SR 10-11-2022 16B
City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: October 11, 2022
Agenda Item: 16.B
1 of 1
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Denise Anderson Warren, City Clerk, Records and Election Services
Department
Subject: Request by Councilmember De la Torre that: 1) The City Attorney commit to
actively monitor City Council meetings for City Council adherence to Robert's
Rules of Order as required by Res 11360 and intervene as often as
necessary to ensure that adherence, in order to facilitate effective, efficient,
and fair City Council meetings; 2) The City Manager or City Attorney arrange
for all Councilmembers to receive a crash course of training in Robert's Rules
of Order by a professional parliamentarian within 30 days, in a public forum
that is broadcast live by video and remains available for future viewing, so
everyone—including the public and current and future city officials—can learn
from it.
Prepared By: Esterlina Lugo, Deputy City Clerk
Approved
Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. Written Comments
16.B
Packet Pg. 1965
1
Vernice Hankins
From:Elaine Golden-Gealer <elaine@elaine360.com>
Sent:Monday, October 10, 2022 10:25 PM
To:councilmtgitems; Sue Himmelrich; Kristin McCowan; Oscar de la Torre; Christine Parra; Phil Brock;
Lana Negrete; Gleam Davis; David White; Douglas Sloan
Subject: Support 16B – Roberts Rules training asap!
EXTERNAL
----------------------------------------------
Support 16B – Roberts Rules training asap!
----------------------------------------------
I support a crash course by a professional parliamentarian for all Santa Monica Council Members
within 30 days. The City Attorney should assist the Council regarding Roberts Rules until then.
The meetings need to improve and become more efficient. Sometimes it is hard to tell what the
Council is voting on. Some Councilmembers dominate the discussion, others hardly say anything. It
does not seem democratic.
Sincerely,
Elaine Golden-Gealer
Item 16.B 10/11/22
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16.B.a
Packet Pg. 1966 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5415 : de la Torre Item: Training & Adherence in Roberts Rules of Order)
1
Vernice Hankins
From:David Morris <dhmdjm4@gmail.com>
Sent:Monday, October 10, 2022 10:57 PM
To:councilmtgitems; David White
Cc:Sue Himmelrich; Kristin McCowan; Lana Negrete; Christine Parra; Kristin McCowan; Gleam Davis; Phil
Brock; Douglas Sloan
Subject:YES to 16:B, Parliamentary Procedure training within 30 days
EXTERNAL
Hello City Manager White and City Council Members,
It is imperative that the Council Members undergo professional training in the Parliamentary Procedure so
that our Council meetings begin to be run as they are supposed to.
I have seen a lot of abuse of power by the Mayor in the past two years, but the Council Members have done
nothing to stop her.
All Council Members need to receive training so that they know what the proper procedure is and how to stand
up for their rights when on the dais.
Hire a professional Roberts Rules instructor to conduct the training, including tips on how to keep the
meetings short.
Do not delay this training, it is long overdue.
Thank you for considering my input.
David Morris
Santa Monica resident
Item 16.B 10/11/22
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16.B.a
Packet Pg. 1967 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5415 : de la Torre Item: Training & Adherence in Roberts Rules of Order)
1
Vernice Hankins
From:Ann Maggio <annmaggio@gmail.com>
Sent:Tuesday, October 11, 2022 9:53 AM
To:councilmtgitems; Clerk Mailbox
Cc:Oscar de la Torre
Subject:Item 16-B SUPPORT
EXTERNAL
Request by Councilmember De la Torre that: 1) The City Attorney commit to actively
monitor City Council meetings for City Council adherence to Robert's Rules of Order as
required by Res 11360 and intervene as often as necessary to ensure that adherence,
in order to facilitate effective, efficient, and fair City Council meetings; 2) The City
Manager or City Attorney arrange for all Councilmembers to receive a crash course of
training in Robert's Rules of Order by a professional parliamentarian within 30 days, in
a public forum that is broadcast live by video and remains available for future viewing,
so everyone—including the public and current and future city officials—can learn from
it.
The public deserves a well run City Government.
Every effort should be made, without delay, to ensure that our public meetings run effectively,
efficiently and fairly.
Who would argue with that?
Vote to support this item.
Sincerely,
Ann Maggio Thanawalla
"Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth." ‐ Albert Einstein
Item 16.B 10/11/22
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16.B.a
Packet Pg. 1968 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5415 : de la Torre Item: Training & Adherence in Roberts Rules of Order)
1
Vernice Hankins
From:emsmail135@gmail.com
Sent:Tuesday, October 11, 2022 10:05 AM
To:councilmtgitems; Christine Parra; Phil Brock; Oscar de la Torre; Lana Negrete; Gleam Davis; Kristin
McCowan; Sue Himmelrich; David White; doug.sloan@santamonica.gov
Subject:Support for CC item 11B
EXTERNAL
Hello City Councilmembers,
I am writing to express my strong support for item 11B, providing immediate oversight and a professionally led crash
course in parliamentary procedure for the City Council within thirty days.
Regular violations of Robert’s Rules by the presiding officer and ignorance of the rules by City Councilmembers are a
dangerous combination that have resulted in regularly unclear, inefficient, and undemocratic City Council meetings. This
means city business is also regularly being handled unclearly, inefficiently, and undemocratically.
Please demonstrate your commitment to good governance tonight by voting to support both elements of item 16B. The
City Council requires immediate, professional parliamentary procedural training and ongoing oversight to ensure
adherence as required by city law.
Thank you very much for your attention to this important matter.
Best wishes,
Michelle Gray
Item 16.B 10/11/22
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16.B.a
Packet Pg. 1969 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5415 : de la Torre Item: Training & Adherence in Roberts Rules of Order)
1
Vernice Hankins
From:OZ <zurawska@yahoo.com>
Sent:Tuesday, October 11, 2022 11:22 AM
To:councilmtgitems; Douglas Sloan; David White
Cc:Oscar de la Torre; Christine Parra; Phil Brock; Lana Negrete; Kristin McCowan; Gleam Davis; Denise
Anderson-Warren; Susan Cola; Sue Himmelrich
Subject:SUPPORT --> 16-B --> Roberts Rules training by a parliamentarian within 30 days
EXTERNAL
This is to urge the Council to approve the Roberts Rules training by a professional parliamentarian
within 30 days as requested by Councilmember de la Torre.
Considering the ongoing grave violations of parliamentary procedure (most of them related to the
abuse of power by the presiding officer), and the resulting biased, undemocratic and less than
transparent Council meetings, there is an urgent need for such training.
To ensure the highest level of the training, it should be performed by a professional, certified
parliamentarian rather than the City Attorney or his staff.
My suggestion is that the training should have two added elements on top of the basic crash course:
- an emphasis on how to preserve the rights of each individual assembly member, and
- rules that help keep the meetings short.
The City Attorney should monitor the Council meetings for substantial adherence to Roberts Rules, in
accordance with Council Resolution 11360, which reads:
"RULES FOR CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS
RULE 1. RULES OF ORDER.
Except as otherwise provided by these rules, the City Charter, the Municipal Code, or applicable
provisions of state law, the procedures of the City Council shall be governed by the latest
revised edition of Roberts Rules of Order [emphasis added]."
Regards,
Olga Zurawska
Item 16.B 10/11/22
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Packet Pg. 1970 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5415 : de la Torre Item: Training & Adherence in Roberts Rules of Order)
2
Vernice Hankins
From:Theresa Marasco <theresa.marasco@gmail.com>
Sent:Tuesday, October 11, 2022 11:11 AM
To:councilmtgitems; Oscar de la Torre; Phil Brock; Christine Parra; Lana Negrete; Kristin McCowan;
Gleam Davis; Sue Himmelrich
Subject:10/11/2022 City Council Meeting - Agenda Item 16B
EXTERNAL
Good afternoon Mayor Himmelrich and City Council:
I am the Vice Chair of the Housing Commission but I am submitting this public comment
on my own behalf and not on the behalf of the Housing Commission.
I am 1000% in support of agenda Item 16B! The City Council has had a longtime
problem with Council members not being able to make proper motions, are interrupted
while they have the floor, and it has been deliberate actions by Mayor Himmelrich who
deliberately violates Robert's Rules of Order and acts in contradiction to the training that
the City provides for all persons in leadership roles on Boards and Commissions. I
assume the Mayor has the same training she attends or at least the same rules she
must follow as the rest of the leadership in the City does. To not allow the other Council
members to make their motions is not only silencing their voices, it is eliminating the
democratic process especially after there has been a second on the motion. These acts
have happened repeatedly over the years and it must stop!
It appears that there is a lack of order and also solid acumen of
parliamentary procedures and it must be remedied immediately. The City Council, all
Boards and Commissions, and the public could greatly benefit from a certified
parliamentarian providing a complete overview of Robert's Rules of Order. There should
be no reason that anyone sitting on the diasis should not vote in favor to the following:
The City Manager or City Attorney arrange for all Councilmembers to receive a crash
course of training in Robert's Rules of Order by a professional parliamentarian within 30
days, in a public forum that is broadcast live by video and remains available for future
viewing, so everyone—including the public and current and future city officials—can
learn from it.
To help protect your privacy, Microsoft Office prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet.
Very truly yours,
Theresa H. Marasco
(720) 226-4051
Item 16.B 10/11/22
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Packet Pg. 1971 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5415 : de la Torre Item: Training & Adherence in Roberts Rules of Order)
1
Vernice Hankins
From:Michael Louis <dignitycompassionnetwork@gmail.com>
Sent:Tuesday, October 11, 2022 9:57 AM
To:councilmtgitems; Sue Himmelrich; Kristin McCowan; Oscar de la Torre; Christine Parra; Lana Negrete;
Gleam Davis; Phil Brock
Subject:16-B: support Robert's Rules of Order training for City Council and for general public education
Dear Mayor Himmelrich and Councilmembers,
I am writing in support of Robert’s Rules of Order training for City Council members.
The Co-Intelligence Institute describes its notable strengths as follows:
“Robert's Rules is efficient at getting through an agenda. It offers order and predictability. People can
understand how to operate the system by studying the rules, and a group can revise its procedures
by discussing them. Its many checks and balances can provide an enormous degree of protection
against demagoguery, impulsivity and laziness. Robert's Rules gives people shared language, and
shared points of reference with which to communicate thoughtfully and systematically about their
process. Historically, it demystified democratic decision-making for the general public, permitting —
for the first time — democratic control of the process itself, expanding the possibilities for self-
governance.” (https://www.co-intelligence.org/I-comparisonRR-CC-DF.html)
Thank you for considering my public input.
Michael Louis
Item 16.B 10/11/22
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Packet Pg. 1972 Attachment: Written Comments [Revision 1] (5415 : de la Torre Item: Training & Adherence in Roberts Rules of Order)