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| 2013 bring in sunshine |
What staff did not tell Council was this report was not going to be released to the public because the city attorney would receive the report and keep it secret under attorney-client privilege. Keep in mind City Council has never held a study session to publicly review costs savings, or the wisdom of police out-sourcing. The public has not had either the facts regarding out-sourcing or the opportunity to debate the issue.
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| Where's the report on police outsourcing? |
Fast forward through the November 2012 elections. The Pacifica Tribune Editorial Advisory Board interviewed candidates for their positions on key city issues. The consultant's out-source report was a key question. All participating candidates said they would release the report. A majority of the 2013 City Council has stated they favor release of the cost saving report. That is finally a step in the right direction after five months.
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| 21st century, we have a right to know |
Finally, let's take a real hard look at the City website and how crucial information is released to the public. This is the 21st century and the internet age. You would never know it when you look at the City website for information. The City has nine committees that deal with fairly important issues-- planning commission, economic development, financing city services. No standard format exists to find committee members or their contact information. Only one committee, Parks and Beaches, has member phone numbers. None have emails. Most have no members listed at all. Most have very basic agendas and brief staff reports if any at all. Reports passed out in meetings are routinely not posted on the website ahead of time.
In short, no serious effort is made to inform the public. As an example, Financing City Services discussed new taxes and fees during their Dec 17 2012 meeting. The agenda for that meeting is not even posted on the City website. No staff report either. Let's get detailed staff reports and descriptive agendas on the website at least ten days before the meeting. Why not have a City meeting notice in the Tribune as well to alert the public of pending issues so we can check the City website? Make public participation easier and more knowledgeable. We think those suggestions are the right decisions as we start 2013.
Jim Wagner and Mark Stechbart are members of the Tribune Editorial Advisory Board. These opinions and the content of this column are those of Mr. Stechbart and Mr. Wagner and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Pacifica Tribune or its opinions."
Posted by Kathy Meeh
19 comments:
Please note the disclaimer at the bottom. AKA we at the Tribune do not want to upset the hippies and nobees.
Oh bull and don't you wish! It's a standard disclaimer and common enough for such opinion-articles in any newspaper.
The disclaimer at the bottom of an op/ed is traditional and was included at my suggestion. We are members of the Advisory Board but wrote the op/ed on our own , none of the other advisory bd members were consulted and therefore the op/ed is not official from the Advisory Bd. It's our opinion. The disclaimer is neutral and standard professional journalism practice.
Anyone ascribing avoidance or upsetting of hippies is stupid and it's certainly the wrong spin. The Tribune ran the op/ed after all. That is not avoidance.
The issue of fully open Pacifica government is important. Let's stay on the topic and debate like adults.
Yeah, let's debate like adults who call each other stupid.
Great article Jim. Let's hope this council is a departure from the past.
@735 this is Fix Pacifica, baby!
Mr. Stechbart,
Thanks for putting together that piece for the Tribune.
The frustrations both you and Mr. Wagner express in your article are a good articulation of the motivations behind the creation of Pacifica Index; not only was it extremely difficult to locate specific information on the City's website, it was tough locating simple things like agendas and the corresponding minutes!
If I may be allowed a plug, Pacifica Index is nearing the ending stages of a redesign intended to make it even easier than before to locate agendas/minutes for the smaller groups such as the FCSTF. Speaking of which, the agenda for their Dec. 17, 2012 was placed online; however, it's almost useless for anything other than giving one a vague idea of what was discussed.
Beginning next week, look for an ongoing comprehensive collection of the agendas & minutes of the various commissions, committees and task forces posted immediately as they come online.
Also, Fix Pacifica readers may be interested in reading our latest story, "A Verdict for Plaintiffs Could Potentially Bankrupt the City." The title of the article is a written quote of an attorney representing the City of Pacifica. It's an interesting story that, according to the City's legal representation, has serious implications for our budget.
And no one in town is talking about it.
Thanks, Fogel, for some really interesting reading. Anyone who's lived here more than 20 years can tell you that the city has slowly and quietly weaseled its way out of lots of its responsibilities through a strategy of neglect. No money, no maintenance has been the standard in Pacifica for decades. The legal case currently underway involving hillside drainage culverts which you refer to is just one example. The failing sewer system and the laterals are another. That failure is made even more egregious because for years the city council spent the sewer funds collected from property owners on anything but maintaining the sewer system. So here we are paying again to maintain drainage culverts and the sewer system. It's truly a wonder that Pacifica doesn't collapse into a sodden, smelly heap. No doubt council would be johnny-on-spot with the useless handwringing and apologies.
Keep up the good work, Fogel. You and your unbiased, factual Pacifica Index just might make a real difference.
You forgot to call someone stupid, Chris. That's the hallmark of rational adult debate.
Things never change in Pacifica, regardless on what you you you people say
of course not. lots of people quite happy with the status quo. a few people not so happy. recent election results mean more of the same. candidates are always testing the breeze for the right platform to get elected on. wait and see.
Something tells me these two knuckleheads where sitting around drinking while writing this piece.
@ Anon 1256, Recent election results blow everything else for the past 20 years out of the water. This is the first time we don't have radical environmentalists in control. The one enviro whacko candidate (Campbell) was defeated by a huge margin and the pro business pro growth guy (O'Neill) kicked as and got a mandate.
So NO, it's hardly more of the same.
All hail the frogs.
Mary Ann, will pull her psycho babble and put ONeil in a trace during the first meeting. Or get him in a head lock and make him vote her way.
I seriously doubt anyone can call Oneil Pro-economy.
Anon, 2:47, I mean, Todd Bray, I think you're right. I saw you, Sue Digre, and Pete DeJarnatt sitting across from them while you guys were penning this snappy retort.
Get a life, dude.
@254 Keep dreamin', it'll help you get through the next 4 years. The frogs will be just fine.
@408 Nah, maybe a trance or maybe she'll just sic her good buddy Tod S. on anybody that doesn't want to live in Nannytopia.
No one at city hall listens to any of these outsiders.
Thus, this is a complete waste of time.
915, your comment is a waste of time. Not only that, your assumption is something you just made up and decided to bore us all with, because it was in your head. Right?
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