HomeMy WebLinkAboutCouncil Policy No. 200-05B - Ad Hoc Appointments
CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE, CALIFORNIA
COUNCIL POLICY MANUAL
SUBJECT: Ad Hoc Committee Policy No. 200-5B
Appointments Effective Date: 11/03/04
Revised: 9/12/06
Page No. 1 of 9
DEFINITIONS
For purposes of this Policy, the term “Ad Hoc Committee” shall have the meaning set
forth below:
An “Ad Hoc Committee” shall be a committee or board that has a special limited
purpose and is established for a limited period of time. Unless otherwise directed,
Ad Hoc Committees shall be established by resolution of the City Council. In
establishing an Ad Hoc Committee, the City Council will establish the time frame
pursuant to which the Committee shall complete its mission which time frame
should not exceed 18 months subject to reasonable extensions approved by the
City Council.
BACKGROUND
The City of Lake Elsinore currently has three Ad Hoc Committees: the Redevelopment
Advisory Committee, the Electoral Reform Committee, and the Country Club Heights
Committee. Former Ad Hoc Committees include the Palm Tree Committee and the
Homeless Committee. Within specific areas of responsibility, each advisory body has a
primary role of advising the City Council on policy matters or reviewing specific issues
as directed by the City Council.
The City has adopted a City Council Policy Manual which includes City Council Policy
Nos. 100-2 (Code of Ethics), 100-3 (Anti-Discrimination), 200-2 (Open Meetings –
Brown Act), and 200-3 (Conflict of Interest) which specified policies are also applicable
to all advisory bodies. A copy of these Policies shall be provided to all appointed Ad
Hoc Committee members.
PURPOSE
To define policies and procedures for the appointment by the City Council of members of
Ad Hoc Committees.
CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE, CALIFORNIA
COUNCIL POLICY MANUAL
SUBJECT: Ad Hoc Committee Policy No. 200-5B
Appointments Page No. 2 of 9
IV. POLICIES AND PROCEDURES APPLICABLE TO AD HOC
COMMITTEES
A. General; Methods of Selection
1. General. The City Council shall establish an Ad Hoc Committee
by resolution. Appointments shall be discussed and made in open
session.
2. Method of Selection. Each City Council member shall be entitled
to appoint one person to the Ad Hoc Committee. In the event the
Committee consists of more than five (5) members, each City
Council member shall have an equal number of appointments, with
the Mayor appointing the balance of the members.
3. Staff. As each Ad-Hoc Committee is established and members are
appointed, the City Council shall make clear what level of staff
support is to be provided to the Committee and whether the staff or
committee appointed secretary shall be responsible for keeping
minutes of Committee meetings.
B. Qualifications; Compensation
1. Qualifications.
i. The Resolution establishing the Ad Hoc Committee shall
specify that members shall be at least 18 years of age and such
other qualifications as the City Council deems necessary and
appropriate.
ii. Members of the City Council, City Commissions or other
Ad Hoc Committees are disqualified for membership in any other
Ad Hoc Committee. No person shall be a concurrent member of
more than one Commission or Ad Hoc Committee; provided,
however, that persons serving on multiple commissions or
committees as of the date of adoption of this Policy 200-5A shall
be exempt from this prohibition
CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE, CALIFORNIA
COUNCIL POLICY MANUAL
SUBJECT: Ad Hoc Committee Policy No. 200-5B
Appointments Page No. 3 of 9
iii. Ad Hoc Committee members shall be permitted to retain
membership while seeking any elective office. However, members
shall not use the meetings, functions or activities of such bodies for
purposes of campaigning for elective office.
2. Compensation. Committee members serve on a voluntary basis
without compensation.
C. Term
Each member appointed to serve on an Ad Hoc Committee shall serve
until the Committee completes its mission as determined by the City
Council and/or Redevelopment Agency Board.
D. Officers
The Chair of an Ad Hoc Committee shall be appointed by the Mayor. At
the discretion of the Committee, it may appoint a Vice Chair and/or other
officers. If the City Council and/or Redevelopment Agency Board have
not assigned support staff to assist the Committee in its duties, the
Committee shall appoint a Secretary to keep records of Committee
meetings.
E. Appointments/Oaths
1. The City Council is the appointing body for all Ad Hoc
Committees. All members serve at the pleasure of the City
Council for designated terms.
2. All appointments and reappointments shall be made at a regularly
scheduled City Council meeting, and require an affirmative vote of
not less than a majority of the Council present.
3. Prior to taking office, all members must complete an Oath of
Allegiance required by the Article XX, ¶3, of the Constitution of
CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE, CALIFORNIA
COUNCIL POLICY MANUAL
SUBJECT: Ad Hoc Committee Policy No. 200-5B
Appointments Page No. 4 of 9
the State of California. All oaths are administered by the City
Clerk or his/her designee.
F. Meetings and Officers
1. Agendas/Notices/Minutes
i. All meetings shall be open and public and shall conduct
business through published agendas, public notices and
minutes and follow all of the Brown Act provisions
governing public meetings. Special, cancelled and
adjourned meetings may be called when needed, subject to
the Brown Act provisions.
ii. City staff shall be responsible for properly noticing and
posting all regular, special, cancelled and adjourned
Committee meetings.
iii. Support staff, if any, assigned by the City Manager at the
direction of the City Council or Redevelopment Agency
Board, shall prepare and distribute agendas and keep
minutes of Committee meetings. In the absence of support
staff, the Committee officers shall fulfill this role. Copies
of all meeting agendas, notices and minutes shall be
provided to the City Council, City Manager, City Attorney,
City Clerk and other appropriate staff, as requested and
shall maintained by support staff in accordance with the
City’s adopted Records Retention Schedule.
2. Quorum and Procedures
i. A majority of Ad Hoc Committee members shall constitute
a quorum and a quorum must be seated before official
action is taken.
ii. The Chair of each Ad Hoc Committee shall preside at all
meetings. The Vice Chair or other designated member
CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE, CALIFORNIA
COUNCIL POLICY MANUAL
SUBJECT: Ad Hoc Committee Policy No. 200-5B
Appointments Page No. 5 of 9
shall assume the duties of the Chair when the Chair is
absent.
3. Meeting Locations and Dates
i. Meetings shall be held in the Council Chambers or other
designated City facilities as noticed.
ii. All Ad Hoc Committees shall conduct regular meetings at
least once a month. Special meetings may also be
scheduled as required by the Ad Hoc Committee.
iii. Monthly regular meetings shall have a fixed date and time
established by the Ad Hoc Committee. Changes to the
established regular dates and times are subject to the
approval of the City Council. An exception to this rule
would include any changes necessitated to fill a temporary
need in order for the Ad Hoc Committee to conduct its
meeting in a most efficient and effective way as long as
proper and adequate notification is provided to the Council
and made available to the public.
4. Other Rules and Procedures
Each Ad Hoc Committee may adopt other rules and procedures as
it feels necessary to effectively and efficiently accomplish its
duties.
G. Attendance
1. An Attendance Policy shall apply to all advisory bodies.
Provisions of this policy are listed below.
i. A compilation of attendance will be submitted to the City
Council at least annually listing absences for all
Commissions/Committee members.
CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE, CALIFORNIA
COUNCIL POLICY MANUAL
SUBJECT: Ad Hoc Committee Policy No. 200-5B
Appointments Page No. 6 of 9
ii. Absences, which result in attendance at less than two thirds
of their meetings during the calendar year, will be reported
to the City Council and may result in replacement of the
member by the Council.
iii. Any member who feels that unique circumstances have led
to numerous absences can appeal directly to the City
Council or appropriate City staff member for a waiver of
this policy or to obtain a leave of absence.
2. While it is expected that members be present at all meetings, the
chair should be notified if a member knows in advance that he/she
will be absent.
H. Relationship to Council, Staff and Media
1. Upon referral by the Council, the Ad Hoc Committee shall study
referred matters and return their recommendations and advise to
the Council. With each such referral, the Council may authorize
the City staff to provide certain designated services to aid in the
study.
2. Ad Hoc Committees should not become involved in the
administrative or operational matters of City departments unless
specifically provided in their prescribed powers and duties.
Members may not direct staff to initiate major programs, conduct
large studies, or establish department policy without approval of
the City Council. City staff assigned to furnish staff services shall
be available to provide general staff assistance, such as preparation
of agenda/notice materials and minutes, general review of
department programs and activities, and to perform limited studies,
program reviews, and other services of a general staff nature. Ad
Hoc Committees may not establish department work programs or
determine department program priorities unless specifically
authorized. The responsibility for setting policy and allocating
scarce City resources rests with the City’s duly elected
representatives, the City Council.
CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE, CALIFORNIA
COUNCIL POLICY MANUAL
SUBJECT: Ad Hoc Committee Policy No. 200-5B
Appointments Page No. 7 of 9
3. Additional or other staff support may be provided upon a formal
request to the City Council.
4. The Ad Hoc Committee Chair shall act as the Ad Hoc
Committee’s lead representative. Pursuant to Council Policy 400-
6, no Committee Chairperson or member shall prepare or distribute
an official press release to the media. Committee members may
express personal opinions and comments so long as the member
clarifies that his or her statements do not represent the position of
the Committee and/or the City Council.
I. Council Referrals
The City Manager shall transmit to the designated Ad Hoc Committee all
referrals and requests from the City Council for advice and
recommendations. Ad Hoc Committees shall expeditiously consider and
act on all referrals and requests made by the City Council and shall submit
reports and recommendations to the City Council on these assignments.
J. Recommendations, Requests and Reports
As necessary and appropriate, the agenda for the regular City Council
meeting will include an item called “Commission/Committee Reports,
Announcements and Appointments”. At this time, Ad Hoc Committees
may submit recommendations in writing or reports and may request
direction and support from the City Council. Such requests shall be
communicated to the City Manager in advance so that they may be listed
on the agenda. The Council will receive such reports and
recommendations and, after suitable study and discussion, respond or give
direction.
K. Public Appearance of Ad Hoc Committee Members
When an Ad Hoc Committee member appears in a non-official, non-
representative capacity before the public, for example in a Council
meeting, the member shall indicate that he or she is speaking only as an
CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE, CALIFORNIA
COUNCIL POLICY MANUAL
SUBJECT: Ad Hoc Committee Policy No. 200-5B
Appointments Page No. 8 of 9
individual. If the Ad Hoc Committee member appears as the
representative of an applicant or a member of the public, the Political
Reform Act may govern this appearance. In addition, in certain
circumstances, due process considerations might apply to make an Ad Hoc
Committee member’s appearance inappropriate. Conversely, when a
member who is present at a Council meeting is asked to address the
Council on a matter, the member should represent the viewpoint of the
particular Ad Hoc Committee as a whole (not a personal opinion).
L. Removal
Appointed officials hold office at the pleasure of the City Council. The
City Council may remove a Committee member without notice or a
hearing upon a vote of the majority of the City Council.
M. Resignations
Resignations must be submitted in writing to the City Clerk, who will
distribute copies to City Council and appropriate staff.
N. Unscheduled Vacancies
1. Notice of unscheduled vacancy; Selection. Whenever an
unscheduled vacancy occurs in any Ad Hoc Committee (whether
due to resignation, death, termination, or other causes), the City
Council member who appointed the Ad Hoc Committee member to
begin with shall appoint a replacement member within thirty (30)
days of the vacancy.
2. Emergencies. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the City Council
may, if it finds that an emergency exists, fill the unscheduled
vacancy immediately. A person appointed to fill the vacancy shall
serve only on an acting basis until the final appointment is made
pursuant to this section.
CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE, CALIFORNIA
COUNCIL POLICY MANUAL
SUBJECT: Ad Hoc Committee Policy No. 200-5B
Appointments Page No. 9 of 9
O. Disbanding of Advisory Body
An Ad Hoc Committee may be disbanded due to lack of business or other
cause upon majority vote of the City Council following a recommendation
of the City Council, Committee Chair or appropriate staff.
P. Waiver of Requirements
In the event compliance with any of the above requirements would
seriously interfere with or interrupt the important business of the City, the
City Council may, with the approval of four Council members, waive one
or more of said requirements.
HISTORY
Adopted by Minute Action 11/03/04
Amended by Resolution No. 2006-152 9/12/06