TITLE:
title
REVIEW OF CITY COMMITTEES
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DEPARTMENT: CITY MANAGER’S OFFICE/CITY CLERK DIVISION
PRESENTED BY: BRENDA GREEN, CITY CLERK
CONTACT INFORMATION: BRENDA GREEN, CITY CLERK, (714) 754-5221
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Staff recommends the City Council:
1. Review Committees Statement of Work and provide direction.
2. Dissolve the Historical Preservation Committee and direct staff to facilitate an agreement with the Costa Mesa Historical Society.
3. Approve the following changes:
a. Adjust the Committees membership to consist of seven (7) members, except the Access, Building, Fire & Housing Board of Appeal, and Traffic Impact Fee Ad Hoc Committees, which shall consist of five (5) members, through attrition as terms expire.
b. Eliminate the Committee Alternate positions, through attrition as terms expire.
c. Limit the number of Ad Hoc Committees to one (1) at a time, unless due to special circumstances, in which case the City Manager may authorize one (1) additional Ad Hoc Committee. The Ad Hoc Committee will be set for a certain duration of time, not to exceed six (6) months. There shall be no standing committees, subcommittees or working groups.
4. Allow the City Manager the flexibility to adjust dates, durations, and times of meetings to ensure proper staff coverage, and to address issues of immediate concern for maximum effectiveness.
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BACKGROUND:
Costa Mesa’s system of commissions and committees provides a mechanism for residents who have specialized experience or interests to participate in the City's decision-making process by advising the City Council on numerous issues. The commissions and committees’ system provides the opportunity to interact creatively with people of all ages, interests, and backgrounds. Democracy can be realized when citizens are able to come together across diverse neighborhood and economic backgrounds to assist in making the community decisions that will improve the quality of life in our City.
Following are the current City Committees including the Scope of Work:
Access, Building, Fire & Housing Board of Appeal
This Committee consists of five (5) regular member positions and two (2) alternate positions each serving four-year terms. The committee consists of members who live or work in Costa Mesa who are qualified by experience and training to advise on matters pertaining to building construction and who are not employees of the jurisdiction. Appeals from determinations and orders by the building official and/or the fire marshal shall be to the Access, Building, Fire and Housing Board of Appeals (the “board”).
Housing and Public Service Grants Committee
This Committee consists of nine (9) regular member positions and one (1) alternate positions each serving two-year terms. The committee helps to promote community understanding of the activities funded by the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department (HUD), and Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) with a focus on social service grants. Additionally, the committee rates and ranks applications for CDBG public service grants, ultimately developing funding recommendations for City Council.
Mobile Home Park Advisory Committee
This Committee consists of nine (9) members each serving two-year terms: Two mobile home park owners (or their representative); five mobile home park resident owners; and two independent citizens at-large with no affiliation or relationship with mobile home parks. The Committee helps to improve the quality of life in mobile home parks and to review matters concerning mobile home parks in the City through healthy communication with park owners, manufactured home owners, and the City Council.
Finance and Pension Advisory Committee
This Committee consists of nine (9) regular member positions each serving two-year terms. The Committee:
a. Provides advice to the City Council regarding events and issues which may affect the financial status of the City, including proposed state or federal legislation.
b. Reviews short term and long range financial planning, including retirement benefits and/or actuarials and strategies on reducing unfunded liabilities.
c. Reviews the City's financial documents and statements.
d. Makes recommendations to the City Council regarding amendments to financial policies and processes.
e. Annually reviews the City's investment policy and recommends any changes, if any; and reviews the investment portfolio to ensure compliance with the approved investment policy.
Animal Services Committee
This Committee consists of seven (7) regular members and two (2) alternate positions, each serving two-year terms. The Committee:
a. Provides the City with recommendations to improve animal services throughout the City, including pet licensing, animal shelter and adoption services, and responsible pet ownership.
b. Support animal related community events, such as pet adoptions, vaccination clinics, micro-chipping, etc.
c. Serves as a liaison to the Police Department and California Department of Fish & Wildlife to sponsor coyote public education and related wildlife programs.
d. Provides advice regarding the release of live animals within City Limits.
Fairview Park Steering Committee
This Committee consists of seven (7) regular member positions, two (2) alternate member positions, and one (1) Ex Officio member - OCME Representative, each serving four-year terms. The Committee:
a. Provides advice to the City Council regarding the implementation of the Fairview Park Master Plan.
b. Provides recommendations to the City Council on proposed capital improvement projects and compliance with Measure AA.
c. Presents an annual report to the City Council describing the accomplishments and objectives of the Committee.
d. Facilitates partnerships, volunteer activities, and educational opportunities to promote local stewardship and engagement with Fairview Park and its environmental resources.
e. Provides advice on the interpretive, guide, and regulatory sign program for the park, including cultural and biological resource information and the park’s history.
Active Transportation Committee
This Committee consists of eleven (11) regular member positions, two (2) alternate positions, and two (2) Ex Officio members - Chamber of Commerce and NMUSD Representatives, each serving two-year terms. The Committee:
a. Focuses on the review and update of the City's Master Plan of Bikeways and improvements to be made to bikeways in the City.
b. Evaluates the bikeability and walkability of the City in order to make recommendations for improvement to the City Council.
Traffic Impact Fee Ad Hoc Committee
This Committee consists of five (5) appointed positions each serving four-year terms; one representing the Chamber of Commerce, one representing major developers’, one representing small developers and two at-large positions. The purpose of the committee is to fund the necessary transportation/circulation improvements, which are related directly to the incremental traffic impacts imposed on the City’s transportation system by the development of new and/or changing commercial, industrial, and residential uses as permitted by the General Plan. The committee also assists staff on all aspects related to the updating and revision of traffic impact fees.
Historical Preservation Committee
This Committee consists of nine (9) regular member positions and two (2) alternate member positions each serving two-year terms. The committee serves to maintain, preserve, educate and promote the city’s historical resources.
ANALYSIS:
At the March 21, 2023 City Council meeting, two Council Members requested staff to bring forth a report pertaining to Committees prior to new Committee appointments. Staff has summarized the Committees and has updated the Scope of Work that is no longer applicable.
Membership
Staff requests adjusting the Committees to consist of seven (7) members, except the Access, Building, Fire & Housing Board of Appeal, and Traffic Impact Fee Ad Hoc Committees, which shall consist of five (5) members. This aligns with the membership of Commissions and allows each Council Member opportunity for one (1) selection. This also will assist in resolving quorum issues with a large Committee. In addition to allow a wide breadth of experience and to maximize involvement staff recommends that an individual may only participate on one (1) Commission or Committee at a time. This also will alleviate any perceived Brown Act violations when a member may be involved in several discussions with multiple Committees.
Alternate Committee Members
Staff requests the elimination of the Alternate committee members positions. The role of the Alternate positions are unclear as they are precluded from voting but encouraged to participate in the committee activities. Or if a regular member is absent then an alternate may vote and this leads to confusion on who should be participating and voting.
Outside Agency Liaison
Staff submits the following language for clarification of the role of an Outside Agency Liaison/Ex-Officio member:
An Outside Agency Liaison/Ex-Officio to a committee are members appointed to serve in a position because the committee needs their expertise or influence pertaining to certain issues that substantially benefits the City. They represent the entity/organization that they work/volunteer for as part of a collaboration on particular issues. Members may partake in discussions and debate pertaining to their organization and/or area of expertise, however shall not vote. Ex-Officio members shall not be included in the count when determining if a quorum is present.
Ad Hoc Committees
Staff requests limiting the number of Ad Hoc Committees to one (1) at a time, unless due to special circumstances, in which case the City Manager may authorize one (1) additional Ad Hoc Committee. Having multiple Ad Hoc Committees runs counter to the Brown Act’s requirement that all decisions of a body be made at an open public meeting. Limiting the number of Ad Hoc Committees will allow for increased transparency on discussions with the entire committee at a noticed public meeting. Further, under the Brown Act, Ad Hoc Committees may only be for a limited duration. Staff recommends that Ad Hoc Committees be set for a certain duration of time, not to exceed six (6) months. This will help ensure that Ad Hoc Committees do not inadvertently become standing committees and thus violate the Brown Act. In addition, staff recommends that there be no other subcommittees or working groups.
Meeting Dates and Times
To plan for staff time and workloads, it is recommended Committee meetings be scheduled no more than bimonthly (once every two months), and limit Committee meetings to no more than two (2) hours, unless prior authorization is received from the City Manager to extend. In addition, no Special Committee meetings shall be held without prior authorization from the City Manager. However, the Access, Building, Fire & Housing Board of Appeal, Traffic Impact Fee Ad Hoc Committee, and Housing and Public Service Grants Committee will continue to meet on an as needed basis. The Mobile Home Park Advisory Committee will continue to meet quarterly.
The proposed changes are reflected in Council Policy 000-2 (Attachment 1).
ALTERNATIVES:
City Council may choose to not make the recommended changes or make alternate changes.
FISCAL REVIEW:
There is no fiscal impact with the proposed changes to the Committees.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney’s Office has reviewed this report and has approved it as to form.
CITY COUNCIL GOALS AND PRIORITIES:
This item supports the following City Council Goals:
• Recruit and Retain High Quality Staff
• Achieve Long-Term Fiscal Sustainability
CONCLUSION:
Staff recommends the City Council:
1. Review Committees Statement of Work and provide direction.
2. Dissolve the Historical Preservation Committee and direct staff to facilitate an agreement with the Costa Mesa Historical Society.
3. Approve the following changes:
a. Adjust the Committees membership to consist of seven (7) members, except the Access, Building, Fire & Housing Board of Appeal and the Traffic Impact Fee Ad Hoc Committees, which shall consist of five (5) members, through attrition as terms expire.
b. Eliminate the Committee Alternate positions, through attrition as terms expire.
c. Limit Ad Hoc Committees to one (1) at a time, unless due to special circumstances, the City Manager may authorize one (1) additional Ad Hoc Committee. There shall be no standing committees, subcommittees or working groups.
4. Allow the City Manager the flexibility to adjust dates, durations, and times of meetings to ensure proper staff coverage, and to address issues of immediate concern for maximum effectiveness.