III. Meetings

Rule 3. Regular Meetings and Annual Calendar

Regular meetings generally shall be held on each Tuesday of every month except the Board shall generally not meet on any fifth Tuesday of a calendar month, or on any Tuesday following a Monday holiday. In addition, any meeting may be cancelled upon the order of the Chair, or by a majority of the members of the Board. Regular meetings shall commence at 8:30 a.m. and shall be held at the Board of Supervisors Chambers at 575 Administration Drive, Suite 102A, Santa Rosa, California, unless the time, date and location are changed by a majority vote of the Board, and so noticed. Business shall normally be conducted between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., but may continue past 5:00 p.m., without objection from the Board members present.

Every regular meeting shall include consent and regular items. Most items considered by the Board shall be placed on the consent calendar. Generally, consent items will not be commented on except by the Chair. Any Board member can ask to remove an item from the consent calendar to the regular calendar.

Gold Resolutions may be presented for commendatory or ceremonial purposes following the consent calendar. Resolutions shall not be placed on the Board’s agenda which express political or legislative opinions or intentions which are governed by the guiding principles of the Board’s annually adopted legislative platform. However, exceptions shall be made for policy positions where a majority of the Board makes a finding that such resolution is timely and related to legislation or programs which directly impact matters within the jurisdictional authority of the Board and that were not foreseen by the legislative platform. Upon such finding, the proposed resolution shall be first forwarded to staff for analysis and comment before being placed on the Board’s agenda for consideration. Individual Board Members can sign on to a political resolution in their own capacity as an individual Supervisor outside of a Board meeting.

Regular calendar items should be reserved for policy considerations, major funding decisions, ordinances, public workshops and land use hearings or other public hearings required by law. For each item on the regular calendar, the best practice will be as follows: (1) staff will give a presentation; (2) Board members may then ask questions of staff; (3) the Chair will allow time for public comments; and (4) Board members will comment and consider taking action.

At times, it may be necessary to clarify the Board's desired action. If a Board member believes it is necessary to clarify an action taken by the Board, the Board member may make a motion to clarify the vote. Another Board member may second the vote. At that point, the Board shall clarify the action taken.

At other times, it may be necessary to call the question. This should be a last resort. If a Board member believes there has been a sufficient amount of discussion on a particular item already, the Board member may call the question to end the debate. If another Board member seconds the vote, the Board shall take a vote on the requested action.

An annual calendar of meetings shall be adopted by the Board before the last meeting of the previous year. The calendar will include all known regular meetings.

Rule 4. Special Meetings, Budget Hearings, Workshops and Planning Meetings

Special meetings may be called at any time by the Chair, or by a majority of the members. Upon the call of a special meeting, the Clerk will prepare and distribute, at least 24 hours before the time of the special meeting, written notice to each member and to a local newspaper of general circulation. The notice shall specify the time and place of the special meeting and the business to be transacted or discussed. No other business shall be considered at these meetings (Government Code §54956).

Budget Hearings, Workshops, Study Sessions and Planning Meetings may be called by the Chair or by a majority of the Board at times and locations in accordance with the law and specified notice provisions.

Rule 5. Emergency Meetings

Emergency meetings may be called by the Chair or by a majority of the Board, in the case of an emergency situation involving matters upon which prompt action is necessary due to the disruption or threatened disruption of public facilities. Upon the call of an emergency meeting, the Clerk shall give notice of the meeting, and comply with posting requirements (Government Code §54956.5).

Rule 6. Closed Sessions

Closed sessions of the Board can be called by the Chair or by a majority of the Board, for those purposes allowed by law (Government Code §54956.7).

Prior to holding any closed session, the Chair shall announce the session in an open meeting, and shall provide an opportunity for public comment on items on the closed session agenda. There will not be public comment on items not on the agenda at a special closed session meeting. During the closed session the Board may consider only those items on the agenda. At the conclusion of the closed session the Board shall report, in an open meeting, as required by law, action taken (Government Code §54957.1).