Draft Governance Working Group Summary of Issues, Research Questions and Possible Recommendations. EALI Governance Goal: Enhance Local Self Governance

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1 Draft Gvernance Wrking Grup Summary f Issues, Research Questins and Pssible Recmmendatins EALI Gvernance Gal: Enhance Lcal Self Gvernance The fllwing summary is based n the EALI Gvernance Wrk Grup s answers t the questin: What, in yur experience (in dealing with Alameda Cunty) culd have been different s the cmmunity wuld have had mre say in the utcme? 1. Cmmunicatins Related t the need fr mre frequent and better cmmunicatin frm the Cunty, residents made the fllwing cmments: Mre transparency is needed frm the Planning Department s the public knws abut decisins ahead f time, nt after the fact. Mre transparency and imprvements are needed in the way the Cunty markets its prperties fr sale. Guidelines need t be written fr cell phne twers. Cnditins are nt being enfrced; need t mnitr mitigatins. We need plicy where if changes are made t a prject after ging thrugh the public prcess, it wuld cme back fr mre cmmunity input. A Feedback Lp is needed; evaluate prjects afterwards s mistakes are nt repeated next time. Need t make the CVMAC website mre up t date, like the main Alameda Cunty webpage. Wuld be helpful t have an Infrmatin Officer, like the City f San Leandr has Need t invest in mdernizing Eden Area s infrastructure and technlgy. Want t be ntified f street clsures ahead f time. Delays in Cunty prjects, including slw prductin times (Public Wrks) Incmplete Draft Recmmendatins: ( The fllwing recmmendatins culd be made t address the abve and ther related issues: What are the methds currently used by the Cunty t cmmunicate/prvide inf t the public? What types f training (if any) is prvided fr Cunty staff abut cmmunicating inf t the public? Hw d we determine the amunt f infrmatin the cmmunity needs regarding prjects, decisins, etc.?

2 1a) Cunty departments will seek ut, infrm and/r practively engage residents in upcming r envisined prjects thrugh a variety f means including but nt limited t: Hlding cmmunity meetings, Placing a ntice n the Unincrprated Area website, Using varius scial media t increase publicity Use infrmatinal flyers r mailers, etc. 1b) A user-friendly list f current r expected Cunty prjects will be listed n the Unincrprated Area website. This list r queue wuld be updated by all departments in a timely manner and include the fllwing infrmatin: What the prject is, Where it is lcated, Apprximate timeline fr start and cmpletin (f prjects), Relevant department, Next public meeting n the prject, r input pprtunity, if any, and A designated cntact persn. Cst. Plans t address traffic cngestin, if applicable. 1c) All Alameda Cunty cnstructin/public wrks prject signs in the Unincrprated Area will include the name and cntact infrmatin f a designated Cunty staff persn. What is within the Cunty departments capacity when it cmes t infrmatin-sharing? What are the csts f different mechanisms fr infrmatin-sharing? i.e. a queue In what sense is what we currently have nt citizen-driven? 2. Finances Residents Cmments Related t the lack f financial infrmatin and accuntability t the unincrprated area, residents made the fllwing statements; The Cunty Budget des nt adequately shw what is spent in the unincrprated area. The Cunty desn t have the mechanism fr tracking expenditures in the unincrprated area.

3 Incmplete Draft Recmmendatins: ( The fllwing recmmendatins culd be made t address the abve issues: 2a) The Alameda Cunty Budget, as it relates t the Unincrprated Area, will be cmpletely revamped with the input and invlvement f Eden Area cmmunity members. a. Feedback during the budget prcess frm residents f the unincrprated cmmunities will be slicited thereby increasing the likelihd that the needs f unincrprated cmmunities are represented. b. Prvide a frmal mechanism fr unincrprated residents t set pririties during the annual budget call. c. In thse agencies that prvide the mst unincrprated services, develp better way t accunt fr prpsed budgets fr unincrprated services and tracking f expenditures. A line item fr the unincrprated area in all department budgets will be added. d. A way fr cmmunity members t versee and ensure fllwup n the budget (i.e. Citizens Advisry Bard) will be frmed. 2b) Track incme and expenses fr the unincrprated area at the Cuntywide and agency level. Distinguish between Cunty services (scial welfare, public health, cunty jail, etc.) and thse municipal services that unincrprated areas receive frm a Cunty rather than a city. What types f financial infrmatin wuld we like t see tracked? What Cunty departments are we interested in? Which departments already have transparent and detailed budgets? Which departments d nt? Fr thse departments withut transparent & detailed budgets, what kinds f bstacles d they face in clarifying their budget? What are sme best practices used in ther cunties fr tracking the spending f mney? 3. Cmmunity Engagement Related t the need fr increased resident participatin in civic life, residents made the fllwing cmments: Parts f the Eden Area are nt invlved, i.e. Ashland.

4 Peple feel as if their pinin will nt be taken seriusly, discuraging civic participatin. N sense f identity fr different Eden cmmunities, i.e. lack f signage. Old histry prevents flks frm wrking tgether; mre unity needed. Need t listen t what peple are saying. Lcal gvernment is fragmented and hard t understand. Cnsidering the fragmentatin f gvernance in the unincrprated area Peple lack knwledge abut the lcal gvernment Peple frm the incrprated Cities have a say in making decisin fr the unincrprated area i.e. representatives frm incrprated areas serve n the Planning Cmmissin. Enhancing peple s sense f cmmunity identity, as whle f the Eden Area and each individual cmmunity Lack f cmmunicatin and cperatin between sub-areas Lack f verarching Leadership grup fr all cmmunities Incmplete Draft Recmmendatins: ( The fllwing recmmendatins culd be made t address these issues: What d peple mean by cmmunity identity? Hw effective are the existing cmmunity grups and rganizatins at engaging the cmmunity in gvernment-related issues? What types f cmmunity assciatins/grups/etc. wuld be mst effective at engaging the cmmunity in gvernment-related issues? Wuld an increased sense f cmmunity identity prmte buy-in? Or bring abut increased cmmunity participatin? What types f educatinal utreach wuld be helpful? 4. Agency Accuntability in the Unincrprated Area

5 Related t the need fr increased agency accuntability, residents made the fllwing cmments: The lack f fllw-up and enfrcement f mitigatins, rdinances, etc. needs t be addressed. Lack f fllw-thugh and cnsistency with the abatement prcess (zning) Existing zning is disregarded/nt fllwed, leading t infill prjects and vercrwding. Cde Enfrcement Divisin needs mre staff. The Public Wrks Agency is nt respnsible nr accuntable A mre efficient and transparent permit applicatin prcess is needed (Public Wrks) Incmplete Draft Recmmendatins: ( The fllwing recmmendatins culd be made t address these issues: Where are the gaps in the existing system fr enfrcement and mnitring f mitigatins? What is lacking in the current permit applicatin prcess? 4a) Create an agency fr Unincrprated Affairs within Alameda Cunty. a. Evaluate if any current activities in ther Cunty departments culd be hused within this agency r if this wuld be mre f a matrixed reprting where certain lines f business in ther agencies fall under the jurisdictin f this agency (think f this agency as the custmer and the different agencies prviding a service). b. Bradly, this agency wuld advcate fr budgetary resurces fr unincrprated residents and take the lead in ensuring that these resurces are allcated in a way that unincrprated residents want. c. This agency culd staff all cmmissins that deal with unincrprated issues (e.g. CV MAC culd rely n ne Cunty agency fr staffing and web assistance). d. T a certain degree, this agency wuld serve smething like a prject manager fr issues facing unincrprated cmmunities. e. This inter-agency apprach t managing unincrprated services challenges the current lines f authrity within cunty structure; hwever, this culd be an pprtunity fr the Cunty Administratr t demnstrate hw urban cunties can better fcus its agency structure t respnd t citizens

6 wh rely n the cunty fr their lcal gvernment services that wuld be prvided by a city were these cmmunities incrprated. 4b) A cmmunity manager culd serve as an administratr f municipal services t the unincrprated cmmunity. Please nte: Mre research is needed 4c) A cmmunity services district can be frmed t prvide ne r mre municipal services. It is gverned by a bard f directrs elected by prperty wners within the district. Please nte: Mre research is needed 5. Pririty-setting fr Agencies and Departments Related t the need fr cmmunity input n the pririties f Cunty agencies and departments, residents made the fllwing cmments: If we knew in advance, we culd give input We dn t have the ability t give input n each department. Pririties aren t set by the cmmunity; they re set by the Cunty right nw. Incmplete Draft Recmmendatins: ( The fllwing recmmendatins culd be made t address these issues: What are the prcesses currently used t determine pririties at each Cunty department? Hw can the cmmunity have a rle in the pririty-setting prcess?