Legislative Analyst Report - Meeting Schedules (File No. 011548)
LEGISLATIVE ANALYST REPORT
To: The Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Elaine Forbes, Legislative Analyst
Date: November 13, 2001
File no: 011548
Subject: Meeting Schedules
Summary of Request
A motion introduced by Supervisor Daly and approved by the Board of Supervisors directed the Office of the Legislative Analyst (OLA) to study and report on meeting schedules and preparation times of the other 57 Boards of Supervisors in California counties.
Background: OLA Survey of County Boards of Supervisors
The OLA surveyed 57 county boards of supervisors in California to determine board-meeting schedules. This report also compiled population data and the number of board members in each county for comparative purposes. The OLA selected a sample of 11 of the larger California county boards to determine average meeting length and preparation time. The OLA also queried this smaller sample as to how board members prepare for meetings. Notably, the 57 boards surveyed are all 5 member county boards, differing from San Francisco"s 11 member Board of Supervisors, which governs the City and County of San Francisco.
Analysis & Findings
Of the 57 County Board"s surveyed, all, with the exception of Calaveras County and San Francisco, meet on Tuesday mornings between 8:30 and 10 am, and most - 63% - meet weekly (see Attachment 1: Meeting Schedules). Two county boards, the San Diego and Sacramento Board of Supervisors, meet twice a week. The remaining counties meet four (5%) (miss potential 5th meeting in long months), three (14%) and two times (14%) per month. Among the counties that have similar population sizes to San Francisco (776,733)1, all with the exception of Fresno (twice per month), San Mateo (three times per month), and Sacramento (bi-weekly), meet weekly.
Of the 11 counties sampled - Alameda, Contra Costa, Los Angeles, Marin, Napa, Sacramento, San Diego, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz and Sonoma - the average hours in full board meetings is 20 hours per month, with a range from 6½ to 69 hours (see Attachment 2: Meeting Lengths). According to the San Francisco Clerk of the Board, the San Francisco Board is in full board meetings approximatley 19 hours per month, which is just slightly below the average of the sample. However, other boards tend to have fewer committees, which require fewer hours.
In terms of meeting preparation, board staff, including legislative aids and board clerks, indicated that reading board packets is the primary method by which board members prepare for meetings. Of the 11 counties surveyed, board packets include departmental materials (11 of 11), staff reports (budget analyst, policy analyst and/or legislative analyst reports) (10 of 11), information provide by the City Attorney"s Office (9 if 11) and in some instances, a summary provided by the sponsoring Supervisor (2 of 11). The meeting preparation time depends on the agenda and preferences of board members and staff. Consequently, the range for preparation time is between 1-hour and 2 days.
Conclusion
Of California"s 58 county boards, with the exception of Calaveras and San Francisco County, all meet Tuesday mornings. Most boards meet weekly, and the large counties average 20 hours per month in full board meetings (not including board recesses). Reviewing committee packets, which include supporting information and analysis, is the primary method by which board members prepare for meetings.
Attachment 1: Meeting Schedules
|
County |
Population |
Number of Supervisors |
Meeting Schedule |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Los Angeles |
9,519,338.00 |
5 |
weekly, Tuesday, 9:30am |
|
Orange |
2,846,289.00 |
5 |
weekly, Tuesday, 9:30am |
|
San Diego |
2,813,833.00 |
5 |
bi-weekly, Tuesday and Wednesday 9am |
|
San Bernardino |
1,709,434.00 |
5 |
weekly, Tuesday, 10am |
|
Santa Clara |
1,682,585.00 |
5 |
weekly, Tuesday, 9:30am |
|
Riverside |
1,545,387.00 |
5 |
weekly, Tuesday, 9am |
|
Alameda |
1,443,741.00 |
5 |
weekly, Tuesday, 9:30am |
|
Sacramento |
1,223,499.00 |
5 |
bi-weekly, Tuesday and Wednesdays, varied mornings & evenings |
|
Contra Costa |
948,816.00 |
5 |
weekly, Tuesday, 9am |
|
Fresno |
799,407.00 |
5 |
2nd and 4th Tuesdays, 9am |
|
San Francisco |
776,733.00 |
11 |
weekly, Monday, 2pm |
|
Ventura |
753,197.00 |
5 |
weekly, Tuesday, 8:30am |
|
San Mateo |
707,161.00 |
5 |
first, 3rd, and last Tuesday, 9am |
|
Kern |
661,645.00 |
5 |
weekly, Tuesday, 9am |
|
San Joaquin |
563,598.00 |
5 |
weekly, Tuesday, 9am |
|
Sonoma |
458,614.00 |
5 |
weekly, Tuesday, 8:30am |
|
Stanislaus |
446,997.00 |
5 |
weekly, Tuesday, 8:30am |
|
Monterey |
401,762.00 |
5 |
weekly, Tuesday, 9-4 |
|
Santa Barbara |
399,347.00 |
5 |
weekly, Tuesday, 9am |
|
Solano |
394,542.00 |
5 |
First, second, and fourth Tuesdays, 9am |
|
Tulare |
368,021.00 |
5 |
weekly, Tuesday, 9am |
|
Santa Cruz |
255,602.00 |
5 |
Weekly, Tuesday, 9am (only 4 meetings per month) |
|
Placer |
248,399.00 |
5 |
twice a month, Tuesday, time varies |
|
Marin |
247,289.00 |
5 |
weekly, Tuesday, 10am |
|
San Luis Obispo |
246,681.00 |
5 |
weekly, Tuesday, 9am |
|
Merced |
210,554.00 |
5 |
weekly, Tuesday, 10am |
|
Butte |
203,171.00 |
5 |
Every two weeks, Tuesday, 9am |
|
Yolo |
168,660.00 |
5 |
1st, 3 and 4th Tuesday, 9am |
|
Shasta |
163,256.00 |
5 |
weekly, Tuesday, 9:30am |
|
El Dorado |
156,299.00 |
5 |
weekly, Tuesday, 9am |
|
Imperial |
142,361.00 |
5 |
Every other Tuesday, 10am |
|
King |
129,461.00 |
5 |
weekly, Tuesday, 9:30am |
|
Humboldt |
126,518.00 |
5 |
weekly, Tuesday, 9am |
|
Napa |
124,279.00 |
5 |
weekly, Tuesday, 9am |
|
Madera |
123,109.00 |
5 |
weekly, Tuesday, 9:30am |
|
Nevada |
92,033.00 |
5 |
weekly, Tuesday, 10am |
|
Mendocino |
86,265.00 |
5 |
weekly, Tuesday, 8:30am |
|
Sutter |
78,930.00 |
5 |
weekly, Tuesday, 10am |
|
Yuba |
60,219.00 |
5 |
weekly, Tuesday, 10am |
|
Lake |
58,309.00 |
5 |
First, second, third and fourth Tuesdays of each month, 9am |
|
Tehama |
56,039.00 |
5 |
weekly, Tuesday, 10am |
|
Tuolumne |
54,501.00 |
5 |
weekly, Tuesday, 9am |
|
San Benito |
53,234.00 |
5 |
1st, 2nd, and 3rd Tuesdays, 9:30am |
|
Siskiyou |
44,301.00 |
5 |
weekly, Tuesday, 9am |
|
Calaveras |
40,554.00 |
5 |
weekly, 9am, Monday |
|
Amador |
35,100.00 |
5 |
weekly, Tuesday 9am |
|
Lassen |
33,828.00 |
5 |
weekly, Tuesday, 9:30am |
|
Del Norte |
27,507.00 |
5 |
2nd and 4th Tuesdays, 10am |
|
Glenn |
26,453.00 |
5 |
1st, 3rd, and last Tuesday, 9am |
|
Plumas |
20,824.00 |
5 |
first three Tuesdays, 10am |
|
Colusa |
18,804.00 |
5 |
weekly, Tuesday, 9am |
|
Inyo |
17,945.00 |
5 |
first four Tuesdays, 9am |
|
Mariposa |
17,130.00 |
5 |
first four Tuesdays, 9:15am |
|
Trinity |
13,022.00 |
5 |
first and third Tuesday, 9am |
|
Mono |
12,853.00 |
5 |
1st, 2nd, and 3rd Tuesdays, 9am |
|
Modoc |
9,449.00 |
5 |
1st, 3rd, and 4th Tuesdays, 9am |
|
Sierra |
3,555.00 |
5 |
twice a month, 1st and 3rd Tuesday, 9am |
|
Alpine |
1,208.00 |
5 |
1st and 3rd Tuesday, 9am |
Attachment 2: Meeting Lengths
Average Meeting Length
|
County |
Population |
Number of Supervisors |
Number of hours per month (4.3 weeks per month) |
Meeting Preparation Time |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Sacramento |
1,223,499.00 |
5 |
8/ 16 per week |
68.8 |
Varies |
|
Santa Cruz |
255,602.00 |
5 |
6 1/2 |
28 |
Varies |
|
San Diego |
2,813,833.00 |
5 |
3/ 6 per week |
25.8 |
2 hours per item |
|
Napa |
124,279.00 |
5 |
5 |
21.5 |
2hr-2days |
|
Santa Clara |
1,682,585.00 |
5 |
4 |
17.2 |
12 hours |
|
Los Angeles |
9,519,338.00 |
5 |
3 |
12.9 |
Varies |
|
Sonoma |
458,614.00 |
5 |
3 |
12.9 |
2 days |
|
Contra Costa |
948,816.00 |
5 |
2 1/2 |
10 3/4 |
Varies |
|
Marin |
247,289.00 |
5 |
2 1/2 |
10.75 |
2 days |
|
Alameda |
1,443,741.00 |
5 |
2 |
8.6 |
10 hours |
|
San Mateo |
707,161.00 |
5 |
3 |
6.45 |
Varies |
1 2000 Census, U.S. Census Bureau