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Capitola council directs staff to draft ordinance requiring two councilmembers to request agenda items
Summary
Council voted to direct staff to prepare an ordinance amending the municipal code so that two councilmembers must support placing a non-staff agenda item on a future meeting, citing transparency and collaboration. The action passed unanimously by voice/roll call.
The Capitola City Council on Oct. 9 directed city staff to prepare an ordinance to amend Capitola Municipal Code section 2.0.14 so that two councilmembers must request that an agenda item be placed for discussion.
A city staff presentation summarized research from 24 California agencies: two cities allow a single councilmember to place an item on the agenda, seven allow two councilmembers, and 14 require a majority. Staff explained that because Capitola’s process is codified in the municipal code, changing it would require an ordinance.
Councilmembers who supported the change said requiring two members would encourage collaboration while remaining consistent with the Brown Act. "I think for transparency purposes and for the spirit of collaboration to have two is not cumbersome," one councilmember said during deliberations. Other members said the current informal practice has worked in Capitola’s small-town context and that changes should not be made unless necessary.
During discussion council members asked how the proposed change would interact with Brown Act limits on serial communications and whether the mayor would retain informal ability to work with staff on agenda timing. Staff confirmed the mayor and city manager traditionally collaborate on the agenda but that the municipal code does not distinguish the mayor’s agenda authority from other councilmembers.
Councilmember Jensen moved, and the motion was seconded, to give direction to staff to draft an ordinance that would require two councilmembers to request an agenda item; the motion passed on a roll call with four recorded ayes. City staff said the city attorney and manager would return with proposed ordinance language for future review.
If adopted, the ordinance would change who may place items on the council agenda and require a formal amendment to the Capitola Municipal Code.
