pages: CityCouncil/2012-04-17.pdf, 8
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CityCouncil | 2012-04-17 | 8 | and (12-177A) Introduction of Ordinance Amending the Alameda Municipal Code by Amending Chapter 2 (Administration) of Article Il (Boards and Commissions) by Repealing Section 2-20; Amending Sections 2-13.2(a); 2-15.2(a); 2-21.2(a); and Amending Sections 2-12.2(b), 2-13.2(b), 2-15.2(b), 2-16.2(b), 2-17.2(b), 2-18.2(b), 2- 19.2(b), 2-21.2(b), to Dissolve the Film Commission, Revise the Membership of the Golf, Economic Development and Youth Advisory Commissions, and Allow Councilmembers to Make Nominations for Commission Vacancies Over 60 Days. Introduced with amendments. The Deputy City Manager gave a Power Point presentation. Mayor Gilmore thanked the sub-committee members, Vice Mayor Bonta, Councilmember Tam, and the Deputy City Manager for putting in the vast amount of work required to drill down and distill the principles. Councilmember Tam stated that she appreciates staff's hard work in putting together a very comprehensive merging of how to deal with the public participation process; the City needs a public participation policy which deals with not only streamlining boards and commissions for the sake of efficiencies while dealing with budget shortfalls but to have effective boards and commissions which compliment the public participation process; last year, the City held more meetings than working days which clearly shows that Council and staff are exhausting themselves; how boards and commissions evolved over time is unclear; the Golf Commission has no purpose but has duties; the Planning Board has a purpose but no duties; it is important to work with boards and commissions on coming up with a consistent format on how boards and commissions report activities to Council and at the same time identify a common purpose to collectively understand authority; people at the public workshop discussed confusion with the jargon of the agendas; for example, people do not associate cutting down trees with the Park Street Streetscape Project or Gibbons Drive or child pedestrian safety at Lincoln Avenue and Pacific Avenue when addressing the Transportation Element; identifying agenda items in layman's terms would be beneficial. Vice Mayor Bonta concurred with Councilmember Tam; thanked the Deputy City Manager for his leadership on the issue; stated a lot of issues have been tackled through the public meetings; the community is extremely engaged and wants to be involved with City government and decisions made that impact quality of life; multiple modes of public communication resonated with him; pubic workshop discussions included ways to keep communication open; determining how to make the work of boards and commissions more meaningful while linking the work to the Council's work and creating a structure for discipline is being addressed; people want to come away from a meeting knowing that they have contributed to the City. Councilmember Johnson thanked the sub-committee and Deputy City Manager for working through the issue from the functions of the boards and commissions and the function and quality of pubic participation; a lot of insight has been brought into the Regular Meeting Alameda City Council 8 April 17, 2012 | CityCouncil/2012-04-17.pdf |