This report proposes the formal adoption of a policy requiring all City Commissions to establish and adopt their regular meeting calendars for the upcoming calendar year no later than the final meeting of the current calendar year. This policy is intended to promote transparency, support effective governance, and ensure accurate calculation of commissioner attendance in accordance with the Union City Municipal Code and recent updates to the Commission Norms and Guidelines. Adoption of regular calendars will also allow the public and staff to plan for and participate in commission meetings more effectively.

For City Boards and Committees, the adoption of regular meeting calendars will be determined by the City Clerk on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration the operational needs and frequency of meetings of each body.

This action supports the following goals of the City’s Strategic Plan:

• Goal B - Governance and Organization Effectiveness: This policy formalizes meeting planning processes, clarifies commissioner expectations, and improves governance practices across all commissions. By establishing meeting calendars in advance, the City promotes efficiency and accountability in public meeting operations.
• Goal E – Communication and Outreach: Establishing regular meeting calendars in advance improves transparency and ensures that meeting information is accessible to the public. This fosters greater civic engagement and trust in local government decision-making processes.

At its April 28, 2025, meeting, the Legislation and Policy Committee discussed the importance of standardizing meeting scheduling practices to improve public transparency, support staff planning, and clarify attendance expectations for Commissioners. Establishing regular meeting calendars in advance will also assist in accurately calculating commissioner attendance compliance on a calendar year basis as outlined in UCMC Section 2.20.040 and recently adopted Ordinance No. 2025-001.

Currently, while many commissions informally plan their meetings, there is no formal requirement for them to adopt and publish a meeting calendar prior to the start of each year.

The proposed policy will require all City Commissions to formally adopt a regular meeting calendar for the upcoming year no later than their final meeting of the current year. This will ensure that commissioners, staff, and the public are aware of the regular meeting schedule in advance and that attendance calculations are based on a clearly defined set of scheduled meetings.

For City Boards and Committees, the City Clerk will determine the necessity of adopting a formal calendar based on each body's meeting frequency, statutory or policy requirements, and operational needs.

This policy supports the City’s goals of enhancing governance transparency, promoting accountability, and improving operational efficiency.

Staff recommends that the City Council adopt a resolution requiring all City Commissions to establish and adopt their regular meeting calendars for the upcoming calendar year no later than the last regular meeting of the current calendar year. For City Boards and Committees, the adoption of regular meeting calendars will be determined on a case-by-case basis by the City Clerk in consultation with the relevant staff liaisons.