M-021311CITY OF SANTA MONICA
CITY CouNCIL MIN1JTEs
FEBRUARY 13, 2Q11
A special meeting of the Santa Monica City Council was called to order by Mayor Bloom at 1:07
p.m., on Smiday; February 13, 201 I, at 602 Santa Monica Boulevard, 2na Floor Multipurpose
Room of the Main Public Library.
Roll Call: Present: Mayor Richard Bloom
Mayor Pro Gleam Davis
Councilmember Robert T. Holbrook
Councilmember Kevin McKeo~m
Councilmember Pam O'Comior (arrived at 1:50 p.m.)
Councilmember Terry O'Day
Councilmember Shriver
Also Present: City Manager Rod Gould
City Attorney Marsha Jones Moutrie
City Clerk Maria M. Stewart
CONVENEfPLEDGE On order of the Mayor, the City Council convened at 1.07p.m., with
Councilmember O'Connor absent. Mayor Bloom led the assemblage
in the Pledge of AllegiancE.
PUBLIC COMMENT PubIie comment for all items listed on the agenda was heard at the
beginning of the special meeting.
Members of the public Jerry Rubin, Joey Fullmer, Denise Barton,
Richard Hilton and Catherine Eldridge commented on various agenda
items and expressed their concerns.
STUDY SESSION: On order of the Mayor, and with the consensus of Council, Items 4-A
and 4-B were heard concurrently.
INTRODUCTION 4-A: Introduction -purpose and goals o£ the workshop.
4-B: Discussion oI' proposed hvo-year budgeting and
expenditure control budgeting.
City Manager Rod Gould welcomed alI present and presented the
agenda for the special meeting including discussions of process and
budgeting.
Discussion ensued relative to the two-year budgeting. Staff answered
February 13, 20i 1
questions of Councilmembers and provided additional information.
On order of the Mayor, the information was received and filed.
EVALITATION PROCESS 4-C: Proposed annual evaluation process for City Manager, City
Attorney, and City Clerk - recommendation to adopt the proposed
process for conducting aamual performance evaluafions of the three
Council-appointed employees, was presented.
Discussion was held on the recommended date and the availability of
Councilmembers for extra special meetings.
Motion by Councilmember McKeown. seconded by Councilmember
O'Day, to approve recommendation allowing flexibility on the date so
that all Councilmembers may be able to attend. The motion was
unanimously approved by voice vote, with Councilmember O'Connor
absent.
LIAISONS TO BOARDS 4-D: Legal issues relating to Councilmembers serving as Liaisons to
AND COMMISSIONS Boards and Commissions - recommendation to consider modifying or
eliminating the current system of Councilmembers serving as liaisons
Cozmcilmemiier O'Connor to Boards and Commissions in order to address legal issues recently
ar~•ived at I: 50 p. nz. identified in the California League of Cities' magazine, by City
Attorney Mazsha Moutrie.
Considerable discussion ensued relative to the benefits of having
liaisons to boards and commissions and on the issues raised. during the
presentation.
Motion by Mayor Pro Team Davis, seconded by Councilmember
O'Day, to designate a councilmember as a liaison, or point of contact,
to the: Airport Cormnission, Architectural Review Board, Arts
Commission, Commission for the Senior Community, Commission on
the Status of ~~omen, Disabilities Commission, Housing Commission,
Landmarks Commission, Planning Commission, Recreation and Parks
Commission, Social Services, Bayside District Corporation,
Convention and Visitors Bureau, Pier Restoration Corporation and
Environmental Task Force. In addition to come up with a system for
identifying a single point of contact or liaison, in accordance with the
advice of the City Attorney, in the fixture liaisons remain available to
Chair and Vice Chair of boardsleommissions, that liaisons do not sit
on the dais or be an active participant in the discussion in any way, and
that the appointment of one councilmember liaison does not preclude
any other councilnembers fiom attending meetings as allowed by the
Brown Act.
Substitute motion by Councilmember Shriver. seconded by
February 13, 2011
Councilmember O'Connor, that there be no formal policy of designa-
ting liaisons to boards and commissions, and instead to direct staff to
develop and return with a creative process to encourage cotmnunica-
tion between councilmembers and commissioners; outlining what is
appropilate behavior of councilmembers attending board and
commission meetings; and clarifying that staff has the responsibility of
interpreting board/conmiission direction at such meetings. The
substitute motion was approved by the follovt~ing vote:
AYES: councilmembers O'Day, Holbrook, O'Connor, Shriver,
Mayor Bloom
NOES: Councilmember McKeown, Mavor Pro Tem Davis
ABSENT: None
Councihnember McKeown stated, for the record, that his "no" vote
reflects his belief that existing practice of appointing liaisons to boards
and commissions has historically provided a tremendous community
benefit by furthering communication and understanding in local
governance and public process.
EMERITiJS 4-E: Policy for the appointment of Emeritus Members to Cit3~
APPOINTMENTS $oards and Commissioms -recommendation to review the
information provided in the report and take action to eliminate the
practice of appointing Emeritus members to Council-appointed boards
and commissions, was presented by City Clerk Maria Stewart.
Discussion ensued an the benefits of appointing Emeritus members in
order to make use of institutional memory, knowledge and experience,
and. on other ways in which termed-out members can continue
participating in the various boards and commissions.
O'Connor, to eliminate the practice of appointing Emeritus positions
to boards and commissions and allow the existing Emeritus members
to serve out their terms; and, encourage members that are termed-out
to continue to stay active inboards and cortunissions. The motion was
approved by the fallowing vote:
AYES: councilmembers O'Connor, O'Day, Mayor Pro
Tem Davis, Mayor Bloom
NOES: Councihnembers Shriver, Holbrook, McKeown
ABSENT: None
ANNUAL COUNCIL 4-F: Calendaring of City Council Annual Retreat date, was
February 13, 2011
RETREAT presented by City Manager Rod Gould, suggesting the retreat date be
the fourth Saturday of every January.
Motion by Co~mcilmember Shriver. seconded by Mayor Bloom to
approve recommendation, amended to include flexibility in selecting
the date depending availability of Councilmembers. and with the goal
of holding it on February 4, 2012.
Motion by Councilmember McKeown, to add that the meeting be
videotaped. The motion was accepted as friendly.
The main motion, as amended, was unanimously approved by voice
vote, with all members present.
METHOD OF 4-G: Presentation of options for the process of selecting a Mayor
SELECTING MAYOR -reconmlendation that Council review the information provided in the
report and give direction to stafF, was presented.
Councilnxember O'Connor
was excused at 2:44 p. m. Considerable discussion ensued on the various methods presented in
the report, on the current process and on the benefits and detriments of
the various processes.
Motion b~yor Pro Tem Davis, seconded by Mayor Bloom, to keep
the current process of selecting a Mayor.
Substitute motion by Couneilmember Shriver. seconded by
Cotmciimember Holbrook, to direct the City Attorney to return with
ballot language to select the 11~Iayor for atwo-year term using a process
of the top vote getter, and include a provision for opting out of being
selected as the Mayor. The substitute motion failed by the following
vote:
AYES: Councilmembers Sluiver. Holbrook
NOES: Councilmembers O'Day, McKeown.
Mayor Pro Tem Davis, Mayor Bloom
ABSENT: Councilmember O'Cormor
The main motion was tabled with the consensus of the maker and the
seconder.
PUBLIC INPUT: On order of the Mayor, the special City Council meeting was
4 February 13, 2011
adjourned at 3:32 p.m.
ATTEST:
Maria M. Ste~~art
City Clerk
APPROVED:
~~
Richard Bloom
Mayor
February 13, 2011