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09 Staff Report.Council Staff and Community Values Reviewed by: Town Manager, Assistant Town Manager, Town Attorney, and Finance Director 110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● (408) 354-6832 www.losgatosca.gov TOWN OF LOS GATOS COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT MEETING DATE: 09/05/2023 ITEM NO: 9 DATE: August 29, 2023 TO: Mayor and Town Council FROM: Laurel Prevetti, Town Manager SUBJECT: Discuss and Provide Direction for the Use of the Town Council, Staff and Community Values RECOMMENDATION: Discuss and provide direction for the use of the Town Council, Staff and Community Values. BACKGROUND: On June 13, the Town Council held a retreat. During the retreat, the Council members identified the values they want to promote in guiding how they and staff engage with community members, and how they would like community members to engage with them at Council meetings and other forums. DISCUSSION: The values are intended to supplement the Meeting Rules of Decorum and Civility by describing the elements of constructive communication when Council, staff, and community members interact with each other. To promote constructive communication in conducting the business of the community, Council members, staff, and community members are encouraged to embrace and adhere to the following values: • Be respectful, welcoming, inclusive, compassionate, and kind to each other, • Appreciate the diversity of perspectives and views in our community, • Express your views and share your perspectives in helpful ways, • Listen to understand and empathize with each other, and • Collaborate and work together to do what is best for Los Gatos. Council agreed that the community values should be included in the Town Council Policy 2-4: Town Council Code of Conduct (Code of Conduct) when the Town Council is ready to consider amendments to that Council Policy. At the retreat, the Council also discussed including the PAGE 2 OF 3 SUBJECT: Discuss and Provide Direction for the Use of the Town Council, Staff and Community Values DATE: August 29, 2023 DISCUSSION (continued): values on meeting agendas. There is also an opportunity to display the values on posters located in Department offices where the public interacts with staff and in the Council Chamber lobby. Some communities have also placed their values on the back of the Speaker Cards so the expectations for respectful participation are clear. This agenda item provides the Town Council an opportunity to receive public input, make refinements to the values, and direct how the values could be utilized. In addition, depending upon the Council’s direction for the use of the values, the Town Council may wish to also provide direction on the civility guidelines that are found in the Code of Conduct and Town Council Policy 2-1: Town Agenda Format and Rules. Among potential changes, staff recommends removing the sentence, “Disruption of the meeting may result in a violation of Penal Code Section 403” for the following two reasons: 1) Disruption of the meeting IS a violation of PC Section 403. Disrupters MAY be cited. 2) This is just one potential consequence out of several and it may not be necessary to call it out. If Council directs such a change, these Policies would return to Council for consideration. If approved, the agenda language would also change to be consistent with the Policies. CONCLUSION: Staff looks forward to the Council’s discussion and direction with respect to the draft values and associated Policies. COORDINATION: The preparation of this report was coordinated with all Town Department Directors and the Town Attorney. FISCAL IMPACT: This agenda item does not have a fiscal impact. If Council directs the preparation of a poster for the Council Chambers Lobby, modifications to our Speaker Cards, or other printed materials, the costs would be minimal and the Adopted Town Budget covers these expenses. PAGE 3 OF 3 SUBJECT: Discuss and Provide Direction for the Use of the Town Council, Staff and Community Values DATE: August 29, 2023 ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT: This agenda item is not a project defined under the California Environmental Quality Act, and no further action is required.