Local government has an obligation to report, explain and be answerable for the consequences of decisions it has made on behalf of the community it represents.
- ADOPTION OF A PUBLIC SAFETY STRATEGIC PLAN: This is a glaring issue that must be addressed. The Council regularly commissions multi-year strategic plans for city operations (the public library, the Hearst Center, the Visitors & Tourism Bureau, and even the entire community, to name a few). It astounds me (and other residents) that we have not done so for one of the most critical operations of local government -- Public Safety. I will work to correct this as mayor. You deserve to know where this department is headed, and to have a voice through your elected officials... particularly in regards to the future of the Public Safety Officer model.
- REFORM OF COUNCIL GOAL SETTING SESSIONS: Each November, the members of City Council and staff meet in two four-hour sessions to basically give direction to city staff for the coming year. No timelined agenda is posted, so if the public wants to observe the dialogue on a specific topic, there is no way to know when to be present. And no votes are taken at this meeting...it is "approval by consensus", which removes accountability from the process. This isn't right. Major topics currently just touched on in general 'goal setting" (like the PSO Model) should be broken out into separate work sessions, to make it easier for the public to observe the deliberations. We must be open and transparent about these matters. Our current Goal Setting format doesn't do this.