City Council Agenda Report Writing and Presentations for Report Writers

1. City Council
Agenda Report Writing
and Presentations
for Report Writers
November 17, 2015
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2. This Presentation Will Cover
• General information about City Council meetings
• Agenda Reports
• Recent changes and updates that report writers
should know
• Expectations, presenters, and presentations
• Time to answer questions
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3. What Happens at City Council
Meetings?
• Conduct City business
• Share background and information
• Present or obtain policy decision
• Public Participation
• Presentations and Recognitions
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4. Purpose of Agenda Reports
• Help conduct the public’s business in a fair and open
manner.
• Help understand problems, consider alternatives, and
determine course of action.
• Use to understand and participate in the decision-
making process.
• Use to research and explain issues.
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5. Before you write, consider:
• Why do you need City Council approval?
• How did the issue get to this point?
• What do you think the Council should do?
• Are there any budgetary issues you need to address?
• Who is your audience – City Council, the media,
residents, developers, etc.
Once you have thought about these things,
you are ready to write! 5

6. Standard Agenda Report
• Agenda Placement
(Consent, Public
Hearing, etc.)
• Date
• Subject
• Recommended Action
• Background
• Alternative Action
• Fiscal Impact
• Attachments
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7. Agenda Report Placement
• Consent Calendar
• Public Hearings
• Unfinished Business
• New Business
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8. • Agenda Title – A brief, general description of the
item in 20 easily understood words or less. Include
descriptive keywords as part of the title to make it
simpler to identify and understand.
• Agenda Face Description – A short synopsis or
purpose for the agenda report, which only appears
in the Agenda Face, which is a separate document
produced by City Clerk; along with Recommended
Action.
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9. 9
Agenda Face Summary

10. • Used by the City Council to adopt an ordinance or
resolution, approve a contract, grant, expenditure,
transfer, allocation, or appropriation of funds.
• The course of action that, in staff’s professional
opinion, the Council should take.
• This section also gives the City Manager authority
to sign legal documents.
• Used by Finance to address financial decisions in
the item.
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11. 1) Conduct a public hearing to hear and consider any
protests and other testimony regarding XXXXX.
2) Authorize the City Manager or designee to execute
all contracts and associated documents, or modify
the awards in the event issues of impossibility of
performance arise, contingent upon the
appropriation of funds by the City Council in the
annual budget for such fiscal year, and execute all
documents subject to City Attorney approval.
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12. 3) Introduce and pass to second reading an ordinance
entitled, “XXXXX.”
4) Appropriate funds from the Stormwater Utility Fund
356 to Account 14600-5161.002 in the amount of
$XXX,XXX plus a contingency of $XX,XXX for a total
of $XX,XXX for Fiscal Year 2015-16. Increase
Revenue Account 356-4621.001 by $XXX,XXX in
Fiscal Year 2015-16, in FY 2016-17, contingent
upon the appropriation of funds in the annual
budget for such fiscal years.
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13. • Tells the story necessary to build the case to
support the recommended action.
• Provide any pertinent details and history that paints
a complete picture for the City Council.
• If the City Council or any other commission/board
previously discussed the issue, please highlight this.
• The Background and attachments is all the City
Council will have to make a decision that evening.
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14. • Consult with other departments as necessary to
understand any impacts to them.
• A clear and accurately written agenda report will
help decision making and result in less questions at
the dais.
Alternative Action (Always at least one)
“Other action as determined by the City Council.”
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15. • What is the budget situation?
• Common questions to address include:
• Where is the money coming from and where is it
going?
• Has City Council previously appropriated it?
• If there is no Fiscal Impact, simply enter “None.”
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16. • Know the City Clerk’s agenda deadlines and select an
appropriate City Council meeting date.
• In general, an item’s due date is based on the subject
matter. Time sensitive matters, i.e. awarding a
contract, procuring services, grants; then the due date
must be before the work needs to begin and/or before
a legal or filing deadline must be met.
• Know your department’s “internal agenda process &
deadlines.” Get direction from your supervisor on
desired date(s).
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17. Write Agenda Reports Early
• Draft report at least one month prior to City Council
meeting date – write as close to final draft as possible.
• Send draft resolutions, ordinances, and agreements to
City Attorney’s office as soon as possible.
• Follow department routing forms, procedures, and
schedule.
• Identify issues/problems, i.e. conflict of interest(s)
• Prepare Mayor’s script or City Manager’s talking points,
if needed.
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18. • Create an Agenda Report in MinuteTraq by selecting
a City Council meeting date.
• To save your item, you must fill in the basic fields
including Agenda title, Dept, Report Writer,
Category, Sub-category, Date Certain, Controversial,
Proximity, Length of Presentation, and Presenter.
• Create a personal timeline that allows enough time
for reviews, edits, and still makes the final
deadlines.
How to Schedule Agenda Items
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19. Agenda Forecast
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20. WEDNESDAY
Initial Draft Due
Nov 11, 2015
MONDAY
Pre Agenda
Nov 16, 2015
TUESDAY
Council Meeting
Nov 24 2015
WEDNESDAY
Final Version Due
Nov 18, 2015
WEDNESDAY
Post Agenda
Nov 25, 2015
Agenda Report Timeline
6 Days Before
8 Days Before
13 Days Before
1 Day Later
THURSDAY
Agenda Posts
Publicly
Nov 19, 20155 Days Before
Your Agenda
Report is on
the Agenda.
As the report
writer, you
should attend
the meeting.
Your Agenda
Report is due
to City Clerk.
This means
everyone
else has already
approved it.
Agenda Reports
are discussed.
Questions are
asked
and changes, if
necessary, are
requested at this
meeting.
A final version
of your Agenda
Report is due.
This version would
include any
changes requested
from Pre Agenda.
Follow-up on
items is
discussed. Review
Agenda Forecast.
Attend this meeting.
If approved as
expected, proceed
accordingly, i.e.
execute the
contract, conduct
the study, etc. 20
Agenda materials
available to the
public
View your item
online:
www.santa-
clarita.com/
agendas

21. Who reviews Agenda Reports?
Report Writer
Prepares and proofreads Report
Provides attachments
Division Manager and Support Staff
Reviews for content, issues, and grammar
Resolves issues
Management Analyst
Reviews for content and issues
Reviews financial info and recommended action
Provides direction on presentation
Executive Secretary
Reviews for format and grammar
Reviews attachments
City Manager’s Office
Pre-Agenda Meeting
Provides edits and direction
Finance and Purchasing
Reviews for adherence to purchasing policy
Reviews financial info and recommended action
City Attorney’s Office
Reviews contracts, bid documents, resolutions,
ordinances, conflict issues and agreements.
City Clerk’s Office
Reviews for content, formatting, and consistency
Posts Report and Attachments
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22. Understand the Workflow
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23. Writing Tips
• Have a clear goal in mind before you write and tell
the story; walk the reader through the subject.
• Your first draft will be long – include everything you
think relevant…and cut later.
• Use headings to make the report easier to
read/follow. Know your audience.
• Do not over use acronyms or jargon.
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24. • Template language – Recommended action; local
preference; design award; construction award
• Public Outreach/Noticing; more emphasis and consistency
• Use Santa Clarita 2020 project references
• Contract/Vendor Selection and local vendor - details
• Financial Information – clear explanation of the details
and double check the accounts and amounts.
Don’t Forget!
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25. Mapping Your City
Using the “Mapping
Your City” software
found in rNet, 500’
and 1000’ boundaries
of influence can be
displayed for the City
Council and Planning
Commission to identify
any conflicts of interest
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26. • Public Hearing Notice
• Large Files – Mark as and use “Reading File”
• Agreements
• Images or Maps
• Ordinance - A municipal law, statute, regulation
• Resolution - A formal Council decision, policy or
directive
Attachments
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27. Mayor’s Scripts
Public Hearings
• Required for ALL Public Hearings
• Due with agenda Items
• Specific Format
• Templates
Awards, Recognitions, and Presentations
• Required and written by Staff
• Follows a specific format
• Requires Communications Manager Approval
• Due to City Clerk with final version of agenda item
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28. • Information is correct and current
• Prepared for Council meeting
• Attends Pre-Agenda and Post-Agenda meetings
• Aware of issues or potential questions
• Follow-up with community members at meeting
• Checks with City Clerk on who will handle any follow-
up for an Agenda Item
Expectations of Report Writer
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29. Presentation Best Practices
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Do!
 Be Ready
 Dress Appropriately
 Self Intro
 Practice
 Anticipate
 Visuals
 Consultants
 Q & A
 Sit Down
Don’t!
 Don’t Read or Reread
 Don’t Editorialize
 Don’t Guess
 Don’t Contradict
 Don’t Animate
 Don’t Elaborate

30. Questions?
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