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 5^th 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