Working With City Council Committees

September 24, 2011

Presented by:

Shannon HoppesOffice of the City Clerk

Council and Public Services(213) 978-1050

Shannon.Hoppes@LACity.org

Council and Public Services

Some responsibilities include:

– Assist in running Council meetings

– Record keepers for Council meetings

– Write reports for Council consideration

– Prepare all Council related agendas

– Receive, process, and refer all incoming

reports

– Record all legislative actions of Council

– Process contracts

– Receive/process all claims2

Presentation Overview

– Legislative Process

– Committees Members and their responsibilities Formation Contacts

– Council File Management System Access Navigate Features

3

Presentation Overview

– How to Track Important Issues Early Notification System (ENS) (agenda,

referral subscriptions) Council/Committee Audio/Video on Demand

– Community Impact Statements (CIS) What is a CIS? Why is a CIS important? How does a Neighborhood Council submit a

CIS? Helpful hints

4

Legislative Process Motion/department report is introduced/ submitted

President/Clerk sends to appropriate committee(s)

Item processed through City Clerk

Committee holds hearings and forwards to Council with recommendation(s)

Council votes on committee recommendation(s) and Council can:

Approve - City Attorney prepares ordinance

Reject and/or return to committee(s)

5

Legislative Process Continued…

Most Council actions require eight votes

Ordinances require 12 votes

If ordinance is not approved with unanimous vote of 12, item is held over for second vote

Ordinances must be signed by Mayor before they become law

Council can override Mayoral veto within 45 days with 10 votes

6

Committees Members

– Appointed by Council President

– Up to five members, seven for Ad Hocs

– 15 Standing, 3 Ad Hoc

Responsibilities

– Become informed of City business and oversee functions of City government

– Report information and make recommendations for Council to properly legislative

Formed

– Per Charter

– Typically every odd year by Council President

– By Resolution adopted by Council7

City Council Committees:

http://cityclerk.lacity.org/cps/pdf/clkasgn.pdf

8

Council File Management System (CFMS)

What is CFMS?

– Comprehensive, electronic file index of Council Files

– Summary and detail of all legislation considered or acted on by Council

– Contains records of legislation, commendatory resolutions, Council votes, scanned reports/documents

9

Access – www.lacity.org

10

Access

CFMS

Access –

www.cityclerk.lacity.org

11

Features of CFMS

Simple and Advanced search

Reporting capabilities

Hyperlinks within reports

All-in-one viewing

– Council File activity

– Documents linked to file activity

– Council votes

RSS feeds

E-mail notifications 12

13

Conduct searches two ways:

Simple and Advanced Search

Access Help info

14

Navigate

15

Navigate

16

Navigate

17

18

Reporting Features

19

Reporting Features

20

21

RSS Feed and

Email

Notification

How to Track Important Issues

Use Your Tools/Resources

Access the City’s/Clerk’s websites– Subscribe via the Early Notification System (ENS) to:

Agendas – Council, Committees, Commissions Council Referrals

– CFMS RSS Feeds E-mail notifications

– View calendars and meeting schedules

– Video/Audio on Demand - view past and present Council and Committee meetings

– Subscribe to City Clerk’s Twitter account -http://twitter.com/#!/LACityClerk 22

How to Advocate for

Important Issues

Build a Rapport

– Council Offices

– City Clerk’s Office

– Departments/Commissions

– Other Neighborhood Councils

23

24

ENS,

Calendars,

Agendas,

Council,

Commission,

and

Department

Contact Info

Access –

www.cityclerk.lacity.org

25

Audio/

Video on

Demand

Agendas

Various Subscriptions

Via ENS

26

CommunityImpact Statements

Official statements and positions adopted by a Neighborhood Council on issues pending before the City’s decision makers

Community Impact Statements can be about any issue for which there is a Council File

Neighborhood Councils can express support, opposition, suggestions, or modifications to and about any matter pending before the City Council, its committees, or City commissions

27

A Way to Make Your Community’s Voice Heard

A way for Neighborhood Council’s to weigh in on matters

CISs indicated on official agendas of the City Council, its committees, and City commissions

Permanent part of Council Files

28

What are Official Statements and Positions?

29

Express the position of a Neighborhood Council as a whole, and should not be used to express personal opinions

Statements accepted from NCs that have governing boards in place, and have voted in a public meeting (in accord with the Brown Act) to approve the Statement or to establish the process for issuing Statements

Either the Statement, or an attachment thereto, should include information about how the Statement was arrived at and approved by the NC. Was the vote by the entire NC, by a committee, or by an

officer authorized by the NC board to take positions?

How to Submit Community Impact Statements

Can be sent to the City Clerk via online, email, mail, fax, or hand-delivery

Online Access– Each NC Board may designate up to 5 individuals who will

have Passwords and IDs to log onto the on-line CIS system.

– All requests for access to the on-line system are handled by staff with Neighborhood Empowerment.

– The on-line log-in can be accessed from through the web page of the Clerk of the City or through DONE’s web page.

All statements MUST contain a Council File number.

30

How to Submit Community Impact Statements

Can be sent to the City Clerk via– Internet

http://cityclerk.lacity.org/cis/

– Email

Assigned Committee Clerk or Sharon.dickinson@lacity.org

– Fax

213-978-1079

– Mail/Hand-delivery

City Clerk, 200 N. Spring Street, Room 395, Los Angeles, CA 90012

31

Helpful Hints

Be proactive – form generic statements on specific topics

Email statements directly to City Clerk

No longer 100 word limit to statements

32

33

34

Using the CIS

Web Service

Using the CIS Web Service

35

36

Using the CIS

Web Service

37

Using the CIS Web Service

How To Submit Guide

38

CIS Referenced

on Council Agenda

39

Sample Statements

40

Submitted via Internet

Fax

Submitted via Fax

Sample Letter Accompanying Community Impact Statement

41

Resources to Help You Succeed

42

Department of Neighborhood Empowerment: http://www.lacityneighborhoods.com. Tel. (213) 485-1360.

City Clerk: http://cityclerk.lacity.org. Tel. (213) 978-1020.

City’s website: www.LACITY.org.

Thank YouFor Getting Involved

In Your City Government

Office of the City Clerk

Council and Public Services Division

Room 395, City Hall

200 North Spring Street

Los Angeles, CA 90012

(213) 978-1133

www.lacity.org

September 24, 2011

Presented and Prepared

by:

Shannon HoppesOffice of the City Clerk

Council and Public Services