May 11, 2017

This afternoon, Council unanimously approved a Resolution brought by Commissioners Fish, Eudaly, and Fritz to increase the transparency and accountability of City advisory bodies.

The Resolution directs the City Attorney to work with the Office of Neighborhood Involvement, Office of Equity and Human Rights, Public Involvement Advisory Council, and others to develop a package of updates that will return to Council this fall for debate and adoption. Today’s action follows a Council work session held on April 4th to frame the issues and to solicit Council feedback.

The package includes a comprehensive inventory of City advisory bodies, a uniform application (including mandatory conflict of interest disclosure), training materials for both staff and community members, standard bylaws, and a survey to gather feedback from community members.

Local government works best when we consult with the community we serve in a substantive, thoughtful way. That relationship must be based on mutual trust, mutual respect, and shared expectations.

Increased transparency and uniform standards will serve to increase the integrity and impact of advisory body recommendations, and give members enhanced confidence in the value of their service.

Thank you to Commissioners Fritz and Eudaly for their partnership, to the City Attorney’s office for their leadership on this issue, and to members of the community who took time to share their thoughtful feedback both ahead of and as part of today’s hearing.