Glendale Municipal Code Ch. 2.04 City Council

Note: For charter provisions as to council generally, see Charter, Art. IV, § 1. As to compensation of council members, see Charter, Art. IV, § 3. As to election of members of council, see Charter, Art. V, §§ 1 to 5. As to term of office, see Charter, Art. V, § 6. See in particular, Charter, Art. VI, §§ 1 to 19 for full treatment of charter provisions as to council. As to meetings, quorum, etc., see Charter, Art. VI, § 2 et seq. For duty of city manager to attend meetings of council, see Charter, Art. IX, § 1, subsection 4. For duty of city manager to advise council as to needs of city, see Charter, Art. IX, § 1, subsection 7. For duty of city manager as to plans, etc., for work ordered by council, see Charter, Art. IX, § 1, subsection 9. As to interest of council members in city contract, etc., see Charter, Art. XXIII, § 8. As to vesting of city's powers in council, see Charter, Art. XXIII, § 26.

The council shall meet on Tuesday of each and every week, provided, that should any such Tuesday fall upon a legal holiday, the council shall meet at the same hour as set forth in this section upon the next day thereafter, which is not a legal holiday. All of such meetings shall be regular meetings for all purposes. The time when such regular meetings shall take place shall be as follows:

Closed sessions as authorized by law—three p.m.;

Regular business agenda—six p.m.;

For the purpose of this section, "regular business agenda" means all items, except closed sessions, as set forth under Section 2.04.080, Order of business.

(Prior code § 2-3; Ord. 5087 § 1, 1995)

[1]

For charter provisions requiring regular weekly meetings, see Charter, Art. VI, § 2. As to special meetings, see Charter, Art. VI § 2.

Pursuant to Article VI, Section 5(4) of the Charter, the council shall annually select one of its members to be the mayor, in accordance with the procedures set forth herein. The mayor shall serve as presiding officer and perform the other duties of mayor at the pleasure of the council.

A. In 2026, the date and time for the selection of the mayor shall be during the first regular meeting of the council occurring after the first Monday in April. Commencing in 2027, the date and time for selection of the mayor shall be during the first regular meeting of the council occurring after the third Monday of July of each year subject to subsection B.

B. In the event the mayor selection under subsection A would occur within 30 days of the Council's certification of the results of the general municipal election in the month preceding the scheduled mayor selection date, then the mayor selection shall occur on the same date as certification of said general municipal election and swearing in of newly elected councilmembers.

C. The appointment of the mayor shall become effective and the mayor's term shall begin at the next regular meeting occurring after the council meeting where the council selects the new mayor.

D. The City Council shall consider an amendment to this section if state law mandates a change in the election date, within 90 days of that effective date of that change.

(Prior code § 2-3.1; Ord. 5162 § 1, 1997; Ord. 5963 § 2, 2021; Ord. 6045, 12/16/2025)

Except as otherwise provided in the charter (see Charter, Art. VI, § 2), all meetings of the council shall be held in the City Hall. The council, by resolution, shall designate the building to be known as the City Hall.

(Prior code § 2-4)

All meetings of the council shall be open to the public except those meetings or portions thereof which may be closed pursuant to state law.

(Prior code § 2-5)

[1]

For charter provisions requiring meetings to be open to public, see Charter, Art. VI, § 2.

Prior to each council meeting every city official with the exception of elected officials, board, commission or other municipal body having any reports, communications or other matters for submission to the council shall notify and submit same to the city manager and city attorney for approval and submission to council in advance of the meeting. Thereupon, all matters approved for submission to council shall be forwarded to the city clerk who shall prepare a list of such matters according to the order of business specified by this chapter and furnish a type-written copy of such list to each member of the council.

(Prior code § 2-6)

Promptly at the time fixed for the holding of regular meetings, the members of the council, city clerk, city manager and city attorney shall take their regular stations in the council chamber.

(Prior code § 2-7; Ord. 5087 § 2, 1995)

Members of the council in actual attendance will be recorded present regardless of their answer or failure to answer the roll call.

(Prior code § 2-8)

The Council shall establish the order of business for regular meetings of the Council by resolution.

(Prior code § 2-9; Ord. 5050 §§ 1, 2, 1994; Ord. 5087 §§ 3, 4, 1995; Ord. 5155 § 1, 1997; Ord. 5185 § 1, 1997; Ord. 5260 § 1, 2000; Ord. 5398 § 1, 2004; Ord. 5830 § 1, 2014; Ord. 6006 § 1, 2023; Ord. 6037, 6/3/2025)

The right of persons to submit written communications or address the council at council meetings on any matter concerning the city's business shall be governed by the Ralph M. Brown Act, Government Code section 54950 et seq. and rules of order and procedure adopted by council resolution.

(Prior code § 2-10; Ord. 6037, 6/3/2025)

Ordinances may be introduced by reading the title only. Except in urgency cases, copies of all ordinances and resolutions shall be sent in advance of their introduction to each member of the council and to the city manager. When submitted for final passage, ordinances shall be read in full only if requested by a majority vote of the council.

(Prior code § 2-11)

Members of the council may remain seated while discussing any question under consideration. They shall always address their remarks to the chair.

(Prior code § 2-12)

The chief of police shall be ex officio sergeant-at-arms of the council. Any person in the audience who persistently delays or interrupts the proceedings of the council, refuses to keep quiet or sit down when ordered to do so by the presiding officer, or fails to comply with rules of order, procedure and decorum adopted by council resolution, may, upon order of the presiding officer, be ejected from the council chamber and kept out for the remainder of the meeting. The chief of police, or any police officer of the city present in the council chamber, shall carry out all orders given by the presiding officer with respect to such persons or for the purpose of maintaining order and decorum in the council chamber.

(Prior code § 2-13; Ord. 6037, 6/3/2025)

As soon as possible after each council meeting, the city clerk shall send copies of the minutes of such meeting to each member of the council at his or her residence or such other place as the council member may designate. Thereafter, the reading of such minutes at any following meeting may be dispensed with and they may be approved without any further proceeding. Their approval shall be authenticated by the signature of the presiding officer, attested by the city clerk.

(Prior code § 2-14)

In all matters and things not otherwise provided for in this chapter, the proceedings of the council shall be governed by council resolution adopting rules of order, procedure and decorum. In the event there are no adopted council rules of order, procedure and decorum, or said rules are silent on a matter of order, procedure or decorum, proceedings of the Council shall be governed by the latest revised edition of Robert's Rules of Order.

(Prior code § 2-15; Ord. 6037, 6/3/2025)

(Note: Section 2.04.150, Motion to reconsider, derived from prior code § 2-16, was repealed by Ord. 6037, 6/3/2025.

No action of the council shall be considered complete or final until the end of the meeting at which such action is taken, except that when a vote on a special assessment proceeding is required to be taken at a public hearing, such a vote is final and may not be reconsidered at any time unless authorized by the special assessment act being used.

(Prior code § 2-17)

A. When a vote on a matter which effects the appointment, dismissal or confirmation of any officer, or authorizes the execution of contracts, or the appropriation or payment of money, or the passage of any ordinance, the city clerk shall call the roll, and each member of the council who is present including the mayor, shall be recorded as voting "aye" or "yes" unless when his or her name is called, such member answers "no" or declares that he or she abstains from voting.

In all other matters when a vote is called for, the matter may proceed by unanimous consent or voice vote, as determined appropriate by the mayor, unless a roll call vote is requested by any member of the council.

B. Except in the case where there exists a financial conflict of interest under the Political Reform Act, an abstention shall be treated as a neutral or "non-vote" and the abstaining member shall be counted in determining whether a quorum of the council is present.

(Prior code § 2-18; Ord. 5188 § 1, 1998; Ord. 5553 § 1, 2007)