TO: LINDA REICH, CITY MANAGER
FROM: NATALIE GONZAGA, CITY CLERK
SUBJECT
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Action Minutes.
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RECOMMENDATION
Adopt Resolution 2026-008, approving the transition to the use of Action Minutes format for all regular, special, and committee meetings of the Chino City Council / Successor Agency to the Redevelopment Agency / Chino Public Financing Authority and Commission Meetings.
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FISCAL IMPACT
No fiscal impact.
CITY OF CHINO MISSION / VISION / VALUES / STRATEGIC ISSUES
The recommendation detailed above furthers the City’s values and strategic issues that serve
as key pillars on which identified priorities, goals, and action plans are built, by fostering:
• Effective Technology
BACKGROUND
The City currently prepares written minutes that include narrative summaries of City Council, Planning Commission, and Community Services, Parks & Recreation Commission proceedings. At the same time, the City maintains comprehensive and redundant audio and video recordings of City Council Meetings, and audio recordings of Commission and Committee meetings. These recordings are securely stored and backed up and provide a full and verbatim record of the meetings.
Many cities use action minutes as their official written record while relying on meeting recordings to preserve the full context of discussion.
Minutes classified as action minutes typically keep a record of the following information:
• The meeting date, start and end times, location, and type of meeting (regular, special, adjourned)
• The names of legislative body members and staff present
• A description of the agenda items discussed
• A list of public speakers, and indication of whether they were in favor or opposed to the item when applicable
• A statement of action (motion, resolution, ordinance) and a record of the vote
• Statements made “for the record”
• Follow up action, if necessary.
ISSUES/ANALYSIS
Action minutes document the actions taken by the City Council and Commissions, including motions, votes, and direction to staff, without summarizing individual comments. This approach improves efficiency, reduces the potential for disputes over wording, and strengthens the consistency of the City’s records.
Because the City maintains comprehensive and redundant meeting recordings, transparency and public access to the full proceedings will be preserved. The recordings will continue to serve as the reference for any questions regarding discussion or intent, while the minutes will clearly reflect official actions.
Transitioning to action minutes will increase consistency in the City’s official records, reduce the potential for disputes over wording or interpretation, maintain transparency by directing the public to the full meeting recordings, and align City practices with widely used municipal standards.
Therefore, it is recommended to approve the transition to the use of Action Minutes for all regular, special, and committee meetings of the Chino City Council / Successor Agency to the Redevelopment Agency / Chino Public Financing Authority and Commission meetings. If approved, staff will begin preparing action minutes, continue to maintain and archive meeting recordings with existing or enhanced backup protocols, and provide links to recordings for public access alongside posted minutes and upon request.
Attachment - Resolution 2026-008