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Councilmember-Requested Item Policy <br />September 19, 2023 <br />Page 2 <br />3 <br />7 <br />2 <br />2 <br />Councilmember-Requested Items <br />Section 411 of the Santa Ana City Charter states, in part, that “any member of the City <br />Council may place items on the City Council agenda to be considered by the City <br />Council.” Councilmember-requested items are discussion items only; the City Council <br />does not take any action. Councilmember-requested items may include any issue within <br />the City Council’s jurisdiction, such as requests for policy research, drafting resolutions <br />and ordinances, and providing direction to City staff relating to the implementation <br />and/or evaluation of a policy. <br />The City Council Handbook, which is prepared annually by the City Manager’s Office <br />and City Clerk’s Office, provides administrative guidance on certain procedures relating <br />to the City Council, including councilmember-requested items. Regarding <br />councilmember-requested items, the current edition of the City Council Handbook states <br />the following: <br />COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM <br />Any member of the City Council may place items on the agenda that are <br />staff directives or policy changes. They are listed on the agenda <br />pursuant to Charter § 411. Items may be added by emailing the Clerk of <br />the Council and City Manager. <br />The “Council Agenda Item” provision of the City Council Handbook is the only written <br />guidance that exists relating to councilmember-requested items. <br />At the August 16, 2022 meeting, members of the City Council discussed the creation of <br />a policy to provide guidance to the City Council, with the goal of presenting <br />councilmember-requested items to facilitate efficient and effective discussion among the <br />members of the City Council. Specifically, the City Council discussed the creation of a <br />policy that might include the following elements: <br />•Each councilmember-requested item is accompanied by a written report that <br />outlines the following: <br />o Topic: Use plain language to describe the topic of the report. <br />o Subject: Describe the action and subject of the report. <br />o Councilmember-Requested Item Title: Describe the action you are <br />requesting, which relates to the topic of the report. <br />o Discussion: Provide a brief chronology of the item. Identify issues. If there <br />is a provision of law, rule, policy, and/or previous City Council action <br />related to this item, note it in this section. Provide a brief explanation of the <br />item, focusing on data collection, analysis, and evaluation. <br />•Prior to the report being published as part of the City Council meeting agenda, <br />the councilmember informs the City Manager, City Clerk, and City Attorney of the <br />councilmember-requested item. <br />•Once the report is written and after the councilmember informed the City <br />Manager, City Clerk, and City Attorney, the councilmember submits the report to <br />the City Manager’s Office and City Clerk’s Office to be added to an upcoming