HomeMy WebLinkAbout020323-06.1 Town Council GuidelinesFebruary 3, 2023
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: Joseph Calabrigo, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Town Council Guidelines - Annual Review
The Annual Planning and Goal Setting Workshop provides the Town Council with
an opportunity to review and re -visit the self -developed Guidelines that assist
councilmembers in conducting Town business, and in their interactions among each
other, the public and the Town staff.
Any changes or updates related to the Guidelines is entirely up to Council's
discretion. As in past years, the Council is asked to please consider whether:
• the guidelines are still relevant and of assistance;
• there are any questions, issues or concerns regarding any ground rules, values
or norms and commitments contained in the guidelines; or
• there are any changes that the Council wishes to discuss or consider.
Please give this some thought and be prepared to raise and discuss issues that you
feel are important to maintaining effective communication and collaboration among
the Council.
Two changes have been made to this year's version: the introductory paragraph on
page 1 has been revised and labelled as the "Purpose" for the guidelines and; Section
E. 7. c. has been revised to update the mayoral rotation.
Please be prepared to provide direction to staff regarding any other changes to be
incorporated as part of the annual review.
TOWN COUNCIL GUIDELINES
PURPOSE
These Town Council Guidelines were initially drafted by the Town Council in 2003, for
the purpose of establishing parameters that would be used to guide Council conduct and
support positive governance. The efficacy of these ground rules is entirely dependent
upon the personal commitment made by each council member. These Guidelines are
revisited and reviewed annually by the Town Council to allow for discussion of changes
or updates that the Council feels may be warranted.
I. GROUND RULES
The Town Council will follow four basic ground rules in order to work effectively
together on an ongoing basis:
1. Keep focused!
2. Use inquiry vs. judgment - hear all points!
3. Be respectful of one another
4. Focus on issues not people
II. VALUES
The top three values identified by the Town Council are:
1. Honesty, Integrity, Trust, Ethics
2. Leadership/ Clear Direction/ Vision
3. Fiscal Responsibility
III. EXPECTATIONS, NORMS & COMMITMENTS
A. For meetings:
1. Be prepared; read the packet thoroughly before the meeting.
2. Ask questions or provide questions of staff in advance of the meeting so staff
can prepare.
3. Give credit and positive feedback.
4. Challenge issues rather than personalities; don't criticize fellow council
members.
5. Be mindful of negative body language; eye rolling; audible sighing.
6. Give speakers three minutes without responding; make sure due attention is
given. Show respect.
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7. Keep feedback constructive.
8. At meetings, disclose information that you have that is relevant.
9. Avoid the following:
a. surprises d. personal attacks
b. grandstanding e. condescending/ sarcastic tone
c. side conversations f. emotional escalation
10. The Town Manager will manage the agenda process. Councilmembers may
request placement of items on the agenda, but only the Town Council may
direct placement of items. Video recordings of public meetings constitute a
public record and cannot be edited.
11. Each councilmember has the opportunity to be heard and to present their
respective views. Once a matter has been discussed and the Town Council
renders a decision (vote taken), that decision becomes the Town Council
position. It is expected that individual councilmembers will respect this
process and represent individual decisions that have been made by the full
Town Council to the community and elsewhere as appropriate, regardless
of their individual views.
12. To facilitate quality video recording for public meetings:
a. make sure that your microphone is turned on and speak directly into
the microphone.
b. be mindful of verbal and non-verbal communication.
13. At the conclusion of study sessions or regular meetings, the Town Council
will summarize and clarify direction (action items/next steps).
B. In General:
1. When invited to meet with a constituent or advocate to discuss a specific
issue or project, inform the Town Manager and encourage the constituent
or advocate to meet with all councilmembers to provide similar
information.
2. In situations where conflicts arise that impede the function of the Town
Council, councilmembers will attempt to resolve issues on a one-on-one
basis. Depending upon the circumstances, it may also be appropriate for
the Town Manager to facilitate resolution among the affected members.
C. When dealing with the Town Manager and staff...
1. Treat staff as professionals; don't publicly criticize an individual staff
member.
2. The Town Council takes action as an elected body, rather than
individually. Allow staff to handle administrative functions and limit
individual requests for staff support.
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3. When interacting with the Town staff, remember:
a. Staff may be contacted for the purpose of asking questions or seeking
information (asking). Whenever possible, direct questions to
department heads or senior staff.
b. Work requests or assignments should only be directed to the Town
Manager (directing).
c. Comments or concerns regarding staff should be directed to the Town
Manager in private.
4. As an individual council member, do not ask the Town Manager to do
something that is contrary to the direction of the Town Council.
5. Do not draw staff members into disagreements among councilmembers.
6. Do not solicit political support from staff or involve staff in any political
activity.
7. Try to give credit and positive feedback (on behalf of the Council).
8. When dealing with the press, the public or anyone external to the Town
government, staff's role is to communicate the policy, direction or action
determined by the Town Council. Staff does not speak for the Town
Council, nor will the staff speculate as to what action the Town Council may
take on any issue or subject.
9. Staff occasionally conducts or attends working meetings that
councilmembers are not invited to attend due to the nature of the meeting
(e.g. - meetings to discuss development proposals and/or conditions and
special event wrap-up meetings). Should other meeting participants invite
a member of the Council, that councilmember should talk to the Town
Manager before attending.
(Please refer to Attachment A for additional material describing the roles of the Town
Council and Town staff)
D. When dealing with media and public...
1. State your view, avoid repeating a reporter's terms.
2. Try to speak in sound bites.
3. Clarify the position: "the Town's decision is....", "my opinion is...."
4. Once a decision is made, don't discredit the decision, or criticize your
colleagues for having made it. Also, don't influence the media to.
5. Identify issues where it may be appropriate to develop a "party line" for
presentation to the press or public to assure that a consistent message is
delivered, and key points are covered.
6. Inform the Town Manager when you've spoken to the media.
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E. When representing the Town in other forums...
1. Present and support decisions or positions made by the full Town Council
- e.g. "the Town Council' s position is X, and this issue been decided."
2. If you are presenting a personal point of view or opinion, make it clear: "the
Town Council hasn' t discussed or decided this issue, my opinion is Y.
3. When appointed to or assigned a sub -committee, committee, or liaison role,
councilmembers are representing the Town rather than themselves.
4. Make sure to distinguish between political activity and Town business.
5. If invited to attend a function as a Town representative, don't campaign.
E. The role of the Mayor
1. The Mayor always represents the Town and the Town Council.
2. At the beginning of their mayoral term, the Mayor makes/coordinates
Town liaison appointments.
a. The Mayor first meets or speaks with each councilmember to determine
areas of interest.
b. If more than one councilmember is interested in a specific role or
position, and it is not possible to resolve the matter through
compromise, the Mayor may take the appointment to the full Town
Council at a study session.
3. Designate alternates for external committees/liaisons to provide exposure
to subject matter and experience in preparing for the primary position.
4. Consider rotation of assignments every couple of years to afford other
councilmembers the opportunity to serve in different capacities. Consider
the impact to the Town of rotation.
5. Every councilmember has the right and obligation to serve as
representatives.
6. Time permitting, the Mayor will bring issues back to the full Town Council
for direction or a vote (e.g., appointments by the Mayors' Conference or
positions taken by the Mayors' Conference).
7. Mayoral Rotation
a. The position of Mayor is rotated annually. Each councilmember has the
right to serve (barring Council changes) every five years.
b. The Vice -Mayor is next in line of succession.
c. Mayoral Rotation for the next 5 years is agreed upon as follows:
2023 - Robert Storer 2026 - Renee Morgan
2024 - Karen Stepper 2027 - Newell Arnerich
2025 - Dave Fong
d. If one new councilmember is elected or appointed, they are placed at the
end of the rotation and incumbent members move up one year.
e. If more than one new councilmember is elected, they are placed at the
end of the rotation in an order determined by the number of votes that
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each new councilmember received (highest # of votes goes first, etc.)
Incumbent councilmembers move up by a number of years equivalent
to the number of new councilmembers elected (i.e. 2 new members
means that the others move up 2 years).
8. Provides direction to the Town Manager on use of the annual 'Mayor's
Discretionary Fund', which is intended to be used for a public
improvement, program, or event that is located within the town, and
accessible to the general public.
F. Appointments of advisory commissions and boards; Council appointments;
Council resignations.
1. The Town Council will adhere to Resolution No. 11-2005, regarding
selection and appointment of Town commissioners.
2. The Town Council expects that commissioners will abide by the same
ground rules for dealing with the Town staff as have been agreed to herein.
The Town Council will use the annual Town Council/ Commission
workshop to review and reinforce these expectations.
3. The Town Council agrees that the selection process used to fill prior Town
Council vacancies in 2003 and 2009 was appropriate and effective. The need
to fill future Town Council vacancies will be dealt with on a case-by-case
basis, considering the circumstances and conditions present at that time,
and the need to adhere to all applicable laws.
G. Orientation of new councilmembers
1. A successful orientation process can facilitate the transition of new council
members into their roles as elected officials. The following items were cited
as being helpful in this process.
a. Good documentation f. Visit commission meetings
b. Tours g. Overview of regional issues
c. Historical perspective h. Opportunity to observe meetings
d. Legal orientation i. Provide calendar of meetings
e. Meeting with incumbents j. "Buddy System" mentoring
by other council members
H. Town Council Expenses and Reimbursements
Certain expenses are necessary in order to assist council members in discharging
the duties of their office. Events or activities for which the Town may expend
funds are described and listed in Attachment B (excerpted from Resolution No.
17-2006). The Town Council will consider such needs on an annual basis, as part
of adopting the annual operating budget.
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I. Follow up Actions
The Town Council may re -visit these guidelines annually to see how the process
is working and determine whether any additional steps are appropriate to
further facilitate how council members work together in an appropriate manner
to conduct the Town's business.
Attachments:
A - Roles and Responsibilities of the Town Council and Town Manager/Staff
B - Events and Activities qualifying for reimbursement (Resolution No. 17-2006)
2022 TC Guidelines - updated 2/11/2022
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ATTACHMENT A
(This material has been assembled from various sources and is provided to the Town Council
for information purposes).
ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES OF TOWN COUNCIL, TOWN MANAGER &
TOWN STAFF
The degree to which policy and administration mix in a given community can
sometimes become an issue. There is no clear demarcation between the two - but
there is the need for everyone involved to be cognizant of roles. The opportunity to
periodically revisit this subject provides an opportunity to ask questions, address
issues and better define the process for the Town Council and the Town Manager.
As the elected body who represents the community, the Town Council must be able
to communicate the vision of the Town and set the tone. The Town Manager and staff
are responsible for seeing that the vision is carried out.
A. Role of the Town Council:
1. Representational: The Town Council is directly accountable to constituents.
The Town Council must balance individual and group demands with the needs
of the entire community.
2. Governmental: The Town Council makes policy, adopts legislation,
establishes/ adopts budgets and adjudicates issues. The Town Council sets the
mission and goals for the organization. They explain and promote programs.
Individual council members are expected to:
a. Interact with constituents
b. Serve on Town Council sub -committees
c. Serve in a liaison role
d. Attend public events and ceremonies
3. Financial Oversight: The Town Council adopts an annual operating and
capital budget and is responsible for appropriating funds and approving
contracts pursuant to Town policy. The Town Council adopts an investment
policy and assures adherence to that policy.
4. Intergovernmental: Council members represent the Town on various
intergovernmental and regional boards.
5. Supervisorial: The Town Council appoints and evaluates the Town Manager
and City Attorney, as well as advisory commissions and boards.
6. Business Management: Council members sit as members of the Financing
Authority and Civic Improvement Corporation.
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B. Role of the Town Manager:
1. Communication: The Town Manager must develop a rapport with council
members through maintaining frequent contact with each member. The Town
Manager must provide equal information to each member and provide early
warning on problems.
2. Policy Implementation: The Town Manager assists the Town Council in
identifying and focusing on goals. The Town Manager is responsible for
interpreting policies set by the Town Council for staff and making sure Town
Council intent is implemented after a decision is made.
3. Professionalism: The Town Manager (through the Town staff) is responsible
for:
a. Providing professional recommendations and making sure that all viable
options are presented for Town Council consideration.
b. Maintaining a professional position despite political pressure.
c. Providing good customer service and follow-up.
4. Organizational: The Town Manager is responsible for developing leadership
abilities among the staff, building a decisive and responsive management team
and holding staff accountable for results. The Town Manager is also expected
to maintain good relationships with employee groups.
5. Foster Teamwork: The Town Manager fosters teamwork with the Town
Council by becoming knowledgeable on key issues that are important to the
Town Council, expressing views and providing perspective to the Town
Council on key issues. The Town Manager can also coach council members
and help to refine their skills, and buffer the Town Council when appropriate.
6. Financial Stewardship: The Town Manager submits an annual budget for
Town Council consideration and is responsible for keeping the Town in sound
financial condition.
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ATTACHMENT B
Events and Activities Qualifying for Reimbursement
Government Code Section 53232.2(b) requires that each local agency adopt a written
policy specifying the types of events or activities qualifying for reimbursement of
expenses. Following is a list of events and activities for which the Town Council
may expend Town funds or seek reimbursement:
1. Attending educational seminars or conferences designed to improve
officials' skill and information levels regarding municipal governance;
2. Participating in and attending meetings of regional, state and national
organizations whose activities affect the Town's interests (including, but not
limited to, the League of California Cities, the National League of Cities, the
U.S. Conference of Mayors and the Contra Costa Mayors' Conference);
3. Meeting with representatives of regional, state and national government to
present information or testimony related to proposed or pending legislation
or administrative actions that may impact the Town and its operations;
4. Attending functions of local civic or community organizations where there
is a clear nexus between the event and the official's function or job, i.e., not
purely social events;
5. Attending meetings, seminars or similar functions regarding economic
development or attracting or retaining businesses to the Town where there
is a clear nexus between the event and the official's function or job and the
event is consistent with Town policy; and
6. Any other event or activity related to the public official's duties and
approved in advance by the Town Council at a public meeting.
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TWENTY WAYS TO OFFEND TOWN COUNCIL COLLEAGUES
The responsibility for the effectiveness and success of an elected body ultimately lies
with the members of that body. If you don't really care about working cooperatively
with your colleagues, here are some surefire ways to agitate them:
1. Attempt to dominate meetings.
2. Cut off statements of colleagues.
3. Magnify errors of colleagues.
4. Make fun of colleague's statements.
5. Tell colleagues they are wrong.
6. Insist upon pontificating.
7. Appeal directly to the audience.
8. Amend a motion and then don't vote for it.
9. Don't show up at scheduled events.
10. Request a special meeting or meeting time and fail to attend.
11. Commit to a position before the meeting.
12. Take individual credit for group accomplishments.
13. Fail to actively listen to colleagues.
14. Pressure colleagues to take a position before the meeting.
15. Pack the meeting for pressure purposes.
16. Violate a colleagues' confidence.
17. Covertly use the media to achieve your agenda.
18. Force a vote on a key issue before the group is ready.
19. Criticize staff in public.
20. Fail to prepare for meetings.
Excerpted from the "Elected Officials Little Handbook."
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