Riverbank council directs redline changes to draft rules and procedures handbook

Riverbank council members reviewed a city-drafted rules and procedures handbook intended to codify meeting rules, decorum, ethics and appointment processes, and directed staff to return with a redline showing the council's requested changes.

Nubia Goldstein of the law firm Weidt, Brenner gave the presentation and said the handbook is a reference built on state law and municipal practice. Goldstein explained the handbook covers Brown Act meeting rules, conflict-of-interest provisions, decorum, committees and appointment processes and that "there are many portions of it that reflect state law."

Council discussion focused on two operational items: creating a formal agenda slot for "council referrals" so members can request future agenda items and how the council appoints representatives to intergovernmental bodies. Several council members said they prefer a volunteer-and-ratify process rather than mayor-only appointments and debated whether intergovernmental appointments should be one- or two-year terms. The city attorney and clerk noted legal constraints from state law but said council can set its own internal procedures for appointments and terms.

Rather than adopting the handbook at the meeting, the council voted 5-0 to have staff prepare a redline draft that incorporates the suggested changes (including adding a council-referral agenda item, removing an erroneous notation that the mayor llegedly sponsors the State of the City, and revising the appointment process language). Council asked staff to return the redline quickly so members can review the written edits before formal adoption.