Title
Annual Report for City Council Appointive Officer - City Attorney
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FileID
File ID: 2026-01764
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Location
Location: Citywide
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Recommendation
Recommendation: Receive annual report and pass a Motion forwarding to the City Council for review.
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Contact
Contact: Gustavo Martinez, City Attorney, (916) 808-5346, gmartinez@cityofsacramento.org, Office of the City Attorney
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Presenter
Presenter: Gustavo Martinez, City Attorney, (916) 808-5346, gmartinez@cityofsacramento.org, Office of the City Attorney
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Attachments
Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
2-Office of the City Attorney Annual Report & Presentation [Updated 09282026 @4:30PM]
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Description/Analysis
IssueDetail
Issue Detail: The mayor and city council are committed to performing regular annual reviews of its appointive officers. The annual report and appointed-officer evaluation process is intended to move forward to the city council. As appropriate, the city council will meet in closed session, consistent with Government Code section 54957(b), to provide feedback on past accomplishments and direction on goals and objectives for the upcoming year.
Section 72 of the city charter prescribes the appointment and duties of the City Attorney-
The city council shall appoint a city attorney and shall prescribe the qualifications, duties and compensation of such officer. The city attorney shall serve as legal counsel to the city government and all officers, departments, boards, commissions and agencies thereof and shall have such other powers and duties as may be prescribed by state law and by ordinance or resolution of the city council. In situations where the city attorney determines there is a conflict in representation by that office, the city council may authorize the retention or other legal counsel to represent one of the conflicting parties. The city attorney shall appoint all other members of the city attorney’s office.
To this end, the City Attorney serves as legal counsel to the city council, city officers and department staff, city boards and commissions, the Administration, Investment and Fiscal Management Board, the Sacramento City Financing Authority, and the Sacramento Regional Arts Facilities Financing Authority. The City Attorney’s Office provides legal representation in criminal, civil, and administrative litigation, renders advice and counsel, and prepares ordinances, resolutions, contracts, opinions, and other legal documents for the city and its related entities.
The City Attorney’s Office is organized into four operational divisions and an administration division-
• General Counsel & Advisory Division - Provides legal advice and support on all aspects of municipal law, including the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA); the Political Reform Act; public bidding, procurement, and construction; contract negotiation, review, and drafting; transportation; real estate procurement, conveyance, and leasing; solid waste disposal; landfill regulation; Propositions 26 and 218; and open government, including the Brown Act and Public Records Act.
• Strategic Projects & Research Division - Provides strategic support to the city council’s policymaking function by providing legal advice and response on multi-departmental projects and city council initiatives, including issues of homelessness, economic development, public safety, and emergency management.
• Community Advocacy & Public Safety Division - Works collaboratively with city departments on code enforcement; social nuisance abatement; public safety issues, including prosecuting code violations through administrative, civil, or criminal proceedings; social nuisances through civil litigation and training; and advising staff on enforcement matters.
• Litigation Division - Defends and prosecutes civil litigation cases on behalf of the city and its officers and employees acting in the course and scope of employment and provides legal support to Risk Management.
• Administration - Develops and implements office policies and procedures; monitors overall office performance; prepares and administers the office budget; develops and implements education and training; handles hiring, performance evaluation, and other personnel matters; assembles and analyzes office productivity data; and engages in long-range planning.
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PolicyConsiderations
Policy Considerations: Council Rules of Procedure, Chapter 18.
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EconomicImpacts
Economic Impacts: Not applicable.
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EnvironmentalConsiderations
Environmental Considerations:
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA): The proposed action is not a project under CEQA because it is an organizational or administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment. (CEQA Guidelines §15378(b)(5).)
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Sustainability
Sustainability: Not applicable.
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Commission/Committee Action
Commission/Committee Action: Not applicable.
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RationaleforRecommendation
Rationale for Recommendation: Clear communication and performance metrics are at the core of the work of the council and the city. To evaluate council appointive officers on a consistent basis, the Personnel and Public Employee (P&PE) Committee has the role and responsibility of developing and leading annual performance metrics and evaluations.
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FinancialConsiderations
Financial Considerations: Not applicable.
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LocalBusinessEnterprise
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): Not applicable.
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