|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
The Livermore City Council recently phased out two intercity liaison groups, deeming the bodies ineffective.
The decision to terminate the Livermore-Dublin and Livermore-Pleasanton liaison committees was unanimous last month.
A third group called the Intergovernmental Committee — composed of the city, the Livermore Area Recreation and Park District and the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District — was abridged from bimonthly meetings to yearly meetings, as councilmembers agreed it has historically driven positive change.
These three groups did not have decision-making power, merely an opportunity for the assigned councilmembers to share information with partner agencies. The public was also able to comment at the meetings.
Behind the decision at the regular meeting on Nov. 25 was a staff recommendation to sunset all three bodies.Â
“These have devolved into a gripe session with no real direction and no solution,” Mayor John Marchand said of the intercity groups, having served on both.
The decision came before council following direction to staff in September to review the three committees for their current relevancy, city clerk Debbie Elam said at the meeting.
They found “staff working groups as needed are more effective,” according to the resolution.
Staff also concluded that elected officials can use alternative lines of communication, like the “Critical Projects” report to receive project updates, Elam explained. Additionally, public comment opportunities exist elsewhere, like at council meetings and advisory body meetings.Â
The discussion kicked off with Marchand voicing limited support of the Intergovernmental Committee.
The group had a great purpose when working on Measure L, a bond which funded the library and the Robert Livermore Community Center, Marchand said.
That measure was on the ballot in 1999. But recently, the committee has done nothing akin to that, he said.
Councilmember Evan Branning, the delegate on the Intergovernmental Committee, noted some of the groups’ benefits. But he also agreed about its inactivity.
“I think the interaction with the other agency bodies have been informative and good to have for positive relations, but we haven’t had any action or business on the committee,” Branning said. “It’s been updates.”
Branning then suggested reducing the intergovernmental meetings to an annual basis. This would retain the group structure in case a need arises for additional sessions, he said.
The yearly gathering would serve as an update meeting for all three departments and keep open the line of communication for officials, Branning explained. At the same time, he agreed it was more efficient for staff to handle the communications.
Councilmember Ben Barrientos, who sat on the Livermore-Dublin Liaison Committee, was hesitant to cancel the groups with new councilmembers soon joining the dais.Â
“I think we should table it and let them come and decide with us what we want to do,” Barrientos said.
Councilmember Bob Carling shifted the conversation to sunsetting the group he participated in, the Livermore-Pleasanton Liaison Committee.
The committee began in 2001, stopped by 2010, then restarted about two years ago, he said.
Councilmember Brittni Kiick agreed to disband the intercity committees. She also agreed with Branning’s idea to reduce the schedule for intergovernmental meetings to once a year.
Kiick reasoned, “Minimize as much of staff time as possible, while keeping opportunities open for the one group that did seem to have a history of positive outcomes.”
If either Pleasanton or Dublin responds with compelling arguments to retain the intercity committees, then future councils may consider it, Branning said.
Carling disagreed with Branning. He then claimed that Pleasanton electeds from the Livermore-Pleasanton Liaison Committee gave direction to the Livermore staff, something he considered “completely and utterly objectionable”.
Marchand then addressed comments supporting the intercity meetings as a chance for more people to voice their opinions.
“It’s been my experience that it’s just the same folks and it’s the same information (as the council meetings),” Marchand said.
Instead of intercity meetings, the mayor suggested ad hoc committees should form as the need arises. The groups would dissolve once a job is completed.
