To provide public access to City Council records and other documents maintained by the City Clerk's office, a searchable database is available here. Searches can be done by entering key words, which can further be refined by selecting the document type and/or date. The Document Database contains the following types of documents, which can be browsed by clicking each link:
- Minutes of meetings of the City Council, Community Improvement Commission, Successor Agency to the Community Improvement Commission and Alameda Reuse and Redevelopment Authority
- Resolutions, which are formalized City Council motions
- Ordinances, which are municipal laws adopted by the City Council affecting the general health, safety and welfare of the public
- Agenda Packets, which include the agenda and staff reports for meetings:
- 2012 to present are available in a separate database here that can be searched here
- 2004 to 2011 are in the Document Database for the for the City Council and Community Improvement Commission and Alameda Reuse and Redevelopment Authority are also available here
- Campaign Fundraising Statements (e.g. Form 460):
- Statements of Economic Interests (Form 700) from 2012 to present, which are filed by officials and staff designated in the City's Conflict of Interest Code to disclose economic interests within the City
Voted into place by citizens, the City Charter(PDF, 443KB) describes in detail the form and structure of Alameda's municipal government.
CITY COUNCIL MEETING RULES OF ORDER
(PURSUANT TO CITY OF ALAMEDA RESOLUTION NO. 15382, 15697, 15746, 15772, 15875, 16104 and 16180)
The City Council adopts Rosenberg’s Rules of Order(PDF, 382KB) to govern the proceedings of City Council meetings, with the following exceptions and additions:
1. Suspension of the Rules. A supermajority of the City Council (4 members) may suspend the rules for a specific purpose. When rules are suspended, the vote to do so should state the purpose for suspending the rules.
2. Special Orders of the Day. Ceremonial presentations, announcements and proclamations under Special Orders of the Day shall be limited to no more than fifteen (15) minutes as required by the Sunshine Ordinance. Staff and/or the Mayor will work to prepare recipients prior to the meeting.
3. Public Comment on Non-Agenda Matters. Anyone wishing to speak on matters not on the agenda may do so under “Oral Communication, Non-Agenda.” Comments shall be limited to three (3) minutes if there are less than five (5) speakers or limited to two (2) minutes if there are five (5) or more speakers. As required by the Sunshine Ordinance, the meeting agenda shall provide up to fifteen (15) minutes for this use at the beginning of the meeting. Any speakers not called will be called under the later scheduled non-agenda public comment. Speakers may comment only once on the same topic even where multiple meetings are held on the same day. No speaker may cede time to another.
4. Consent Calendar Items. Agenda items listed under the Consent Calendar are considered routine and will be enacted, approved, or adopted by one motion. Members of the public may comment once on the entire Consent Calendar, but each speaker’s comments shall be limited to three (3) minutes if there are less than five (5) speakers or limited to two (2) minutes if there are five (5) or more speakers. No speaker may cede time to another. Without removing/”pulling” an item from the Consent Calendar, Any Councilmember may speak for up to three (3) minutes to ask clarifying questions, make brief comments or record a vote other than aye. If any Councilmember requests to have a presentation and discussion of a Consent Calendar item, it will be heard after regular agenda items and prior to the vote on the item each Councilmember may ask questions and deliberate for up to five (5) minutes on the item.
5. Public Comment on Regular Agenda Items and Council Referrals. Public comment will be allowed on all agenda items at the time each item is called. All speakers, regardless of elected or appointed status, shall limit comments to three (3) minutes if there are less than five (5) speakers or limited to two (2) minutes for items with five (5) or more speakers. No speaker may cede time to another. Public comment is not permitted on motions. Presentations and Council questions precede public comment. Public comment shall not be used to elicit a debate and speakers are strongly encouraged to avoid personal attacks of members of the Council, staff or public.
6. Presentations. All presentations, except Council Referrals, are limited to 10 minutes and will be timed. Council Referral presentations are limited to five (5) minutes and shall be timed. Councilmembers should refrain from asking questions during presentations. The Mayor's State of the City Address shall not be timed.
7. Council Questions and Comments. Each Councilmember may ask questions and deliberate for up to nine (9) minutes per regular agenda item and up to three (3) minutes per Council Referral. Procedural discussions are not timed. Special meetings and workshops addressing one topic, taking place on a day no other Council meeting is taking place where regular City business is being considered, also will not be timed.
8. Council Communications. Councilmembers can speak under Council Communications for up to nine (9) minutes.
9. Counting Votes. The vote count on a motion will be determined by the majority of the membership unless a greater threshold is required by law. A supermajority is two-thirds of the City Council (4 members).
10. Reviewing, Changing or Rescinding Prior Council Actions. A motion to reconsider any action taken by the Council at that meeting may be made only on the date the action was taken. It may be made either immediately during the same session, or at a recessed or adjourned session thereof. Such motion must be made by one (1) of the prevailing side, and may be made at any time and have precedence over all other motions or while a member has the floor; it shall be debatable. A Council motion, direction, or decision to place an item on an agenda at a future meeting to review, change or rescind a prior Council action or decision, or an item that otherwise is placed on a Council meeting agenda to review, change or rescind a prior Council action or decision (for example, by staff or a Council referral), shall not be deemed, interpreted, or construed as reconsideration of the prior action or decision and thus shall not require the passage of a motion for reconsideration by a supermajority vote.
11. Latest Time a New Agenda Item May Be Called. No new Consent Calendar items, regular agenda items, or Council Referrals will be heard after 11:00 p.m.
The Municipal Code is the body of law that has been enacted by the Alameda City Council. The entire document is available online for easy viewing.
The Sunshine Ordinance is codified in the Alameda Municipal Code and serves as the City's "public policy concerning participation in the deliberations of the City's legislative bodies and to clarify and supplement the Ralph M. Brown Act and the California Public Records Act."
If you have encountered problems regarding compliance with the Ordinance, the Public Records Act or the Ralph M. Brown (Public Meetings) Act, you can file a Sunshine Ordinance complaint online here. A printable form is available here(PDF, 154KB). A complaint must be filed no more than 15 days after an alleged violation of the Sunshine Ordinance. If you have questions or need assistance with filing a complaint, please contact the City Clerk’s office at 510-747-4800 or clerk@alamedaca.gov. The City attempts to resolve complaints informally where possible, through the affected departments and the City Attorney’s office. Matters which cannot be resolved or that involve substantial policy considerations will be set for hearing no later than 30 business days after the complaint is filed.
Employees designated in the City’s Conflict of Interests Code are required to be trained on the Sunshine Ordinance and file annual Declarations. Click here to view the training video. Click here(PDF, 91KB) to view the declaration.
Pursuant to the Sunshine Ordinance, frequently requested information is available here(PDF, 27KB) and the records retention schedule is available here(PDF, 459KB).