Two North OC Cities Make it Easier For Policy Discussions

Elected officials successful Cypress and Stanton made it easier for publically argumentation discussions to hap by somewhat streamlining agenda-setting requirements. 

It comes amid concerns the erstwhile requirements were excessively restrictive and perchance silenced bulk metropolis assembly members. 

The agenda-setting overhauls besides travel aft the Anaheim City Council effectively silenced number members successful 2019 erstwhile the Angel Stadium negotiations were kicking off, shutting down debates astir the stadium. 

It wasn’t until an FBI corruption probe surfaced successful 2022 that Anaheim City Council members nixed the request of having 2 assembly colleagues motion disconnected connected an docket proposal. That aforesaid year, the stadium merchantability collapsed. 

[Read: Unsilencing the Minority: Anaheim Residents Might beryllium Able to Push for More Policy Discussions]

At the Cypress City Council’s Jan. 27 meeting, elected officials voted to region a argumentation that required 2 assembly members motion disconnected connected an docket proposal. Now, it lone requires 1 assembly member’s approval.  

Proposed by Mayor David Burke earlier this month, It passed 4-1, with Councilmember Bonnie Peat the dissenting vote. 

Under the caller policy, assembly members whitethorn spot an point connected the docket by submitting a elaborate connection with a requested day and securing the enactment of 1 different assembly member.  

Previously,council members needed backing from up to 2 colleagues, depending connected whether the point would beryllium up for treatment oregon action. 

The overhaul addresses longstanding concerns implicit who controls the agenda, which has historically pitted assembly members against 1 another. 

Burke and erstwhile Councilwoman Frances Marquez, opposed the erstwhile policy and a past effort to limit however galore docket items assembly members could present per year, citing transparency concerns. 

“I was the lone subordinate successful the number and had nary quality to spot items connected the docket to assistance residents,” Marquez said successful an email, reflecting connected her time connected the council. 

Although she said assembly members should beryllium capable to unilaterally adhd items, she is “pleased with the transition of Mayor Burke’s proposal.”

At the meeting, Peat argued to support the existing policy, voicing concerns astir reducing the metropolis manager’s role, stating limiting unit engagement could deprive some assembly members and the nationalist from thoroughly preparing for an agendized item, starring to premature deliberations. 

“I beryllium connected our metropolis manager,” Peat said, “he’s decidedly much qualified than I americium with regards to metropolis concern and what we’re negotiating.”

While yet supporting the alteration successful policy, Councilmember Scott Minikus, besides expressed immoderate reservations with it, claiming there’s country to maltreatment it. 

Supporters of the caller policy, including Burke, assertion it would empower elected officials to advocator for their constituents without further bureaucratic barriers. 

“It feels beauteous atrocious to get elected to bureau by radical of Cypress, that radical travel to you with their concerns and effort to code them and you can’t adjacent get it connected the docket astatine a metropolis assembly meeting,” Burke said, reflecting connected however helium struggled to get items connected the docket his archetypal 2 years connected council.

Stanton Overhauls Agenda-Setting Rules 

On Jan. 28, Stanton Mayor David Shawver besides projected amending the city’s argumentation arsenic an effort to streamline the agenda-setting process, seeking to destruct the request for a ballot to adhd actionable items to the agenda.

Mayor Shawver said his extremity is to prioritize the voices of each assembly subordinate and the districts they represent. 

“​​I deliberation it’s important that each and each 1 of you person the quality to enactment thing connected the docket without having a coagulated ballot connected it,” Shawver said astatine the meeting. 

The existent argumentation requires 2 steps. 

Council members are required to implicit a signifier and verbally petition to adhd an point to the docket during a metropolis assembly meeting. The metropolis clerk past adds these items to the docket for treatment astatine the adjacent meeting. 

However, assembly members cannot instrumentality enactment connected treatment items. 

Council members presently request a bulk ballot to nonstop unit to behaviour probe and hole a unit report. If the point receives a bulk vote, it volition beryllium added to the docket for the adjacent gathering for nationalist hearing, wherever enactment tin beryllium taken connected the item 

Councilman John Warren said helium felt the city’s argumentation was already lax and did not request to beryllium changed. 

“I deliberation we person a alternatively lenient argumentation arsenic is,” said Warren. “I’m trying to fig retired what is the occupation we’re attempting to lick here.”

Mayor Shawver argued that this argumentation alteration would not lone amended ratio but besides transparency. 

“If a bulk said we don’t privation that connected the agenda, it would destruct putting it connected the docket and nationalist input,” said Shawver successful a telephone interview. 

He added that the argumentation alteration would support the public’s close to beryllium a portion of the conversation.

“Otherwise, whoever was trying to get an point connected the docket would person to spell out, scope retired to the radical successful the community, get them to travel down and inquire to person it enactment connected the agenda,” Shawver said. 

Councilman Donald Torres said the voting process ensures items added to the docket are besides a precedence for astatine slightest 1 different assembly member. 

“My interest is that idiosyncratic would infinitely agendize 1 item, and it infinitely gets unopen down,” said Torres. 

Stanton metropolis unit was requested to hole a study connected however North OC cities adhd docket items and contiguous it astatine a aboriginal metropolis assembly meeting.