LJCPA Agenda & Minutes Composition
Suzanne Baracchini
Dear LJCPA Bylaws Update Committee,
Based on my experience as LJCPA Officer (Secretary) since April 2022 I would like to present areas of the Bylaws & Operating Procedures that may benefit from improvement and hereby offer potential solutions.
CP 600-24 Terms & Conditions - States:
6. Conduct of Meetings
6.2 Rules of Procedure The CPG shall adopt rules of procedure for its meetings, such as Robert’s Rules of Order or Rosenberg’s Rules of Order, to provide a uniform means for the CPG to facilitate public meetings, conduct public business, and resolve disputes.
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Therefore these are my suggestions for Agenda and Minutes Composition:
All subcommittee & trustee agendas and minutes to use same branded templates view sample here
Links to be included in Trustee & Subcommittee Agenda & Minutes:
Meeting Materials Page (Subcommittee & Trustee) - to be published no later than 72 hours before a meeting, with the applicants understanding all materials will be shared electronically to the public and trustees.
Subcommittee Minutes (DPR, PRC, PDO, T&T) - provided for approved projects on Trustee Agenda for ratification.
Previous Month Minutes
Elected Official Reports (Trustee Agenda) - saves time, a brief overview can be given during the meeting
Officer Reports (Trustee Agenda) - saves time, a brief overview can be given during the meeting
Recording the meeting (for creation of minutes only) - not to be published in minutes or on LJCPA Website. ∬48:6 Robert's Rules state “The use by the secretary of a recording device can be of great benefit in preparing the minutes, but a transcription from it should NEVER be used as the minutes themselves.”
Suggested LJCPA Trustee Agenda/Minutes Format:
Meeting Time 6-8pm (2 hour max) - unheard items moved to next months agenda
Call to Order
Roll Call
Approve Agenda
Approve previous months Minutes
Non-Agenda Public Comment [2 mins, no discussion, no vote or action]
Non-Agenda Trustee Comment [2 mins, no discussion, no vote or action]
Consent Agenda (Action Item) - consent items are voted together, without presentation or debate. Anyone wishing to remove an item from the Consent Agenda must appear in person, state their name, place of residence or business, relationship to the project and reason for removing the project from the Consent Agenda. The person pulling an item from consent must call out the section of the San Diego Municipal Code and the La Jolla Community Plan that the proposed project violates and provide information to support that violation. The pulled item goes for immediate review under “Local Project Review” at the same meeting if the applicant is in attendance or has given permission to review without them present. Otherwise the pulled item will be added to next month's agenda under Local Project Review.
Comment from Elected Officials, Agencies, other Entities - invite speakers to provide written reports ahead of the meeting so we can link to them in the agenda.
Local Project Review (Action Items) - Projects pulled from consent.
Other business, standing, ad-hoc committees and any discussion items (Action as noticed)
Officers Reports - ask officers to provide reports ahead of a meeting so links can be added to the agenda (saves time).
Content of LJCPA Trustee Minutes - ∬48:2 Robert's Rules States: Content of the Minutes - In an ordinary society, the minutes should contain mainly a record of what was done at the meeting, not what was said by the members. The minutes must never reflect the secretary’s opinion, favorable or otherwise, on anything said or done.
Therefore as per the above section and section ∬48:4, (6) Robert's Rules I propose that the body of the minutes include only:
Main and secondary motions (record name of maker of the motion only)
Committee & Officer reports (include link to report if available)
Points of Order and Appeals with the President's ruling
The naming of any offending members as directed by the President
Roll Call Votes - names of those voting on each side and any abstinences.
The name and subject of a guest speaker but no summary of his/her remarks.
Approval and Correction of the Minutes - minutes will be made available no later than 72 hours before the meeting where they are on the agenda to be approved. This allows an opportunity for the minutes to be reviewed in advance.
As per ∬41:10 Robert's Rules - a formal motion to approve the minutes is not necessary but is standard procedure for LJCPA. Proposed corrections can be handled by unanimous consent but if any member objects to a proposed correction the usual rules governing consideration of amendments to a main motion are applicable.
More to follow..........
Suzanne Baracchini
Trustee & Secretary
La Jolla Community Planning Association
PO Box 889, La Jolla CA 92038
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