AGENDA TITLE:
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Discuss and Provide Direction on the Formation of a City Council Ad Hoc Committee to Review and Make Recommendations on the City’s Delivery of Services to the Community (CM)
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MEETING DATE:
February 18, 2026
PREPARED BY:
James Lindsay, Interim City Manager
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RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Discuss and provide direction on the formation of a City Council Ad Hoc Committee to Review and make recommendations on the City’s delivery of services to the community.
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BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The delivery of quality services in a timely fashion with a strong customer centered focus has been a longstanding priority of the City Council. This priority was affirmed by the City Council during their January 28 Planning Session, where the Council directed an additional milestone be added to the Council’s Strategic Vision addressing service delivery. Additionally, Mayor Yepez requested the City Council consider the formation of an Ad Hoc Committee to review service delivery and provide recommendations for further improvements to the City Council. He is suggesting a seven-member committee that would consist of two Council Members, three City staff members, and two members from the community. An Ad Hoc Committee that has a defined work product or a defined term is not required to have the formalities, such as posted agendas and minutes, that other committees subject to the Brown Act are subject to.
Service delivery was identified as a strategic category in the Economic Development Strategic Plan (the Plan) the City Council is considering for adoption on this agenda. Strategy Category 5: Development Friendliness states that the City will comprehensively review and strengthen key systems/policies relating to interactions with the development community. This initiative will build on the City’s recent and ongoing efforts to streamline the development approval timeframes. The action steps recommended in the Plan for Strategy Category 5 over the next year are:
A. Convene Internal Working Group (led by City Manager’s Office) of affected department heads to review the Plan recommendations and determine the initial and longer-term scope of the “development friendliness” program. Meet monthly (for first 4-6 months) to identify operational and/or organizational changes needed to pursue the following recommendations:
• Expanded/routine use of pre-application meetings.
• Eliminating the existing fee for formal pre-application reviews.
• Expanded/routine use of inter-departmental roundtable meetings upon formal submission of project applications (potentially in lieu of existing fee-based pre-application reviews).
• Assignment of a dedicated staff member (“Project Liaison”) as the single point of contact for each submitted application.
• Technical support for small businesses/developers.
B. Outline specific parameters for a “Development Concierge” program (and associated “Business/Development Ombudsman” position) to be approved by City Council. It is anticipated that the City’s Economic Development Director would initially fulfill the Ombudsman function; this role could ultimately be assigned to a new Economic Development staff position responsible for coordinating with the Community Development Department (and other City departments with review authority) on behalf of businesses and developers seeking permits and/or project approvals.
C. In conjunction with the overall marketing program (Major Initiative 1) identified in the Plan, implement improved communications with the business/development community. This effort would include the following considerations:
• Branding/name of program.
• Website improvements (enhanced online descriptions of process and expected timeframes, etc.).
• Online survey of development community to establish baseline of development-community concerns and priorities.
D. Within the first 6 months of implementation of the Plan, prepare a staff report and recommended action items, based on steps A through C above.
E. Begin implementation of the operational/organizational changes defined by the Internal Working Group (and approved by City Council).
The Ad Hoc Committee being considered by the Council could serve as the Internal Working Group suggested in Action Step A.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Not applicable.
FUNDING AVAILABLE:
Not applicable.