that are not required by the Charter or to be taken by
ordinance. https://records.huntingtonbeachca.gov/WebLink/Welcome.aspx
Huntington Beach Strategic Plan: The Strategic Plan is a framework that ensures priorities and
goals set by the City Council are clearly communicated to all staff and residents; that strategies are
City of Huntington Beach Jur4�024
City Council Manual 6
the Cityis accountable to achievingthem i y°a timel
developed to meet those goals; and that y
manner. www.huntingtonbeachca.gov/strategicplan
8) Ralph M. Brown Act:The Brown Act is a body of State regulations to ensure opep government and
fairness in its proceedings. Broadly stated, it requires all meetings of legislativ,�e bodies be open to
the public except for authorized closed sessions. www.calcities.org/resor3rce/open-public-v-a-
guide-to-the-ralph-m.-brown-act
This list is not exhaustive and does not include applicable California State/Statutes and Federal laws. To
understand their applicability to specific matters of City governance, please contact the City Attorney's
Office.
City of Huntington Beach Jun&1024
City Council Manual 7
III. POWERS AND DUTIES (GENERAL)
A. Form of Government
The City operates under a Council—Manager form of government,whereby residents elect the'City Council
who sets policy and appoints a City Manager to administer the affairs of the City. Residents also elect
three Charter Officers - City Attorney, Clerk, and Treasurer — who have specific duties prescribed in the
Charter. Lastly, the City Manager appoints 9 Department Heads to oversee their specific areas of
responsibility.
Together, Charter Officers and Department Heads assist the City Manager with administering the affairs
of the City in the most efficient, fiscally responsible, and harmonious manner consistent with Council
direction and all governing laws. (Charter 200, 309-311, 407, 403)
B. City Council /
The City Council acts as one body to make decisions in the public interest. All members are equal in the
establishment of policies,voting, and other significant ma,ters. Policy is established by a majority vote of
the Council, unless otherwise required by law.
1) Duties
a) Hold regular meetings at least twice each month; establish rules for the conduct of its
proceedings. (Charter 303, 304c) /
b) Oversee proceedings including:judge the qualification of its members,judge all election returns,
administer oaths and affirmatiops in any investigation or proceeding pending before the Council;
compel the attendance of w)fiesses; examine them under oath and compel the production of
evidence before it; issue sy,bpoenas; and maintain control of all legal business and proceedings
and property of the legal department; employ other attorneys to take charge or contract any
legal matter or busine/ss'' (Charter 304b)
c) Except for the purpose of investigation and inquiry, the members of the City Council shall deal
with the administrative service under the jurisdiction of the City Manager solely through the City
Manager, and ryo member of the City Council shall give orders to any subordinate of the City
Manager, either publicly or privately. (Charter 307)
d) Manage employment and personnel matters related to the City Manager. In conjunction with
the City/tanager, manage the employment of the Chief of Police. (Charter 407)
e) By ordinance, maintain a comprehensive personnel system. Establish reasonable compensation
an 4'ringe benefits for City officials and employees. (Charter 403)
f) stablish boards, commissions, and committees (BCCs) deemed necessary for the orderly
functioning of the City. Appoint individuals to applicable BCCs,which must report directly to the
City Council. (Charter 405)
City of Huntington Beach Jund3t024
City Council Manual 8
g) Adopt ordinances or resolutions to implement major policy decisions such as approving the
operating budget, establishing fines and taxes, granting a franchise, issuing a bond, awarding
major contracts. (Charter 308, 604, 606, 611, 673, 675) /.
h) Council Members occasionally request information directly from departments.This is allowed to
expedite the exchange of information to Council Members. However, to meet the principal
goals, objectives,and performance,measures approved by the City Council, inform,ation requests
must be differentiated from reports and studies. Reports and studies which take more than four
hours to compile and prepare, require Council-approved direction to the City/Manager. The City
Manager in turn will direct the work to be done. (AR 702)
C. Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem
1) Mayor's Duties
a) Has the primary but not exclusive responsibility for interpreting the policies, programs, and
needs of City government to the public; as needed, inform the public of any major change in
policy or program. (Charter 305) /
b) Serves as the Presiding Officer at Council meetings and as the official head of the City for all
ceremonies. Issues proclamations, certificates and awards. If the Mayor is unavailable, the
Mayor Pro Tern or designee may sign these documents. (Charter 305-306,AR 512)
c) Signs all Council-approved ordinances, resolutions, contracts,and other documents requiring an
official signature, except when the Citytanager has been authorized by Council action to sign
certain documents on the City's behalf (Charter 500, 613)
d) Assigns Council Members to citizen/led Boards,Commissions,and Committees(BCCs)as Council
Liaisons, to Council Committees and to outside agencies for the upcoming calendar year. The
Mayor solicits from Council a prioritized list of assignments that are of interest to them in early
December and prepares a preliminary list of assignments for the City Council's review. The final
Council Liaison List should/be approved by the first meeting in January. (Reso. 99-83)
2) Mayor Pro Tem's Duties
The Mayor Pro Tern wil(perform or assist with the duties of the Mayor during the Mayor's absence,
disability, or at the Mayor's request. (Charter 306)
3) Selection of IVY yor and Mayor Pro TernThe Mayor and Mayor Pro Tern serve at the pleasure of the City Council for a one-year term starting
in December. Traditionally, the Council rotates the selection of Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem every
year du/ring ng the first regular Council Meeting in December. Resolution No.6320 lays out the selection
procedures in detail.
If City Council wishes to diverge from these procedures, it must set aside Resolution No. 6320 and
establish different procedures. Once implemented, the Resolution will be reinstated immediately
thereafter.
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City Council Manual 9
IV. STANDARDS OF CONDUCT • ,£
A. Code of Ethics
In October 1993, the City Council adopted a Code of Ethics to establish a standard of conduct that will
help ensure a "responsible, fair, and honest city government that operates in an atmosphere of respect
and civility." All elected officials, officers, employees, and members of BCCs are asked to sign a form to
acknowledge receipt of the Code of Ethics.
In terms of enforcement, "any official found to be in violation of the Code of Ethics may be subject to
censure by the City Council. Any member of an advisory board, commission, or committee found to be in
violation may be subject to dismissal. In the case of an employee, appropriate action shall be taken by the
City Manager or by an authorized designee." (Resos. 6524 and 6540)
B. Respectful Workplace
The City's Respectful Workplace Policy: (a) encourages open and constructive communication, increased
engagement,and teamwork to maintain a positive, productive,and respectful environment in the City;and
(b) discourages and does not tolerate behavior that offends, humiliates, intimidates, harasses, threatens,
distresses, discriminates against, or intrudes upon any individual conducting business in the City. This
policy applies to all workplaces, including the Council Chambers.
C. Standards of Conduct
1) City Council 00
a) Attend all City Council4 eetings and start promptly. Be prepared to engage with Council, staff,
• and members of t h/bublic on each agenda item.
b) Comply with the//letter and spirit of all governing laws and policies applicable to the City.
c) Honor the rolof the Presiding Officer, who is tasked with preserving order, decorum, and fair
and equitable treatment of all persons during meetings.
d) All Council Members may speak and agree to disagree. Keep comments concise and on topic
to proide opportunities for everyone to express themselves.
e) In general, do not engage in personnel issues, unless it is placed on the closed session agenda
or/as otherwise appropriate concerning the City Manager or other City official appointed by the
City Council. (Charter 307, 401)
f)/Keep open communication with the public and offer opportunities to discuss issues with them.
g) Do not make promises on behalf of the entire City Council, without Council approval.
City of Huntington Beach Jungt024
City Council Manual 10
2) Staff and Charter Officers ,,�
a) Staff should provide City Council with information that is comprehensive, impartia'I, accurate, •
timely, and supported with documentation.
b) Staff should recommend a course of action that is anticipated to improye the community,
adheres to all laws and regulations,employs public funds responsibly,and supports the Strategic
Plan and other approved policies.
c) Executive Leadership Team (ELT) members, comprised of Charter Officers and Department
Heads, must attend all Council meetings and be prepared to respectfully and thoroughly answer
any questions from Council Members regarding their respective Requests for Council Action
(RCAs).
3) Public
a) While the City Council welcomes public involvemen and supports and defends free speech,the
City rejects comments from anyone that are di°st�criminatory, defamatory, or otherwise not
protected free speech. Those comments will not inform or be considered by the Council and
may be cause for the Mayor to interrupt the
�speaker.
b) The Presiding Officer or designee may warn that person that their behavior is disrupting the
meeting and that their failure to stop ma
my result in their removal. Disrupting means engaging
in behavior that disrupts, disturbs, pedes, or renders infeasible the orderly conduct of the
meeting. If they do not promptly stop, the Presiding Officer in consultation with the Sargeant-
at-arms, City Manager, and City 1t(orney, may remove the person if they do not promptly cease
their disruptive behavior per California Government Code Section 54957.95 or take a recess to
ensure the continued, orderly conduct of the meeting.
c) No person may stand or sit/in the aisles or block any doorways or other exits.
d) Placards, signs, and posters may be brought into the Council Chambers unless they obstruct the
view of other audience members. They must remain with the holder and cannot be placed in
adjacent seats or co,Xnmon areas.
(Government Cod Section SB 1100-Open Meetings: Orderly Conduct;54953.5, 54957.95,AR 924)
4) Enforcement
The Chief of olice will assign one or more Sergeant-at-Arms to all City Council meetings. The
Sergeant-It-Arms should carry out all instructions given by the Presiding Officer or their designee
(with consultation with the City Manager and City Attorney, as needed) for maintaining order and
decoru at meetings.
City of Huntington Beach JuncE1024
/
City Council anual 11
V. MEETING TYPES
A. Regular Meetings
Regular meetings are held on the first and third Tuesdays of every month and typically begin with Study
and Closed Sessions (as needed) at 4:00 P.M. The Regular meetings typically follow at 6:00 P.M. The
Council Meeting schedule is subject to change and is set by the Cityanager, in conjunction with the
Mayor, Mayor Pro Tem, and City Clerk. Meetings may be cancelled i- a quorum is not met. If a regular
meeting falls on a holiday,the meeting will be held on the next bus'ness day. (Charter 303a, 304a)
1) Study Sessions
Study Sessions provide an informal setting to encoura ,e in-depth discussion and gauge opinions or
preferences on the issue at hand. City Council typic Ily do not take formal votes in Study Session,
particularly without a formal Request for Council A�tion that includes recommended actions.
2) Closed Sessions
Closed Sessions are the only part of a Council meeting that the public cannot attend. State law
permits closed sessions in limited circu ,stances to avoid revealing confidential information that
may, in specified circumstances, prudice the legal or negotiating position of the City or
compromise the privacy interests of employees.
a) Closed Session Exceptions
i. Pending, threatened, e fisting, or initiation of litigation.
ii. Public employment issues involving the appointment, employment, evaluation, discipline, or
dismissal of a public employee or to hear complaints and charges brought against the
employee.
iii. Labor negotiatio, s
iv. Real estate negotiations
v. Threat to the security of the public or public facilities
vi. Certain of er matters as defined in the Brown Act
b) Attendees and Confidentiality
i. Closed sessions may only involve members of the City Council, City Attorney or designee,
City Manager, City Clerk, and support staff/consultants who are necessary to present and
d/cuss the item. All materials and discussions must be kept in strict confidentiality by every
individual in attendance, until the matter is publicly disclosed.
• Per Section 310 of the HB Charter,the City Clerk or designee must attend each closed session
meeting, record the topics and decisions made, and sign the minutes. The City Attorney's
Office will then maintain a closed session minute book consistent with the provisions of
California Government Code Section 54957.2 and the City's Records Retention Policy These
action minutes are not a public record subject to inspection and must be kept confidential.
a The action minutes are only available to members of the City Council who voted and
were not conflicted out of the closed session item. If there has been a violation of
Government Code Sections 54950 through 54962 that is alleged to have occurred in
City of Huntington Beach JuneS`f024
City Council Manual 12
closed session,the action minutes can be made available to a court of general jurisdiction
in which the City lies.
c) Other
i. Members of the public must be allowed the opportunity to comment before the convening
of closed session.
ii. The Council must publicly report any reportable action taken during closed session and the
vote or abstention of every member present. Reports /,re typically made orally during
Regular Session, under the Closed Session Report given/by the City Attorney. (Government
Code 54956.7 through 54957 and Sections 54957.6 and/54957.8,AR 115)
3) Regular Sessions
Regular Session meetings are fully opened to the publidarry the bulk of City Council business
• that ranges from routine consent calendar items to 6iblic hearings. Additional details are available
in Section VI.
B. Special Meetings
A special meeting may be called at any time by the Mayor or by a majority of the members of the City
Council, by written notice to each mem�(of the City Council and to a local newspaper of general
circulation, radio or television station riquesting notice in writing. Such notice must be delivered
personally or by mail at least twenty-four hours before the time of such meeting as specified in the notice.
The call and notice shall specify t,e time and place of the special meeting and the business to be
transacted. No other business sh,I be considered at such meeting. If any person entitled to such written
notice files a written waiver of notice with the City Clerk, it may be dispensed with. This notice requirement
shall be considered fulfilled as .oany person who is present at the meeting at the time it convenes. (Charter
303b)
C. Emergency Meetings
In the event of an emergency affecting the public peace, health or safety, a special meeting may be called
as provided in this/section with less than twenty-four hours written notice by the Mayor or by any member
of the City Council in the absence of both the Mayor and Mayor Pro Tern provided that the nature of the
emergency is et forth in the minutes of the meeting. (Charter 303b)
D. djourned Meetings
Any eeting of the City Council may be adjourned by majority vote to a later date, place, and time, if no
a 'ournment is for a period beyond the next regular meeting. The Clerk must post the order of
djournment at the Civic Center within 24 hours of adjournment. Furthermore, no meeting may continue
past 11:00 P.M.without a majority vote of the City Council. (Resolution No. 2015-46, Charter 303a)
City of Huntington Beach JungQ024
City Council Manual 13
VI. MEETING AGENDAS
A. Agenda Process
The City Manager's Office accepts all agenda item requests and finalizes the Council meeting agendas, in
consultation with the Mayor, Mayor Pro Tern, City Clerk, and City Attorney.
1) Requesting an Agenda Item
a) For Study Session and Regular Session Items
i. Charter officers and Department Directors may submit Study and Regular Session items to
the City Manager via Legistar for review and acceptance. Afterwards, items are forwarded to
the City Clerk for final review and placement on the agencla.
b) For Closed Session Items
i. Upon determination by a department that a closed session is needed to discuss matters
permitted under the Brown Act, Department Heads will request the City Attorney to prepare
the appropriate memorandum to agendiz�lvt. Also, a brief description of the item that will
appear on the Closed Session agenda w'll be provided. (AR 115)
c) For Council Member Items (also known as H-Items)
i. Up to 3 Council Members maydthor and submit H-Items that direct the City Manager and
staff to provide research or implement a policy.
o The City Manager's Office will log each Council Member Request approved by the City
Council and work wit the appropriate departments to implement them.
2) Agenda Routing
a) The review and approval process of each agenda item is referred to as the routing process and
must be completed in accordance with the Agenda Deadline Schedule.
b) Per AdministratiG Regulation 106, Department Heads are responsible for submitting agenda
items, which jnclude a comprehensive RCA and required attachments.
c) The agenda process includes a bi-weekly meeting to review the upcoming Council agenda. This
meeting4s typically held on the Monday prior to the agenda posting date and is led by the City
Manager and includes the Mayor, Mayor Pro Tern, and Executive Leadership Team.
d) Th/ City Manager is then responsible for overseeing the routing process, by which the Finance
Department,the City Manager's Office,and the City Attorney's Office review, modify(as needed),
and approve each agenda item for content, accuracy, form, and legality.
3) Agenda Posting
a) After the routing process is complete,the agenda item is forwarded to the City Clerk's Office for
additional review and final placement on the agenda.
City of Huntington Beach Jun431024
City Council Manual 14
b) The Brown Act requires all regular Council Meeting agendas be posted at least 72 hoours prior to
the meeting dates and times. The City typically posts agendas on the Wednesday prior to the
meeting, or 6 days (approximately 144 hours) in advance.
c) Per Administrative Regulation 607, the City Clerk's Office distributes the agenda packet to City
Council (via iLegislate) and also posts it publicly at the Civic Center a�,,City's website.
d) The City Clerk must not accept any agenda item or revised agenda item after the deadlines
established by law. (AR 706 and 607)
B. Agenda Documents
Actionable items on a Council agenda are generally comprised of a Request for Council Action (RCA)
prepared by staff; in other cities, an RCA is referred to as a staff report that should include a fair and
balanced assessment of a potential policy, program, or issue, as well as a recommended action, alternate
action, and consideration of no action.
1) Request for Council Action (RCA)
Per Administrative Regulation 106, a complete RCA accompanies all actionable items on a Council agenda
and should include the following:
a) Subject- A brief summary of the uest.
b) Statement of Issue - Succinctly 9 scribes the issue and the matter that needs to be decided.
c) Financial Impact- The potential cost related to the action and whether it has been budgeted or
requires new funding.
d) Recommended and Alternative Actions - The recommended course of action related to the
agenda item. An alternative action and potential impacts (if any) are also included.
e) Analysis - The rationale for the recommended action that includes background and factors to
consider, includin g
/deadlines for actions and operational impacts to the City.
f) Environmentaliatus - If the action requested includes development or construction of the
project, its etronmental impact must be identified. (AR 202)
g) Strategic Plan Goal— Identifies the Strategic Plan Goal and Strategy that the RCA satisfies.
h) Attachments (may include one or more of the following)
i. Ofdinances — A law adopted by the City Council that typically has broad applicability,
A
ignificant impact, and extended duration. Ordinances are required when adding to or
amending the Municipal Code or the Zoning and Subdivision ordinance. Actions such as
adopting budgets, levying taxes, establishing fines or other penalties, granting a franchise,
and conducting municipal elections require ordinances. Furthermore, proposed ordinances
require special noticing procedures and two readings across two separate meetings to be
considered for adoption by Council; ordinances must be approved by at least four Council
Members and signed by the Mayor. Ordinances are effective 30 days after adoption, with
few exceptions.
ii. Emergency Ordinances—Declared by Council to be necessary for the immediate preservation
of the public peace, health, or safety, and containing a statement of the reasons for its '
City of Huntington Beach JunR024
City Council Manual 15
urgency. Emergency ordinances may be introduced, enacted, and adopted during just one
regular, special, or emergency meeting; they also take effect immediately upon adoption if
it is approved by at least five affirmative votes. Emergency ordinances expire aut rnatically
after 120 days, and Council may vote to extend it.
iii. Resolutions —A formal expression of opinion, an adopted policy or legal acjon by the City
Council that often deals with limited duration or special matters, such at taking certain
actions, adopting this Manual or personnel policies. Adoption requires a single vote of
Council and takes effect immediately. Per Charter Section 502, the"Council may act by
resolution or minute order in all actions that are not required by t e Charter to be taken by
/
ordinance. /
iv. Contracts/Agreement (with exhibits, if applicable) — Contracts for services, goods,
professional and expert services, and public works projects that exceed a certain dollar
threshold require City Council approval. Prior to being added to an agenda, contracts must
be reviewed and approved as to form by the City Attorrey,and the contractor should provide
a signature and any required certificates of insuranc /before the Council considers the item
at a meeting.
v. Tract Map, Location Map and/or Other Exhibits—A location map and/or parcel map showing
the affected location, as detailed in the RCA.
vi. Subleases, Third Party Agreements, Etc. Any legal documents partnering with another
entity. Must be approved as to form by he City Attorney.
vii. Public Works Documents—Plans and/specifications for the proposed construction of a capital
improvement project (CIP); maint 'fiance impact statement detailing the cost and staffing
impacts of a new CIP, bonds fro contractors, bid packages, etc.
viii. Request for Proposals or Qual fications—Formal solicitation for bids and qualifications from
firms that have the ability ,6 complete the specified project or program. These Requests
typically accompany cont acts that are awarded to the winning proposer.
ix. Presentations— Powerpoint decks that may be used by staff to present the RCA to Council.
All decks for Consen Calendar,Administrative, and Public Hearing items must be submitted
in Legistar by the a6enda deadline.
2) Minutes
Written minutes,up-n approval of the Council,are the official,permanent record of the City. Minutes
are prepared and distributed by the City Clerk in a timely manner. Minutes are not verbatim but
provide detail . major discussion points and decisions made. The official minutes are posted on
the Cit 's web ite and accessible to the public.
City of Huntington Beach Jun&M24
City Council Manual 16
VII. MEETING PROCEDURES
A. Parliamentarian //
The parliamentarian advises the Presiding Officer (generally, the Mayor) in responding to points of order
and addressing the general conduct of the meeting according to the rules. This is an advisory and
consultative role appointed by the City Council; parliamentary law gives to they siding Officer the power
to rule on questions of order or to answer parliamentary inquiries. Trad 'fonally, the City Attorney or
designee serves as the parliamentarian and decides questions of order er the rules in this Manual and
the latest version of Robert's Rules of Order.
B. Conducting the Meeting
City Council agendas have a typical sequencing that begins ith ceremonial matters and transitions to
items that require deliberation and action. Any Council Member may make a motion to reorder the
structure as the need arises. A typical agenda sequen ,4 for a Council Meeting is below:
1) Call to Order
a) The Presiding Officer (generally the yor or designee) will take the chair and call the meeting
to order. In the absence of the Marr and Mayor Pro Tem,the City Clerk will call the meeting to
order, and a Presiding Officer w1I be appointed among seated Council Members. Upon the
arrival of the Mayor or the Ma or Pro Tern, the appointed Council Member will relinquish the
chair after concluding the bus ness presently before them.
b) There are instances in whi the Call to Order may start later than expected, particularly when
the prior session require more time to conclude or based on other extenuating circumstances.
2) Roll Call
a) The City Clerk m t conduct the roll call and record the Council Members physically present.
b) A roll call may etermine a quorum, which is required to hold a meeting and conduct business.
A quorum is a efined as a simple majority of the City Council (4). If the Council has three or fewer
present, th- meeting is adjourned. If the Council began with a quorum, it could also lose it, if
sufficient ouncil Members leave. (Charter 304)
c) Counc' Members are expected to attend all regular,emergency,and special meetings. However,
if a •uncil Member knows in advance that they will be absent,the Council Member should give
wri 'en notice to the Mayor, City Manager, and City Clerk as soon as possible. The City Clerk will
a nounce the Council Member's absence during the roll call, and the Council may determine if
t is excused.
Excused absences are typically limited to the following circumstances, but are left to the Council
to make the final determination:
i. Death in the family; personal illness or illness of an immediate family member
ii. Council-related business
iii. Required work-related duties
City of Huntington Beach Jun4)1024
City Council Manual 17
iv. Emergencies
v. Parental leave /
vi. Religious or cultural holidays /
e) If a Council Member misses all regular Council meetings for 30 consecutive daysffollowing the
last regular Council meeting that he or she attended, the seat will become vacant unless the
Council Member's absence was permitted by the City Council. This permiss'on must be in the
official minutes. (Charter 312(b))
3) Council Member Comments (during the opening of Study/Closed Sessions only)
Council Members may voluntarily make brief announcements for up t /3-minutes. Council may not
discuss or take any action on these communications.
4) Pledge of Allegiance
The Mayor will call on individual Council Members to lead/the Pledge of Allegiance.
E
5) Invocation
a) The invocation is intended to recognize the role/that freedom of religion has played in the history
of the country and the contribution that lgious groups make to the quality of life in the
community. They are not intended to prr`omote, exclude, or disparage any religious beliefs.
b) Per an H-Item from December 10, 20"3 (authored by former Mayor Cathy Green), the current
Mayor has the prerogative to determine whether or not City Council meetings should open with
an invocation.
c) Traditionally,the outgoing M9yor has had the discretion to select an invocation leader for his/her
final Council meeting as M for, typically held on the first Tuesday in December.
6) Closed Session Report
Per the Brown Act, the City Council must reconvene the Council meeting after a closed session and
publicly state any repiprrtable closed session actions and vote taken, which will be reported by the
City Attorney. (Government, Code Section.54957.'7)
7) Announcement of Supplemental Communications
a) Members of the public unable to participate in the meeting but interested in communicating
with the City Council on agenda items are encouraged to submit a supplemental communication
via entail at supplementalcomm@surfcity-hb.org. Supplemental communications are public
record, and if they are related to an agendized item and received by 9:00 AM on the day of the
meeting, they will be distributed to the City Council prior to the start of the meeting, posted to
,the City website, and announced, but not read, prior to the beginning of Public Comments.
b) Communications received after the 9:00 AM deadline will be incorporated into the administrative
record after the Council meeting.
8) Public Comments
City of Huntington Beach Jun6'2024
City Council Manual 18
The City provides opportunities for the public to address the City Council on any item agendized
under study and/or closed session. The regular meeting at 6:00pm also provides for public comment
on both agendized and non-agendized matters within the City's jurisdiction.
a) Signing Up for Public Comments
i. Signs-up for Request to Speak will begin in person 30 minutes prior to the start of study,
closed, and regular meeting sessions,whichever comes first. Sign-ups will be accepted until
the commencement of the public comment period.
ii. Individuals will be called by the City Clerk to speak at the appropriate time, based on the
order in which they submitted their Request to Speak form.
b) Providing Public Comments
i. Each speaker has up to three (3) minutes to provide public comment, unless the Presiding
Officer determines that the volume of speakers warranttsseducing the time.
ii. The City Clerk is responsible for maintaining the time for each speaker. Either the City Clerk
or the Presiding Officer may inform the speaker wlien their speaking time has expired.
iii. All speakers are encouraged, but not requireddto identify themselves by name.
if
iv. Speakers may not donate any part of his or er time to another speaker.
v. All speakers should address the City council as a whole, rather than individual Council
Members or staff.
vi. Public comments for public hearing items take place when it is time to consider them, but
after the staff presentation on it has been made.
c) City's Ability to Respond to Public Comments
i. Consistent with the Brow in Act, public comment periods should not serve as back-and-forth
discussions between tihepublic speaker and City officials.
ii. No action or discussion may be taken on any non-agenda item. However, California
Government Cody section 54954.2(a)(3) permits Council Members or staff to briefly respond
to statements ofquestions posed by public comment speakers in the following manner:
o On their own initiative or in response to questions from the public, ask questions for
clarific tion, make a brief announcement, or make a brief report on his/her activities.
o Pro ide a reference to staff or other resources for information.
o equest staff to report back to the Council at a subsequent meeting concerning any
matter.
o Direct staff to place a matter of business on a future agenda.
. If the Speaker addresses a question to a specific Council Member, that question should go
through the Presiding Officer,who may respond or pause to allow another Council Member
to ask to be recognized.
iv. If the Speaker is commenting on a non-agendized item,the City Council must not discuss or
take any action on the item per the Brown Act. Instead, Council Members may request to
place the non-agendized item on a future agenda for discussion.
City of Huntington Beach Jun6)�024
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City Council Manual 19
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d) Conduct During Public Comments
While the City Council welcomes public involvement and free speech, it rejects comments from
anyone that are discriminatory, defamatory, or otherwise not protected speech. Those
comments will not inform or be considered by the City Council and maybe cause for the
Presiding Officer to interrupt the public speaker. Such public commentrill not be consented
to or otherwise adopted by the City Council in its discussions and findings for any matter during
the meeting.
/
9) Council Committee Appointment Announcements
/
Council Members may make brief announcements on any individual appointments made to a board,
committee, or commission (BCC);they may not discuss or takeany action on these announcements.
10) AB1234 Reporting /
Per AB 1234 (Government Code Section 53232.3(21)) Council Members who attend a meeting,
conference, or similar event at the expense of the/City must provide a brief report of the meeting,
conference, or similar event during the next regular City Council meeting.
11) Openness in Negotiations Disclosures //
Council Members must publicly disclose any meetings or communications with City employee
associations related to the negotiations of labor agreements. Disclosures must be made by the next
/regular City Council Meeting.
12) Reports by the City Manager, City Attorney, City Clerk, and/or City Treasurer
These Charter Officers may pr ide an update on a program, policy, or issue within their scope of
work. These items are updates only and are not considered to be actionable.
13) Consent Calendar
a) The City Manager places routine or standard business items that do not always need lengthy
deliberation oy4he Consent Calendar. These items will be acted upon with one motion and vote.
Typical consent calendar items may include the final reading and adoption of ordinances and
resolutionls,(agreements, minor budgetary adjustments, reports of operations, etc.
b) Council Members may pull Consent Calendar items for separate discussion and action. The Clerk
will read into the record the title and number of each pulled item, which will be considered after
the acts on the remainder of the Consent Calendar.
c) Co/uncil Members should inform the City Manager before noon on the day of a Council meeting
with any item they may wish to pull in addition to any questions they may wish to ask of staff.
This practice allows the City Manager to notify staff that may need to be present at the Council
meeting and prepare informed answers.
1 ) Public Hearings
a) Public hearings are formal meetings for receiving public testimony and input on a significant
matter that may be implemented in the City. At other times, public hearings are mandated by
local, state, or federal law and are intended to invite a greater level of public input as well as
City of Huntington Beach JunR024
City Council Manual 20
discussion by the Council. Typical items include land use projects and adoption of the City's
annual operating budget.
b) The Presiding Officer begins by opening the Public Hearing and requesting presentations from
staff, applicants, and appellants involved in the matter under discussion.lach presentation is
followed by Council Member questions, if any. Afterwards, the Presiding Officer will open the
hearing to public comments. Following the close of public commenis, the City Council may
engage in deliberation,followed by a motion and vote.
c) At times,the City Council may require an additional meeting to consider the Public Hearing item.
To do so, the Council must vote to continue the item to a sedate. If it is continued without a
set date, additional public noticing requirements may be necessary.
15) Administrative Items
/ -
a) Administrative items include major initiatives, policies, or programs presented by staff to City
Council for in-depth deliberation and action. Thies/
e items typically begin with a presentation
from staff followed by Council deliberation,.a motion, and vote.
16) H-Items (also known as Council Member Items)
H-Items are requests for various programs,/policies, ordinances, resolutions, and/or funding for a
specific initiative. Since agenda items, including Council Member Requests, can take a considerable
amount of staff time to implement, the/City Manager will first work with the requesting Council
Member(s) to conduct an initial assessment of the Request that includes:
a) Steps required to implement (i.e.research, outreach, request for proposals, legal review, etc.)
b) Staff time and other resources
c) Funding needs
d) Timeline
e) Alignment with Strategic Plan
Upto 3 Council Me hers mayjointlyauthor a Council Member request. The CityManager will
� q 9
review it with the Coyincil Member(s)to finalize the request with as much pertinent detail as possible,
so that the Counc l is able to make an informed decision. Among other considerations, the ability
to schedule new Council Member Requests will also depend on the nature of the item itself, other
agenda subjec-s that are already scheduled, and the amount of time available in a Council meeting.
17) Adjournm nt
FollowiD6 the conclusion of all items, the Presiding Officer will invite a motion to adjourn the
meeti g, noting the date and time of the next scheduled regular meeting.
C. a iscussion Rules
Di ussion rules ensure that every Council Member has a reasonable and equal opportunity to be heard
b4fore a final decision is made.
1) Order of Discussion
City of Huntington Beach Jun6g024
City Council Manual 21
a) After the Presiding Officer announces the agenda item and invites the appropriate staff member ``
to provide a report and recommendation, he or she opens the floor for City Council discussion.
b) Each Council Member may have an opportunity to speak on an agenda item, both prior to
after a motion is made. Following comments by all Council Members who wish to speak, the
Presiding Officer may provide additional rounds of comments for each Member, as needed.
2) Obtaining the Floor
a) Any Council Member wishing to ask technical questions or engage in discussion should make a
request to obtain the floor.
b) Upon being recognized, the Council Member may hold the floor until completion of their
remarks or until the Presiding Officer withdraws the recognition
c) With the concurrence of the Presiding Officer, a member holding the floor may address a
question to another member and that member may respond while the floor is still held by the
member asking the question. A member may opt not to answer a question while another
member has the floor.
3) Interruptions
a) Once a Council Member has the floor, another/Council Member may not interrupt except to
make a point of order (made when a Member yelieves the Council Rule of Order and Procedure
are being violated). In such a circumstance/the Council Member holding the floor will cease
speaking until the point of order is resolved.
4) Discussion
/
a) It is the duty of the Presiding Officer/to keep the subject clearly before the Council Members, to
rule out irrelevant discussion, to restate the question whenever necessary, and to ensure proper
decorum and respectful discourse between Council Members throughout discussion.
b) A Council Member should n ,t"speak more than once on a particular subject until every other -
Council Member has had theiopportunity to speak.
5) Tabling Procedure
a) Tabling an item stops discussion and causes a vote to postpone the item indefinitely or to a
specified time and date.
b) There are several/ways to table an item, and each one applies to a specific circumstance and
desired outcome. They include Postpone to a Certain Time/Definitely, Postpone Indefinitely, Lay
on the Table/and Objection to the Consideration of a Question. For guidance on how to utilize
them properly, please contact the City Manager's Office for a detailed overview or refer to
Robert's Rules.
/ ,
6) Right"Protest
a) A council Member has the right to express dissent from, or protest to, or comment upon, any
ction of the City Council. This expression must be done in a professional manner and when he
or she has properly obtained the floor.
City of Huntington Beach June9`f024
City Council Manual 22
7) Calling for the Question
a) The purpose of calling for the question is to disallow further debate and put the issue to an
immediate vote. A Council Member may move to "call for the question" on an tem being
considered. The motion requires a second, is no longer debatable, and must paA by a two-
thirds vote. If the motion carries,the item is no longer debatable, and the Cou,it must vote.
D. Motions
Motions serve as vehicles to making decisions. The Mayor or Council Members may call for a motion on
any agenda item. However, the Presiding Officer will facilitate the motion making process.
1) Basic Motion
a) After the initial round of discussion, the Mayor or any Council Member may make a motion.
Before the motion can be considered, it must be seconded. Once a motion has been properly
made and seconded, it must be stated by the Presiding Officer or the City Clerk before the
Presiding Officer opens the floor for deliberation offering the first opportunity to speak to the
Council Member who made the motion, and/fhen to any Council Member recognized by the
Presiding Officer. Once the motion has bee fully debated and the Presiding Officer calls for a
vote, no further debate will be allowed.
b) If a motion clearly contains two or mo a divisible parts, any Council Member may request the
Presiding Officer to divide the motion into separate motions to provide Council Members an
opportunity for more specific consideration.
2) Motion to Amend
/
a) If a Council Member wants to change a basic motion that is before the body, they would move
to amend it. A motion to/amend takes the basic motion that is before the body and seeks to
change it in some way/This motion would require a formal second to move it forward.
b) In contrast, a "friend y' amendment" is a change to a motion that is supported by both Council
Members who mape the initial motion and seconded it. Therefore, the friendly amendment is
incorporated aut-'matically into the motion without a formal move to amend.
3) Substitute Moon
a) If a CouncilMember wishes to entirely replace the basic motion that is before the Council and
submit a/new motion,they must move a substitute motion, and receive a second.
4) Multiple Motions
a) I 'there are multiple motions on the floor,votes should begin with the last motion that was made
(typically a substitute motion). If it is approved, votes on the previous motions would not be
taken. If it is not approved, the Presiding Officer will conduct a deliberation and vote on the
preceding motion and so forth.
b) There may only be up to 1 original motion and 2 substitute motions on the floor at any time.
5) Withdrawing a Motion
City of Huntington Beach Jun16Q024
City Council Manual 23
a) A motion may be withdrawn by the mover with the consent of the second and in the abse n ce of
objection from any other Council Member.
6) Motion to Reconsider
a) Only a Council Member who voted on the prevailing side of an original/motion can make a
motion to reconsider it; any Council Member may second, regardless of his/her vote.
b) After a motion to reconsider is approved,the City Council can revisit the/original motion, discuss
it further, and vote on it again. f,%�
c) The motion to reconsider can only be made at the same meeting that the original motion was
voted on. The only exception is in the case of a meeting in which it takes place over a series of
days; in that event,the motion to reconsider can also be _made on the next succeeding day in
which the Council meeting is held. /'
d) The vote required to adopt a motion to reconsider shall be a simple majority of Council Members
present and voting, except that such motion shall require four(4) affirmative votes to reconsider
any motion which required four(4) affirmative votes for adoption.
7) All Other Matters
The City will refer to the latest edition of Robert's Rules of Order (www.rulesonline.com) for all other
matters related to managing motions.
E. Voting
1) Voting Procedures
a) The vote on all motions will beby roll call and recorded by electronic or other means necessary
to record the vote. Votes upon being called for by the City Clerk include a "Yes/Aye" for an
affirmative vote; "No/Nay" for a negative vote; and "Abstain" for an abstention (which are most
common when there/is a personal conflict of interest regarding the item being voted on.)
i. While it is the duty of Council Members to vote, one can abstain if they feel it is needed.
Abstention/most commonly arise when a Council Member has a conflict of interest on the
matter that is being voted upon. Abstentions are counted and noted, but not as a "Yes/Aye"
or"No/Nay" vote.
b) In most cases, the affirmative votes of the majority of seated Council Members will be required
to act on an agenda item or adopt an ordinance, resolution, or motion.
c) Ther are some exceptions in which a 2/3 majority is required to act on an agenda item,including
placing a tax measure on a general election ballot.
/
d),j'If the question contains two or more divisible propositions, the Presiding Officer may, at the
,/ request of any Council Member, divide the question (also called a "split vote"). For example: (1)
/d
waive further reading of an ordinance (requests unanimous vote) and (2) adopt.
2) Conflict of Interest
a) A Council Member must not vote on an agenda item if he or she has a conflict of interest (i.e.
financial conflict, property ownership within a proposed area that will be affected). That Council
City of Huntington Beach JunWt024
City Council Manual 24
Member must openly state an abstention and publicly identify the conflict before recusing him
or herself and leaving the dais during discussion or voting. •
b) However,the Council Member may remain on the dais for Consent Calendar items(if the member
abstains from voting on the conflicted item before the Consent Calendar is voted on in 1 motion.
c) More details on Conflicts of Interest are available in Section IX—Conflicts of Interest.
3) Tie Votes
/
If a vote results in a tie, the motion fails and may be continued on tly agenda of the next regular
meeting unless the City Council specifically provides otherwise. One exception to this rule involves
tie votes on appellate matters regarding a motion to sustain the Idwer body's decision sustains the
decision of the lower body. (See Item 5 below.)
4) Changing Votes
A member may change his or her vote only if he or she rakes a timely request to do so immediately
following the announcement of the vote by the City Council and prior to the time that the next item
of business is taken up.
5) Vote Required on Appellate Matters
Where action has been taken by a lower body that would be final if not appealed, such as decisions
by the Zoning Administrator or the Planning Commission, and is subsequently appealed to the
higher body,the following procedure applies:
a) If the motion is to sustain the 1 �nrer bod 's decision a ma'ori of those resent and votingis
9 Y J tY p
sufficient (four affirmative votes not required). It is not necessary to make a motion to overrule.
When there is a tie vote,theft wer body is sustained. However, if the motion to sustain gets less
than a tie vote, a motion td overrule must be made.
b) If the motion is to overr le the decision of the lower body,four(4) affirmative votes are required.
If there are less tha, four (4) affirmative votes, the decision of the lower body is deemed
sustained, and no; rther vote is required.
c) If a motion is made to modify the decision of the lower body,two separate steps must be taken:
i. First, he motion to modify requires four(4) affirmative votes.
ii. Se ond, if the motion to modify is adopted,a motion to sustain the decision of the lower
bbdy as modified requires the same vote as the motion to sustain.
iii. A motion to overrule the decision of the lower body, as modified, requires four (4)
affirmative votes. If there are less than four affirmative votes, the decision of the lower
body, as modified, is deemed sustained without further vote.
iv. If a motion to modify fails, the next motion is either to sustain or to overrule the
subordinate body.
Other Actions
In all situations where a City Council action under the express provisions of the City Charter or
ordinances shall or may be by resolution, a "minute action" of the Council shall be deemed a
City of Huntington Beach JunVZ024
City Council Manual 25
resolution for all purposes, and such action shall not fail merely because it lacks the form or title of
a resolution. Minute actions require the affirmative votes of a majority of Council Members present
and voting. (Charter 502)
City of Huntington Beach JunWN24
City Council Manual 26
VIII. MEETING ACCESS /
A. Meeting Rooms r�'�'
All meeting rooms are in the Lower Level of City Hall at 2000 Main Street, Huntington Beach, CA 92648.
ADA Access to these Meeting Rooms is available by calling the elevator from,,the City Hall Lobby (first
floor) or utilizing the access ramp that leads from the top of the Civic Center Amphitheater down to the
Lower Level.
/
1) Council Chambers /
/
Study session, regular session, special and emergency meetings are traditionally held in the Council
Chambers, barring any circumstances that prevent the Chambers from being used or warrant a
different meeting space to better facilitate an agenda item (i.e. strategic planning workshops).
2) Caucus Room /
Closed session is typically held in the Caucus Room, located in a conference room behind the
Chambers.
3) Conference Rooms B7 and B8 (Lower Level)
If the Council Chamber nears capacity,Conference Rooms B7 and B8 will be opened to accommodate
more attendees. The Rooms facei;the Chambers but are also equipped with video and audio
equipment to improve meeting visibility and sound.
4) Other Locations
In the past,the City Council has held certain meetings off-site or at different times and may continue
this practice, as long as thy follow Brown Act requirements.
B. ADA Access
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), services are available to members of the
community who require special assistance to participate in public meetings. If any individual requires
special assistance/48-hour prior notification will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements for an
assisted listening device (ALD) for the hearing impaired, American Sign Language interpreters, a reader
during the meeting, and/or large print agendas. Individuals should call the City Clerk's Office at(714) 536-
5227 for more information.
/
'C. /Council Chamber Capacity
Council Chamber attendance is limited to the posted seating capacity to ensure ADA and Fire safety access.
The Sergeant-at-Arms, in conjunction with the Fire Department,will appropriately regulate entrance to the
Council Chambers when the capacity is likely to be exceeded. When City Council is in session, members
City of Huntington Beach Jun'161024
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City Council Manual 27
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of the public shall not remain standing in the seating area or aisles of the Chambers. Sitting on the for
is not permitted. �,,/
If the City Manager anticipates that public attendance for a meeting will be substantially greater than the
capacity of the Council Chambers and there is insufficient time to secure the City Council's'pproval to
hold the meeting at an alternate facility, the City Manager, or designee,will arrange to move the meeting.
The change of meeting site will be announced by the most rapid means of communication available at the
/
time.
D. Broadcasted Meetings
Members of the public who are unable to attend,Council meetings /person watch on cable and
9 may
online platforms both live and on demand:
Outlet Airing Location
HBTV Channel 3 Channel 3 (for Spectrum and Frontier Customers)
HBTV Online bit.Iy/SurfCityiTV
Agenda & Minutes Library https://huntingtonbeach.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx
YouTube www.youtube.com/cityofhb
Facebook www.facebook.com/cityofhb
X (formerly Twitter) /.''www.X.com/cityofhbpio
E. Meeting Notifications
//
The City is committed to keeping the public informed about upcoming meetings and agenda items.
Notifications about meeting are posted in various locations including:
1) https://huntingtonbeach.legistar.com/calendar.aspx
2) Bulletin boards located outside the Council Chamber doors
3) City's social m�ia platforms (www.huntingtonbeachca.gov/social-media)
City of Huntington Beach Jun'Wg024
City Council Manual 28
IX. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST ~
A. Overview
'f
Guidelines regarding conflicts of interest are in place to ensure that Council Member actions are fair and
taken in the public interest. Any time a Council Member believes a potential for conflict of/interest may
exist, he or she is encouraged to consult with the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) for guidance.
Violations may result in significant penalties.
B. Training
The City Attorney's Office will provide in-depth trainings on Conflicts of interest, the Political Reform Act
(PRA), Government Code Section 1090, Code of Ethics, and Election Activities, annually in January.
Additional trainings for City Council are listed in Section X—Other Cuncil Business.
C. Political Reform Act (PRA), Government Code Section 81000 et seq.
1) The PRA prohibits public officials from making, participating in,or in any way attempting to use their
official position to influence a governmental decision in which they know, or have reason to know,
that they have a disqualifying financial interest/Therefore, if a public official has a conflict of interest,
the official must disqualify oneself from acting on or participating in the decision.
2) Charter Section 313 and the PRA require/the City to adopt and implement a Conflict of Interest code,
which must be regularly updated. The code is available under Resolution No. 2023-01. Key points
include:
a) The incorporation of CA Code of Regulations Section 18730, which provides the rules for
disqualification procedurei"reporting financial interests, and references the current gift limit.
b) A comprehensive list of all designated officials and employees within the City who make
governmental decisions based on the positions they hold and must disclose their financial
interests as specified in the code.
c) Designated officials and employees must file a statement of economic interest(Form 700)within
30 days of tak'g office, annually thereafter, and upon leaving office.
i. All designated filers must file Form 700 information electronically through NetFile, the
City s online portal certified by the FPPC to accept Form 700 and FPPC campaign
disclosure documents. The City Clerk's office administers the NetFile application and
keeps in contact with all new and existing filers to provide account information, alert
filers of deadlines, and assist them with navigational issues. The filer portal is located at
https://netfile.com/Filer. The City Clerk will record and make these statements available
for public inspection.
ii. The Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) is responsible to provide public officials
with answers to questions on their Form 700. Frequently asked questions and an online
advice system can be accessed at www.fppc.ca.gov/Form700.html.
City of Huntington Beach Jun1 (2024
City Council Manual 29
d) A list of disclosure categories based on an individual's duties and responsibilities within the/ity
as well as the types of interests that must be disclosed publicly. Examples of interests include
investments, business positions, sources of income including gifts, loans and travel payments,
and real property interests.
e) Exclusions to the Code and guidance on disqualifying oneself in the presence/of a conflict of
interest. '
3) An overview of Conflicts of Interest under the PRA is available on the FPPC's ebsite.
D. Government Code Section 1090
////
Government Code Section 1090 prohibits an officer,employee,or age9cy from participating in making (i.e.
approve, discuss, plan, negate, and solicit bids) government contVts in which the official or employee
within the agency has a financial interest. Section 1090 applijs,to virtually all state and local officers,
employees, and multimember bodies,whether elected or app2nted, at both the state and local level.
For more information, review this quick guide to Section 1090 on the FPPC website:
www.fppc.ca.gov/learn/section-1090.html
E. Conflict of Interest Maps
Form 700 information is used by City staff to •reate a conflict of interest map for each public official who
is responsible to make policy decisions for he City.
1) The City Clerk's Office will provid the maps to City Council Members, so they may determine
whether a conflict of interest exists in any matter coming before the City Council Member as a direct
result of the individual's prop 6ty proximity to a proposed project.
2) Real property in which the ublic official has an economic interest will be deemed "directly involved"
where the realty is either he subject of the government action or is located within 500 feet of the
real property that is ;the subject of the governmental action. Real property is the "subject of
government action"yn any of the following contexts: zoning; rezoning; annexation; de-annexation;
land use entitlement;license;permit;taxes;fees;and public improvements(e.g.,streets,water,sewer,
etc.). (FPPC § 18704.2.)
F. Political ctivities
The role of th City is to provide fair, impartial, and accurate facts about election items. This is also the
role of City mployees, elected officials, and appointed officials when they are working in their official
capacities. Doing so is imperative to safeguarding the public's trust in government.
1) 'he City may place measures on a ballot, provide impartial analyses, and adopt official positions
through Council action. However, the City and its employees, elected officials, and appointed
officials - when they are working in their official capacities - may not advocate for or against any
measures or candidates for elected positions. Public funds, resources, and staff time must also not
be used to influence voters.
City of Huntington Beach JunlegE024
City Council Manual 30
2) However,City employees, elected and appointed officials may engage in such activities on their own
time and with their own resources. Those who choose to do so must follow a few simple( ut
important rules of thumb. Additional details are available in our Guide to Election Activities B(chure
or www.fppc.ca.gov.
G. Statewide Ballot Propositions
Per Resolution 4344, the City Council may not take a position, either in favor or against, with respect to
any statewide ballot proposition.
•
H. Participation with Outside Groups
1) Conferences and Similar Meetings
a) At any conference or other such meeting where tlJ - City is represented by one or more members
of the City Council, the following guidelines sh II be followed per Resolution 4366.
i. Whenever possible, Councilpersons hall represent the City as "instructed delegates by
majority vote of the City Council."
ii. In the event no prior instruct", s or directions have been given, a poll shall be taken of
the delegates attending su h conference, or other such meeting, so that any vote or
action taken by such Cou 6ilpersons shall reflect the wishes of a majority of delegates.
b) Additional guidelines include:
i. Members of the Council should avoid discussion or comment on City matters at
conferences or oher such meetings or on social media, other than as part of the
scheduled program. Discussions where four or more City Council Members are present
could inadvertently create a "serial meeting" of a majority of the members of the Council
in violation f the Brown Act.
ii. Each Council Member has a travel budget usedifor expenses when attending conferences
or trai/ing as detailed in Section X—Other Council Business.
I. Nepotis
The City Co ncil, City Manager, Department Director, or any officer with appointive powers must not
appoint t• a salaried City position_
a relative by blood or marriage within a third degree to any Council Member; or
b. a relative by blood or marriage within a third degree to a City Manager, Department Director, or
any officer with appointive powers
I
This provision shall not affect the employment or promotional status of a person who has attained a
salaried position with the City prior to the existence of a situation contemplated in this Charter section;
City of Huntington Beach Jun1c0t024
City Council Manual 31
however, Council members or officers with appointive powers in such a situation shall disqualify/`-
themselves from all decisions affecting the employment and promotion status of such person. (Charter
313)
J. Levine Act (Government Code, Section 84308)
Section 84308 prohibits City Council and other public officials from taking part in an entitlement for use
proceeding if the official has received a campaign contribution exceeding $250 from a party/participant in
the proceeding within the past 12 months. An official is also prohibited from accepting, soliciting, or
directing a contribution exceeding $250 from a party or participant while a p yoceeding is pending and for
12 months after a final decision. In certain instances, an official may .aoid violating this section by
returning contributions in excess of$250. Additional information is on www.f c.ca. ov.
K. Rules for Gifts and Honoraria (Government
Code Section 89503)
The Political Reform Act imposes limits on gifts, rohibits honoraria payments, and imposes limits and
p p � PY p
other restrictions on the receipt of travel payments receivied by:
a) Local elected officers and other local officials specified in Government Code Section 87200.2
excluding judges; and
b) Designated employees of local governy(ent agencies(i.e., individuals required to file statements
of economic interests under a local agency's conflict of interest code); and
c) Candidates for any of these offices or positions and judicial candidates. (Sections 89502 and
89503.)
The Act also imposes limits and of ier restrictions on personal loans received by certain local officials.
The gift limit increased to $590 for calendar years 2023 and 2024.
For additional information on Gifts, Honoraria, Travel Payments and Loans, please visit the FPPC's
website: https://www.fppc.caov/learn/public-officials-and-employees-rules-/gifts-and-honoraria.html
City of Huntington Beach Jun16W024
r
City Council Manual 32
/
X. OTHER COUNCIL BUSINESS
A. Required Trainings and City Policies °�
1) Ethics Training (State Mandated) r`
In addition to the Code of Ethics ("Code"), each Council Member is required,by State law (AB 1234
and Gov't Code Sec. 53235) to receive at least 2-hours of training in genera'I ethics principles and
ethics laws relevant to his or her public service every two years. �
a) The City Clerk's Office will work with Council to receive their traiining module and provide
instructions to complete their requirements. This Office will ensure compliance with this
training requirement. /'
b) Council Members who complete the required training mast submit their certificate of
completion to the City Clerk's Office per the City's Rec rd Retention Policy.
c) In January of each year, the Council reviews and affi,i'ms the Code during a regular meeting. The
Code must also be reviewed annually by all emppi yees and BCCs.
2) Sexual Harassment Prevention Training and Education (State Mandated)
State law (AB 1661) requires all City officials jn California to complete at least 2-hours of sexual
harassment prevention training and education if the local agency provides any type of
compensation, salary, or stipend to those fficials.
a) Training includes federal and state/statutes outlawing sexual harassment, solutions available to
victims, and "practical exampleo teach officials how to prevent sexual harassment,
discrimination, and retaliation/in the workplace.
b) City Council members must/take this training within the first six months of taking office and
renew at least once ever/two years. Attendance is aligned with the City's commitment to
always preventing inappropriate conduct and creating a work environment that is safe,
respectful, and free ()if any types of harassment, discrimination, and retaliation.
c) The City Clerk's Office will work with Council Members to receive their training module and
provide instructions to complete their requirements. This Office will also ensure compliance
with this train]g requirement.
d) Administr9tive Regulation 922 Anti-Harassment, Discrimination, and Retaliation Policy provides
additional details.
3) Additional Required Training
The City is committed to providing Council Members with all other trainings they may need to
engage in Council business. The following trainings will be coordinated by the City Manager's
Office,following the swearing in of new Council Members. These trainings are listed and
scheduled on the Master Meeting Calendar maintained by the City Clerk's Office:
a) Led by the City Attorney's Office
/ • City Charter
• Brown Act
City of Huntington Beach Jun14Q024
City Council Manual 33
/
• Municipal Code
• California Public Records Act
• Code of Ethics
• Understanding Collective Bargaining
• Roles and responsibilities of the City Attorney's Office
• Levine Act
• Common legal matters
• Administrative Regulations (only those that apply to the City A torney's Office)
b) Led by the City Manager's Office
• New City Council Onboarding, Orientation, and Dais Tr fining
• Administrative Regulations
c) Led by Various Departments or Agencies
• Elections Activities (City Clerk's Office)
• Records Retention Policy and California Public Records Act (City Clerk's Office)
• Financial policies and fiduciary responsibilities (Finance)
• Media and crisis communications (Ci Manager's Office—Office of Communications)
4) Other Required City Policies
All City Officials are required to revievy and adhere to these additional City policies:
• Code of Ethics - Conflict ofilnterest Code - Statement of Economic Interest
• Administrative Regulation/102—Council Requests
• Administrative Regulation 301 —Official Travel and Other Business Expenses Policy
• Administrative Regulation 509—Social Media Policy for Elected &Appointed Officials
• Administrative Reg6ilation 511 —Ticket Distribution and Disclosure Policy
• Administrative Regulation 512— Procedures for Proclamations and Certificates
• Administrative/Regulation 605 — Email and Computing Resource Use
• Administratie Regulation 607— Digital Agendas and Due Process
• Administrative Regulation 921 — Equal Employment Opportunity Policy
• Administrative Regulation 922—Anti-Harassment, Discrimination & Retaliation Policy
• AdminKtrative Regulation 923 —Violence in the Workplace policy
B. California/ Public Records Act (CPRA)
TheCPRA waspassed bythe California Legislature in 1968 and requires that government records be
f g q
disclosed to the public, upon request, unless there are privacy and/or public safety exemptions, which
would/prevent doing so. The term "public records" encompasses a wide array of materials including
han/dwritten,typed, printed, scanned, photographed, copied, emailed, faxed, recorded (sound and video),
opline content, some content on personal devices, and others. Public records must be retained for a
period, depending on the type of material and its purpose, in order to help comply with the detailed
requirements of the CPRA. The records retention schedule is overseen by the City Clerk's Office who also
coordinates the submittal of CPRA documents.
/ City of Huntington Beach Jun141024
City Council Manual 34
/C. Council Communications with the Public
. ''
Providing multiple channels for the public to communicate with the City Council is critical to conducting
the people's business.
1) Email and MyHB
a) Members of the public may communicate with all seven Council embers with one email sent
to City.Council@surfcity-hb.org or to "All Council Members"via the MyHB app. These emails are
automatically forwarded to the select staff members of the City Manager's Office who will:
• Forward the email to the appropriate department to/ppare a response on the Council's
behalf, within 48 hours. When the response is finalized, the staff member will forward it to
the sender and cc:the entire City Council, so they ra aware it has been addressed.
• The City's internal protocol regarding processipg citizen inquiries and appointments to the
City Council and City Manager is addressed ipithe Council Communications Workflow.
2) Telephone or In Person
Members of the public may schedule a meeting with City Council Members by calling the City
Council Office at (714) 536-5553 or visiting n person at 2000 Main Street,4th Floor.
D. Media Relations
The Office of Communications utilizes a wide array of media platforms, coordinates community events,
manages the City's branding, and wfrks with the media to inform the community about the City Council's
policy decisions, upcoming programs and events, emergency situations, and more.
1) Communicating with the Press
,p
The Office of Communications is the City's point of contact for all media agencies and will provide
agencies with relevant details about any Council-approved policy/program as well as operational
matters and eme gent situations that require immediate responses. If requested,the Office will work
primarily with the Mayor to provide a statement reflective of the entire Council's decision. The Office
may also rear i out to staff who can serve as subject matter experts.
If individu Council Members receive a request for a statement or interview, they should notify the
Office al/Communications,which monitors all requests and can be relied upon to provide the Council
Member with factual details. There is no obligation for a Council Member to provide a statement.
Ho�ver, if one was provided that is different than the Council's decision, or if one is provided prior
to/ City Council decision, it should be attributed to the Council Member as an individual, and not
the City.
2) Online Platforms
The Office of Communications manages the content uploaded to the City's social media platforms
across multiple departments that include Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Next Door, and
City of Huntington Beach Jun'I4�024
City Council Manual 35
YouTube. The Office also oversees the development and management of content on the city's main
website, www.huntingtonbeachca.gov, as well as other ancillary websites.
E. Social Media Policy for Elected and Appointed Officials
The City regards social media as a useful tool to communicate and engage with its citizens. The
purpose of this policy, memorialized under Administrative Regulation 509, is to establish a formal
process for the use of social media by individual elected and appoi,ted City officials.
F. Legislative Positions
1) Intergovernmental Relations Committee (IRC)
a) The Intergovernmental Relations Committee (l,RC) prepares an annual Legislative Platform and
reviews recommendations from staff and other agencies on the need for the City to take a
position on legislation pending beforeither the State or Federal governments. Any
recommendations approved by the IRC are taken to the City Council for approval, per
Administrative Regulation 803. /
b) The Mayor is authorized to send/letters stating the approved City Council position on the
specified legislation on behalf of the City to the legislators.
c) However, when legislation is ing quickly and requires decisive action, the chair of the IRC,
with approval from the Mayor and the City Manager, can take a position on behalf of the City.
If the Mayor is unavailable(the Mayor Pro Tern may act on the Mayor's behalf. If the Mayor is a
member of the IRC, then the chair of the IRC and the Mayor Pro Tern, and the City Manager
would make the decision. This position will subsequently be brought to the IRC and Council.
d) The IRC is also responsible for preliminary review of the City's funding priorities and for working
with State and Feyleral legislators and the City's lobbyists to seek funding. To that end,the Mayor
and/or the IRC chair may travel to Washington D.C. and Sacramento each year.
G. Appeal of Planning Decisions
Design
1) A City Co,��ncil member may appeal a decision of the Community Development Director, n g
Review Board, Planning Commission, or Zoning Administrator. The appeal shall be processed in
the s me manner as an appeal by any other person but need not be accompanied by the fee
pre gibed for an appeal. (HBZSO§248.28)
2) T-'e City Council member appealing the decision is not disqualified by that action from
participating in the appeal hearing and the deliberations nor from voting as a member of the
reviewing body. (HBZSO§248.28)
3) The time limit for filing the appeal is ten (10) calendar days after the decision. The appeal must
specify in detail the reasons for the appeal, and the hearing is limited to the specific reasons.
City of Huntington Beach Jun14M24
/
City Council Manual , 36
H. General Office Administration
1) Office, Parking, and Dais Assignments
The Mayor will have the discretion to assign parking stalls, dais seats, and officeyfor each Council
Member and Charter Officer. Public Works staff will install parking signs for enryone following the
swearing in ceremony. The Council's Administrative Assistant will coordinat/vVith all outgoing and
incoming Council Members to assist with any needs related to moving offices.
2) Compensation
Charter Section 302 authorizes the following compensation to Coun-"il Members for their services:
a) Monthly Salary
Council Members receive a monthly salary of $175.
b) Expense Allowance
Per Municipal Code 2.28.010, each Council Membpr receives a monthly expense allowance for
ordinary and routine expenses while serving on the Council. The amount of this monthly
allowance is codified in Municipal Code 2.28.016and is adjusted annually by the Consumer Price
Index.
c) Reimbursements for Council Authorized r vel& Other Business Expenses
• Also codified in Municipal Code 2/28.010, all City Council Members will be reimbursed for
authorized travel and other expe/nses when on official duty.
t/t• The Administrative Assistano the City Council will also verify each year the amount
budgeted for authorized travel, and guidelines for use of funds can be found in
Administrative Regulation 301. A per diem allowance is available for each full day of out-of-
town travel (beyond a 50'mile radius from the City) to a conference or training, and/or on
official business authorized by the Council. If/when a Council Member depletes allocated
travel funds, addition I travel may be funded by another Council Member who still has travel
funds available.
• While the MayoyPro Tern and each City Council Member receive equal shares of the travel
budget in a given fiscal year,the Mayor receives an additional 20%to fully engage in his/her
role as the ceremonial head of the City during the first half of the year. When the Mayor Pro
Tern assunje�s the role of Mayor in December, his or her travel budget will be increased by
20% during the second half of the fiscal year.
d) Health Ins rance Benefits
Per Municipal Code 2.28.020,Council Members are offered medical,dental,vision, life, long-term
disability, and accidental death insurance. Council Members may add their dependent at an
additional monthly premium cost.
/
City of Huntington Beach Jun141024
City Council Manual 37
I. Ceremonial Observances
1) Oath of Office Ceremony (1st Meeting in December)
The outgoing Mayor, City Manager, City Clerk, Public Affairs Manager, and Administrative Assistant
will coordinate to prepare a light meeting agenda that focuses on the Oath of Office ceremony. This
has traditionally included:
a) Selection of the new Mayor and Mayor Pro Tern.
.//1/
b) Incoming Mayor presenting a special "Ultimate Surfer" statue to the outgoing Mayor for his or
her service.
c) Outgoing Mayor presenting a gavel with a wooden case to the incoming Mayor
d) Gifts, if the outgoing Mayor so chooses, to present to Council/Members, City Manager, and
elected officials
e) An opportunity for the outgoing and incoming Mayor to provide speeches to memorialize the
transition.
2) Passing of Former or Current Elected Officials
If a former or current Elected Official passes away, the City will take the following steps to ensure
that his or her service with the City is honored.
a) At the end of a Council Meeting, allow sea ed Council Members to make closing remarks that
recognize the official's passing and honor his/her life and contributions to the community.
Adjourn the meeting in his or her m�,ory.
b) The Office of Communications will i sue a brief statement acknowledging the passing and noting
high-level accomplishments.
c) The City Council Office will send flowers and a message from staff to the family of the official.
d) The City Manager will order flags to be lowered to half-staff to honor the passing of any official
who is currently seated. Flags will remain at half-staff for up to 10 calendar days.
City of Huntington Beach Jun14 O24
City Council M ual 38
Xl. BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, AND COMMITTEES (BCC
A. Structure of BCCs
There are nearly 30 Boards, Commissions, and Committees (BCCs) led by citi /en appointees as well as
Council Members. Each BCC advises City Council as one body. With some e eptions, it is each BCC's job
to understand the issues within their scope and potentially make recomm dations to the Council.
Like the City Council, BCCs are subject to the Brown Act. They must • st all meeting agendas at least 72
hours in advance and have a quorum to conduct business. Parlia -ntary procedures and Robert's Rules
of Order also guide BCC meetings. Additional guidance is avails• e in the BCC Manual.
B. Roles and Responsibilities
1) BCC Members
The Huntington Beach Municipal Code (HBM' and/or other governing documents (e.g. resolutions,
bylaws) specifies the duties and responsibi ' ies of each BCC.
2) Council Liaisons
Several BCCs are assigned two (2) ouncil liaisons who are the first line of communication to the
Council. Council Liaisons also recommend filling vacancies in the BCCs (except those that are
Individually Appointed)for Cou eil approval. Lastly,please note that Council liaisons are not a voting
member unless stated otherw'se in the Municipal Code. For more information about the roles of
Council liaisons, please refer o Resolution No. 99-84
3) Staff Liaisons
Staff Liaisons are the onduit between BCCs and the City Council, providing professional guidance
and administrative pport to help BCCs accomplish their objectives. Staff responsibilities include:
a) Prepare and 0ost BCC agenda packet material and meeting notices.
b) Assist the chair with meeting protocol as necessary.
c) Maintain the BCC's webpage on the City's website.
d) Mainta. official records including member documents and meeting minutes.
e) Facili :te communications with the BCC, Department Head,City Manager.or City Council to keep
eve one informed about the BCC's work.
f) P •vide research and report, as needed.
g) 'resent BCC recommendations to the City Council, as needed.
4) ' ity Clerk's Office
The City Clerk's Office maintains the Maddy Act Local Appointment list, BCC-related records, and
public records requests. For some BCCs, the City Clerk is the filing officer for Fair Political Practices
Commission (FPPC) Form 700 Statements of Economic Interests as required by City and State laws.
City of Huntington Beach Jun14(2024
City Council Manual 39
C. Communications with City Council ��'...
BCC members may speak to City Council members individually but cannot speak or act on behalf/of that
body unless the body reaches the decision with a majority vote in a public meeting. ,
BCCs can request the Staff Liaison to assist with composing correspondence or any materialo Council. It
should be specified whether it is for information only or recommends action. Such requests should be
made as a collective action of that body, not individual requests/opinions. )H`o ever, it is also
recommended that the Council Liaisons first be advised in advance of any comyt'unication to the City
Council. Some BCCs may submit an annual report of their activities to the City/Council and shall make
other reports as the Council shall deem necessary and proper by working wityhe Staff Liaison.
/
D. Appointment and Removal Procedure
/
1) BCC Member Appointment
/
BCC members are appointed by individual City Council Members or two Council Liaisons, depending
on the structure of the group. Members must be U.S/citizens and residents/electors of the City
during the appointment process and term. 0
When a vacancy occurs, they will be posted at City facilities and advertised on the City website.
Interested individuals can submit an online application on the City's Boards and Commissions
webpage, and an active file of qualified applica.is will be maintained by the City. With support from
the Staff Liaison,Council Liaisons evaluate applications and put forth a recommendation to the entire
City Council for approval. As desired by Council Liaisons, interviews will be scheduled as part of the
appointment process;for more information/ please refer to Administrative Regulation 111.
2) BCC Composition and Terms
The composition of BCCs (number of members and the structure) vary from group to group. Each
BCC's composition is laid out,rin its respective sections in HBMC Title 2 (Administration and
Personnel) and/or their bylaws( -
To afford the maximum opportunity for citizen service, no person shall be eligible for appointment
for more than two (2) co/secutive, four (4) year terms, exclusive of a prior appointment to fill an
expired term that is less than 2 years. Appointees shall serve on only one (1) standing BCC at any
given time. /
Members may volntarily resign from the Board at any time. Such members should submit a formal
letter/notice of resignation to the Council/Staff Liaisons or the City Council. In such a case, or any
other vacancie/'for whatever cause, successors are to be appointed by the City Council, for the
unexpired term of the office.
3 BCC Merpber Removal
BCC M tubers may be appointed and positions maintained by individual or majority of City Council.
(H B 2.100.100)
City of Huntington Beach Jun'4024
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city.council@surfcity-hb.org ..".a.. /
+10.
"1.4..4.40202010'
"Committed to Responsive and Exceptional Public Service for All."
From: Cindi Lee
To: guoolementalcommesurfcity-hb.org;CITY COUNCIL(INCL.CMO STAFF)
Cc: Frakes.Sandie;JSOUDERS.OVSD@GMAIL.COM;Patricia Singer;Ocean View School District-Michael Conroy
E112
Subject: Written Correspondence for June 4,2024,City Council Mtg-Agenda item 24-001
Date: Monday,June 3,2024 9:06:23 AM
Attachments: jtnaae001.ong
CC Ltr-Manual 06-03-24.odf
Good morning,
Attached please find correspondence from Ocean View School District, regarding Item
24-001 City Council Agenda,June 4, 2024.
Thank you
Cindi Lee, Executive .Assistant
Office of the Superintendent
OCEAN VIEW SCHOOL DISTRICT
17200 Pinehurst Lane
Huntington Beach,CA 92647
(714)847-2551, ext. 1309
clee(aovsd.org
�. Ocean View
i SchoolDistrict
Connections Before Content!
Become a OVSD fan! Website I Facebook I Jnstagram
SUPPLEMENTAL
COMMUNICATION
6/4/2024
Meeting Date:
6 (24-001)
Agenda Item No.;,_
Li,,.
Ocean View School District Board of Trustees
17280 Pinehurst Lane, Superintendent Jack C.Souders,President
Huntington Beach, CA92647 MIchael Conroy,Ed.D.
Tel:714 847-2551 Patricia Singer,Vice President
Spry orki Fax:714847-1430 Gina Clayton-Tarvin,Clerk
Excalionav- Web:www.ovad.org Morgan Westmoreland, Member
Norm Westwell,Member
SENT VIA ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION
Citv.Council@surfcity-hb.org
SupplementalComm@surfcity-hb.org
June 3, 2024
Honorable Van Der Mark, Mayor, and Members of the City Council
CITY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH
2000 Main Street
Huntington Beach, CA 92648
Re: Item 24-001 City Council Agenda June 4, 2024
City Council Review Revised City Council Manual
Resolution 2024-23
Dear Mayor Van Der Mark and City Councilmembers:
Ocean View School District (OVSD) requests, in order to provide transparency and good government,
that City Council not take action on Item 24-001, Revised City Council Manual.There is no discussion in
the staff report of the proposed changes to the City Council Manual. It is very difficult to understand
what action is being proposed. We ask that no action is taken on the City Council Manual until the public
is provided a link to a copy of the existing City Council Manual, a comprehensive list and Redline of all
proposed policy changes to the 2019 City Council Manual. It is not necessary to list existing policies that
are placed in a different order, or changes enacted by previous resolutions or charter amendments, but
the added wording that changes or amends policy that is not in the 2019 City Council Manual.
Example:
Page 8, Selection of Mayor Pro Tern, the 2019 City Council Manual references Resolution No. 6320 as
setting the procedure. However, the proposed 2024 City Council Manual adds that the city council can
diverge from Resolution 6320.
Proposed 2024 City Council Manual:
3) Selection of Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem
The Mayor and Mayor Pro Tern serve at the pleasure of the City Council for a one-year term starting
in December. Traditionally, the Council rotates the selection of Mayor and Mayor Pro Tern every
year during the first regular Council Meeting in December. Resolution No.6320 lays out the selection
procedures in detail.
If City Council wishes to diverge from these procedures,it must set aside Resolution No. 6320 and
establish different procedures. Once implemented, the Resolution will be reinstated immediately
thereafter.
Mayor Van Der Mark and Members of the City Council of Huntington Beach
June 3, 2024
Page 2
2019 City Council Manual:
Procedure for Selection of Mayor Pro Tern
The procedure for selection of the Mayor Pro Tern, pursuant to Resolution No.6320,Charter
Sections 305 and 306,shall be as follows:
1. At the City Council meeting following any general or special municipal election at which
any Councilmember is installed,or as soon thereafter as the results of the election are
certified,the Council shall elect a Mayor and a Mayor Pro Tem. In non-election years,
the selection of Mayor and Mayor Pro Tern shall be made at the first regular meeting
held in December.
2. The Mayor and Mayor Pro Tern shall serve terms of one year.
3. The member of the Council serving as Mayor Pro Tern shall become the Mayor upon the
expiration of the seated Mayor's term.
4. The member of the Council having the longest consecutive City Council service shall
become the Mayor Pro Tern.
a) In the event that two Councilmembers have the same length of service,then the
member who received the greatest number of votes in the last Council election in
which such member was elected shall become Mayor Pro Tern.
b) If any member declines his/her term as it arises in rotation,that member shall
remain in the same place in the rotation cycle as if he/she had served.
c) Any Councilmember who has served as Mayor within the last four years will not be
eligible for election as Mayor Pro Tern.
This is a significant policy change from the previous City Council Manual that sought to honor those
who have held office longest and had experience on how meetings should be conducted. It also took
the politics out of the Mayor Pro Tem position. City Council should not be allowed to just disregard
an adopted city regulation.
Sincerely,
`
Michael Conroy, Ed. D.
Superintendent
Ocean View School District
cc: Eric G. Parra, Huntington Beach Interim City Manager Sandie.Frakes@surfcity-hb.org