Report Prepared by: John Tresidder, Interim Assistant City Clerk, City Clerk's Office
Title
SUBJECT: Confirmation of the Use of Action Minutes as the Official Record of City Council
REPORT IN BRIEF
Considers the confirmation of action minutes as the official record of City Council for regular meetings and brief summary minutes for meetings such as town halls and budget sessions where Council policy direction may be given but no official actions are taken.
RECOMMENDATION
City Council - Adopt a motion confirming action minutes as the official record of City Council for regular meetings and brief summary minutes for City Council meetings when no official actions are taken; and, adding section C-5 City Council Minutes to the City Council Administrative Policies.
Body
ALTERNATIVES
1. Confirmation of action minutes by City Council; or,
2. Approve subject to amendments (specified in motion); or,
3. Continue to a future meeting; or,
4. Deny
AUTHORITY
City of Merced Charter, Section 200.
CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES
Government transparency.
DISCUSSION
At their meeting of October 19, 2015, Council discussed the current format of minutes provided by the City Clerk's office. At that time, Council expressed an interest in the final decision of the City Clerks Association of California when it had been reached.
The City Clerks Association of California (CCAC) has published its Guidelines for Preparing Minutes and has recommended municipalities consider adopting these guidelines that call for either brief summary or action style minutes. Attached is a chart describing the features and benefits of both brief summary and action style minutes.
Presently, the City uses long-form summary style minutes, as opposed to brief summary or action minutes. Long-form summary minutes provide a very detailed account of the meeting, covering major points, speaker comments (both legislative body and public), and the flow of the discussion. In past ye...
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