Report Prepared by: Mike Conway, Assistant to the City Manager
Title
SUBJECT: Town Hall Meetings
REPORT IN BRIEF
Set date, times and locations for three Town Hall Meetings in North, Central and South Merced prior to budget discussion for Fiscal Year 2016/2017.
RECOMMENDATION
City Council - Adopt a motion approving setting the dates, times and locations of the Town Hall Meetings for the City Council and authorizing the City Manager to execute the necessary documents.
Body
ALTERNATIVES
1. Approve, as recommended by staff; or,
2. Approve, subject to other than recommended by staff (identify specific findings and/or conditions amended to be addressed in the motion); or,
3. Deny; or,
4. Refer to staff for reconsideration of specific items (specific items to be addressed in the motion); or,
5. Continue to a future meeting (date and time to be specified in the motion).
AUTHORITY
Charter of the City of Merced, Section 200, Section 408 and Section 409.
CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES
As provided for in the 2015-16 Adopted Budget.
BACKGROUND
Prior to the passage of a Charter amendment on November 6, 2007, the City Council was required to meet in the City Council Chambers except in an emergency. The change in the Charter allowed the Council to hold Special Meetings anywhere in the City that was publicly accessible as long as there was proper noticing.
The Council held its first meeting outside the Merced Civic Center on April 30, 2012 at Sacred Heart Social Hall. The Town Hall Meeting was held to discuss the Merced CeaseFire Project, economic development and the re-opening of the McNamara Pool. The room was rated to hold 200 people and was filled to capacity.
The following year the Town Hall Meetings were moved to the larger Tenaya Middle School in South Merced and Rivera Middle School in North Merced. Those two sites were the location of Town Hall Meetings in 2014 and in 2015.
Council used the comments from the community members to help make policy decisions during their budget discussions.
The City does provide Hmong and Spanish translation services at the Town Hall Meetings. In addition, the meetings have been streamed online and recorded on YouTube.
DISCUSSION
During the December 7, 2015 City Council meeting, Council members noted that the City is moving to District elections and expressed an interest in having a third Town Hall Meeting in Central Merced. Staff is suggesting that the Central Merced meeting be held at Hoover Middle School at 800 E. 26th St.
The three middle schools have been contacted about availability for the last two weeks of February and the first two weeks of March. The days listed are the days that the school sites are booked with other events as of January 11.
Tenaya: Feb. 24, Feb. 26
Rivera: Feb. 16, Feb. 17, Feb. 23, Feb. 24, March 2, March 9
Hoover: March 1, March 8.
Once Council has selected dates for the Town Hall Meetings staff will fill out Facility Use applications with the Merced City School District for the three gyms and auditoriums and submit them for approval. Staff will arrange with METV and interpreters for their services.
Also at the December 7, 2015 meeting Council expressed an interest in having a Town Hall Meeting with Downtown Businesses. That meeting can be set up as part of the Ad Hoc Committee that will be addressing Downtown issues.
IMPACT ON CITY RESOURCES
Costs associated with the South and North Merced Town Hall Meetings were included in the budget. Staff will find funds either in the contingency budget or other funds for the Central Merced meeting.