Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Governance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council rescinds advisory‑board handbook and city council protocol manual; asks for new collaborative process
Summary
On April 10 the council voted to rescind both the Board/Commissions/Committees (BCC) handbook (5–0) and, later in the meeting, the City Council protocol manual (motion passed with one abstention). Members asked staff to work with a council working group to develop streamlined guidance.
The Cerritos City Council on April 10 rescinded two governance documents adopted earlier this year: the board/commissions/committees (BCC) handbook and the City Council protocol manual. The rescission votes followed public comment and council debate about the scope and detail of the handbooks.
The BCC handbook rescission: After public comment urging caution and local input, Mayor Pro Tem Linda Johnson moved to rescind the BCC handbook and Council Member Sophia Se seconded; the motion passed 5–0. Supporters said the handbook should not pre‑empt council members’ discretion and that a new council should have the ability to shape appointment guidance.
The protocol manual rescission: Later the council considered the City Council protocol manual. Mayor Pro Tem Johnson made a motion opposing the prior document as too restrictive and asked to rescind it; the motion passed 4–0 with one abstention. Council members criticized the manual’s level of detail and said a more streamlined, collaboratively developed guide is preferable.
Why it matters: Council members and several public speakers said both documents were adopted by a previous council majority and contained prescriptive provisions that some current members said were inappropriate as binding rules for new, elected council members. Public commenter Celia Spitzer urged the council to “leave the appointment process guidelines as they have been for many years” and then to “start from scratch” with a handbook that reflects the new council’s preferences.
Next steps: City staff and the city attorney indicated they will work with council members to develop alternatives. The city attorney recommended the council consider bringing back focused procedures — for example, clear rules on how items are placed on the agenda — rather than a single long manual, and staff said an ad hoc working group could be used to draft a streamlined policy for council review.
Ending: Council directed staff to proceed with rescission and to support a collaborative process for drafting more concise guidance; staff said it would return with suggested procedures and any necessary ordinance or policy changes.
