HomeMy WebLinkAboutProcess - Councilmembers Intrnl-Xtrnl Liaison ApptnmntsCITY OF PALM DESERT
CITY CLERK DEPARTMENT
STAFF REPORT
REQUEST: APPROVAL OF A PROCESS FOR ANNUALLY ASSIGNING CITY
COUNCILMEMBERS TO INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL LIAISON
APPOINTMENTS
SUBMITTED BY: John M. Wohlmuth, City Manager
Rachelle D. Klassen, City Clerk
DATE: January 14, 2016
CONTENTS: • Staff Report
• PROPOSED City Council Assignments for 2016
Recommendation
By Minute Motion, approve a process of annually selecting and/or approving
City Council Liaison Assignments to internal and external boards, committees, or
commissions, using the following formula, in order of priority, for making same:
1) Seniority of continuous service on the City Council; 2) specific expertise or interest
in a particular activity; 3) timing of regular meetings of the entity to coincide with the
Councilmember's availability and schedule.
I. Executive Summary
Annually, or as vacancies occur, the City Council shall be presented with a list of City standing
committees/commissions, regional authorities, and outside organizations, with the names of
Councilmembers currently assigned to them. As has been the City's practice for many years,
Council makes every effort to spread the various assignments so that each Councilmember
fairly shares responsibility of representing or conducting business for the City, with continuity
of service and related accumulation of expertise acquired over time being given weighted
consideration. The roster also reflects certain entities that, historically, have been found to
be best served by annually assigning both the current Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem, which has
been carried out successfully for the City and may be assigned by the current by-laws of the
Committee/Commission. As new Councilmembers are elected and begin service, often they
are assigned to positions held by their predecessors and can begin learning the role and
offering their own talents and refreshed perspective on the assignment.
II. Backaround
In early 2015, City Councilmembers asked to review the current slate of City Council Liaison
Assignments and then requested a research project to provide the historical background of
how the City Council came to be assigned to the various internal and external positions. To
begin, City of Palm Desert has 17 standing Committees and Commissions of its own creation,
Staff Report -
Process forAnnual Councilmember Assignment to Internal and External Organizations
January 14, 2016
Page No. 2
10 of them specifically assigned a Council liaison, along with numerous relationships with
outside organizations and regional authorities, such as the Coachella Valley Association of
Governments, SunLine Transit Agency, Greater Palm Springs Convention & Visitors
Authority, Riverside County Transportation Commission, League of California Cities, etc.
Over time the City has observed an informal practice, as outlined in the formal
recommendation for action here, where Council annually assigns through approval of a roster
of said entities and named City officials (one or more Councilmembers or appropriate staff,
as needed), to serve as the City's representative on governing bodies of the organizations.
The participation may be either voting or in a purely representative capacity, as determined
in the bylaws or other regulating standards for the position. When provided, alternates
appointed to these entities have the same authority as the primary appointee when the
appointee is absent. Further, once a Councilmember has been assigned to participate in an
outside organization or regional authority, separate approval is not needed for them to
participate in a subcommittee of that organization or regional authority. Approval of the list
of assignments generally takes place at a Council Meeting early in the calendar year after the
annual Council Reorganization occurs. Additionally, from time to time throughout the year,
City Council may assign one or two Members to serve on City ad hoc committees, which also
takes place at a Council Meeting, followed by those ad hoc positions being added to the
roster until such time as the ad hoc body is no longer active.
III. Process
Step 1. Annually, or as changes are necessary from time to time, the Mayor will provide
a copy of the current list of assignments and solicit input from his/her
colleagues about any positions they would like to retain, relinquish, or bid for
new assignment if another colleague wishes to change; or if there has been any
status change in the respective relationship with the entity requiring
representation.
Step 2. Within a reasonable period of time, Councilmembers will report back to the
Mayor in writing with their choices for representation, indicating a list of those
they wish to RETAIN, RELINQUISH, or BID for new assignment(s).
Step 3. Mayor and staff will coordinate all the submissions for fulfillment of the coming
year's liaison assignments based upon the input received and on, in order of
preference: a) Members' seniority in consecutive years of service on the
Council; b) any specialized expertise the Councilmember possesses for an
assignment; c) time they have available to devote to the activity. In instances
where two or more Councilmembers have been elected and sworn in to office
on the same date, the Councilmember receiving the highest number of votes
in that election shall be deemed to have seniority in the process going forward.
Note, the Mayor shall automatically have priority right to serve on the CVAG
Executive Committee, with limited exceptions, that being if Palm Desert's
H IWPdatalWPDOCSIStaff ReportslcounciI liaison annual appts-Jan 14-2016 wpd 2
Staff Report -
Process forAnnual Councilmember Assignment to Internal and External Organizations
January 14, 2016
Page No. 3
elected official is elected to the CVAG Board of Directors and that term of office
does not run concurrently with the City's, requiring an adjustment to the annual
assignments roster and concurrence of the City Council for this purpose.
Generally speaking, Councilmembers assigned to the City's own standing Committees and
Commissions serve in a non -voting liaison capacity in order to provide reference for the voting
members (i.e., City history or clarification on existing projects or policies) and report back to
the entire City Council as needed. In instances where City Councilmembers have voting
rights on City boards (e.g. Audit, Investment & Finance Committee, Outside Agency Funding
Committee), those responsibilities are specifically listed in the bylaws or organizational
documentation. Further, it is understood that Councilmembers assigned to outside
organizations or regional authorities represent the City's interest, generally, as determined by
a majority of the Council. Councilmembers are not to represent or vote their own or individual
positions on an issue, but that of the City's, as articulated, directed, or instructed by a majority
of the Council. Whenever possible, all significant policy issues shall be brought before the
whole Council for determination and instruction to the assigned Councilmember, with the
assigned Councilmember representing that position until such time as a majority of the
Council changes or modifies its position on a policy issue.
Current assignments to all internal boards and external organizations and regional authorities
are on file in the Office of the City Clerk and posted on the City's website. Your approval and
confirmation of this defined process is hereby respectfully requested.
Fiscal Analvsis
There is no fiscal impact associated with adoption of this process.
Submitted by:
elm
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itted and approved:
M. Wohlmuth, City Manager
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