Ridgecrest Municipal Code § 2-61 Record of proceedings

Footnotes:

--- (2) ---

State Law reference— Authority of council to establish rules for conduct of its proceedings, Government Code § 36813.

(a) The council shall hold regular meetings on the first and third Wednesday of each month at the hour of 6:00 p.m. at the city hall located at 100 West California Avenue, Ridgecrest, California. A regular meeting may be adjourned by the council or by less than a quorum to another time. An adjourned regular meeting is a regular meeting for all purposes if held within five days of the regular meeting. If the adjourned meeting is held more than five days after the regular meeting, a new agenda shall be posted.

(b) Special meetings may be called by the mayor, mayor pro tempore or city clerk upon 24-hour notice to each member.

(c) An emergency meeting may be called without 24-hour-notice or agenda (if necessary) due to disruption or threatened disruption of city facilities by work stoppage or crippling disaster or other activity severely impairing public health or safety as determined by a majority of the members.

(d) Each advisory body may establish a time and place for regular meetings and may call special meetings in the same manner as the council.

(Code 1980, § 2-1.102; Ord. No. 96-03; Ord. No. 01-03; Ord. No. 01-05)

(a) The city clerk shall record minutes showing action taken by the council in open session and by each advisory body. The minutes shall be available for public inspection when approved by the council. If meetings are recorded on audio tape, the tape shall be available for public review on a tape player provided by the city.

(b) Any person attending an open meeting of the council may record the proceeding on audio or video media unless the council finds the recording cannot continue without noise, illumination or obstruction of view constituting a disruption of proceedings.

(Code 1980, § 2-1.103; Ord. No. 96-03)

(a) The affirmative vote of at least three council members is necessary for the council to approve any ordinance or any resolution or order for the payment of money. The council shall take action by motion, resolution or ordinance. Motions and resolutions may be adopted on voice vote. Roll call shall be taken if requested by any council member. Ordinances shall be adopted on roll call vote.

(b) The city may use video teleconferencing to receive public comment or testimony and for deliberations of the council. If video teleconferencing is used, the agenda shall be posted at all video teleconference locations and reasonable rules shall be adopted to protect the statutory and constitutional rights of the parties and the public appearing before the council.

(c) Except as otherwise required by law, and unless waived, proceedings of the council shall be conducted in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order. Advisory bodies shall adopt rules of order appropriate to their work.

(d) If any meeting is willfully interrupted so as to render the orderly conduct of such meeting unfeasible and order cannot be restored by the removal of individuals who are willfully interrupting the meeting, the council may order the meeting room cleared and continue in closed session. Only matters appearing on the agenda may be considered in such a session. The council may establish a procedure for readmitting individuals not responsible for willfully disturbing the orderly conduct of the meeting.

(e) The council shall not prohibit public criticism of the policies, procedures, programs or services of the city or of the acts or decisions of the council. However, no privilege or protection is hereby conferred for expression beyond that otherwise provided by law.

(Code 1980, § 2-1.104; Ord. No. 96-03)

(a) At least 72 hours before a regular meeting, or at least 24 hours prior to a special meeting, the city clerk shall post an agenda containing a brief, general description of each item of business to be transacted or discussed at the meeting, including the items to be discussed in closed session. The posting shall be freely accessible to the public.

(b) The agenda for all meetings shall include the opportunity for the public to address the council prior to taking action on any matter. The agenda for regular and adjourned regular meetings shall include the opportunity for the public to address the council on matters within the jurisdiction of the city but not on the agenda. From time-to-time the city council may fix by resolution the time limit for individual speakers, and the total time for public comments.

(c) No action shall be taken on matters not shown on the posted agenda, except members may briefly respond to statements made or questions posed during public comment; request clarification; provide a reference to staff or other resources for factual information; request staff to report back to the council at a subsequent meeting or direct staff to place a matter of business on a future agenda.

(d) Prior to discussion of any matter on the agenda, the council may add matters to the agenda upon a majority finding that an emergency exists or upon at least a majority vote finding there is a need to take immediate action and the need for action came to the attention of the city subsequent to the posting of the agenda. If only three council members are present, the finding of the need for action shall be by unanimous vote.

(Code 1980, § 2-1.105; Ord. No. 96-03; Ord. No. 10-05, § 1)

State Law reference— Closed session descriptions on agenda, Government Code § 54954.5.

(a) The council may conduct a closed session when permitted by law.

(b) If possible, the council shall avoid taking action in closed session. Action may be taken in closed session when necessary to avoid prejudice to the city. Action taken in closed session and the vote, abstention or absence of each member shall be publicly reported as required by law.

(c) After completing a closed session, council shall prepare a confidential memorandum stating the purpose of the closed session and the action taken, if any. This memorandum is confidential and shall be filed in the office of the city clerk.

(Code 1980, § 2-1.106; Ord. No. 96-03)

State Law reference— Public report of action taken at closed session, Government Code § 54957.1.