Title
Adopt an ordinance to amend Chapter 2.04 of the Monterey County Code to permit the Board of Supervisors, and its standing and advisory committees, to hold regular meetings at locations other than the county seat (Salinas, California) (Referral 2015.03).
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
Adopt an ordinance amending the Monterey County Code to permit the Board, and its standing and advisory committees, to meet at locations other than the county seat (Salinas, California).
SUMMARY:
This ordinance amending the County Code was introduced on September 15, 2015, at which time the matter was set for adoption on September 29, 2015.
State law and the County Code require that the Board of Supervisors hold its regular meetings at the county seat, which is Salinas. Committees of the Board (standing and advisory) must also hold their regular meetings in Salinas. In Board referral no. 2015.03, Supervisor Parker requested that the County Code be amended to allow Board committees to meet at locations outside the Government Center in order to allow the committee members flexibility to choose alternative public locations as needed to better meet the goals of the committee and improve public outreach. The proposed amendment to the County Code described herein would permit the Board and its committees to hold regular meetings at locations within the county other than Salinas.
DISCUSSION:
Government Code section 25081 generally requires that regular meetings of a board of supervisors be held at the county seat. The provisions of the California Open Meeting Law, the Brown Act (Government Code section 54950 et seq.) require that a board of supervisors provide for the location of its regular meetings. Accordingly, for Monterey County, Section 2.04.030 of the County Code provides that all regular meetings of the Board be held at the county seat, specifically at 168 W. Alisal Street, Salinas, California. The Brown A...
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