Resolution 15746CITY OF ALAMEDA RESOLUTION NO. 15746
AMENDING VARIOUS SECTIONS OF RESOLUTION NOS. 15382 AND
15697 TO AMEND THE RULES OF ORDER GOVERNING CITY
COUNCIL MEETINGS
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Alameda desires to have all citizens fully
participate in the proceedings of the City Council; and
WHEREAS, City Charter Art. I Sec. 2(D), Alameda Municipal Code Secs. 2-1.7 and
2-1.8, and Government Code Sec. 54954.3 gives the City Council discretion to adopt
reasonable regulations concerning the proceedings and order of business of City Council
meetings; and
WHEREAS, Ordinance No. 2674, adopted at the August 16, 1994 City Council
meeting, states that Rules of Order of City Council meetings shall be set by City Council
Resolution;
WHEREAS, Resolution No. 15382 was adopted on May 15, 2018;
WHEREAS, Resolution No. 15697 was adopted on September 15, 2020; and
WHEREAS, a subcommittee of Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft and Councilmember Knox
White are proposing amendments to the Rules of Order.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council of the City of Alameda that
Sections 3 through 6 of Resolution Nos. 15382 and 15697 are amended to:
3. Public Comment on Non -Agenda Matters. Anyone wishing to speak on matters
not on the agenda may do so under "Oral Communication, Non -Agenda." Speakers shall
limit comments to two (2) minutes or less. As required by the Sunshine Ordinance, the
meeting agenda shall provide up to fifteen (15) minutes for this use at the beginning of
the meeting. Any speakers not called will be called under the later scheduled non -agenda
public comment. Speakers may comment only once on the same topic even where
multiple meetings are held on the same day. No speaker may cede time to another.
4. Consent Calendar Items. Agenda items listed under the Consent Calendar are
considered routine and will be enacted, approved, or adopted by one motion without
discussion. Members of the public can comment once on the entire Consent Calendar.
Public comments shall be limited to two (2) minutes or less. Any Councilmember may
request removal of a specific item for discussion or explanation. Councilmembers can
record a vote other than aye without removing/"pulling" an item from the Consent
Calendar. The removed/"pulled" item will be voted on separately. Each Councilmember
may ask questions and deliberate for up to five (5) minutes on each item removed/"pulled"
from the Consent Calendar.
5. Public Comment on Regular Agenda Items and Council Referrals. Public
comment will be allowed on all agenda items at the time each item is called. All speakers,
regardless of elected or appointed status, shall limit comments to three (3) minutes or
less. Comments shall be limited to two (2) minutes for items with seven (7) or more
speakers. No speaker may cede time to another. Public comment is not permitted on
motions. Presentations and Council questions precede public comment. Public comment
shall not be used to elicit a debate and speakers shall avoid personal attacks of members
of the Council, staff or public.
6. Presentations. All presentations are limited to 10 minutes and will be timed.
Councilmembers should refrain from asking questions during presentations.
7. Council Questions and Comments. Each Councilmember may ask questions
and deliberate for up to nine (9) minutes per regular agenda item or Council Referral.
Procedural discussions are not timed. Special meetings and workshops addressing one
topic, taking place on a day no other Council meeting is taking place where regular City
business is being considered, also will not be timed.
8. Counting Votes. The vote count on a motion will be determined by the majority
of the membership unless a greater threshold is required by law. A supermajority is two-
thirds of the City Council (4 members).
9. Latest Time a New Agenda Item May Be Called. No new regular agenda items
or Council Referrals will be heard after 11:00 p.m.
I, the undersigned, hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was duly and
regularly adopted and passed by the Council of the City of Alameda in a regular meeting
assembled on the 16th day of February, 2021, by the following vote to wit:
AYES: Councilmembers Knox White, Vella and Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft
—3.
NOES: Councilmembers Daysog and Herrera Spencer — 2.
ABSENT: None.
ABSTENTIONS: None.
IN WITNESS, WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the official seal of
said City this 17th day of February, 2021.
. b�,�-
Lara Weisiger, City Clerk
City of Alameda
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Yibin Shen, City Attorney
City of Ala�da