Budget and Government Efficiency Committee Meeting - January 11, 2023
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Budget and Government Efficiency Committee Meeting - January 11, 2023
The Budget and Government Efficiency Committee met on January 11, 2023, to approve minutes, hear public comment, discuss contracts for plan check and inspection services, and set the 2023 work plan priorities. The meeting was conducted via hybrid format under California Government Code Section 54953E.
Consent Calendar
- The committee unanimously approved the committee actions of December 7, 2022, without public comment.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Non-Agenda Public Comment: William Beekman spoke about a federal court decision in San Francisco regarding unhoused persons and sweeps, urging the city to adopt similar practices such as providing seven to ten days' notice and storing property during sweeps. He emphasized direct dialogue and services.
- Item 1 & 2: Blair Beekman spoke in support of hiring temporary workers for development services, advocating for mass transit and progressive government workforce planning.
- Item 3: Becky Rapp, a parent and public health educator, expressed support for Councilmember Lee's budget priorities on public safety, citing national concerns about marijuana-related crime and urging sufficient funding for police and fire staffing. Blair Beekman spoke about the importance of budget planning for 2023 as a lead-in to 2024-2025, focusing on housing and community programs.
Discussion Items
- Items 1 & 2: Agreements with NV5 Inc. and Interwest Consulting Group for Plan Check and Inspection Services
- Staff presented: Gary Geiler (DSD Assistant Director) and Elise Lowe (DSD Director) explained the need for two-year, $2.5 million per contract as-needed services to address a permit processing backlog caused by increased workload, new building codes, pandemic turnover, and 85 vacancies in plan check and inspection. The contracts are cost-recoverable through permit fees. Committee members discussed recruitment strategies, vacancy rates (18% overall, 85 vacant for relevant functions), and the impact of training new hires. Vice Chair Moreno requested an update at a future committee meeting on hiring progress. Councilmember Lee asked about benchmarks for backlog reduction. The committee also discussed diversity in contracting (EOC program) and future software improvements for permitting (e.g., Excela and potential RFP for new software).
- Item 3: 2023 Committee Work Plan Priorities
- Chair Montgomery Steppe opened discussion, noting alignment in member priorities (staffing, vacancies, state/federal funding, pay equity, contracting). IBA Charles Monica provided context on overtime and staffing analysis, focusing on public safety. Committee members shared their priorities: Vice Chair Moreno highlighted outside contracts oversight, vacancy review, and contracting procedure improvements (citing outdated auditor recommendations). Councilmember Lacava emphasized shedding past constraints and delivering excellent city services. Councilmember Lee noted the importance of addressing public safety and other areas. The committee directed the chair to create a work plan based on input.
Key Outcomes
- Items 1 & 2: Motions to authorize agreements with NV5 Inc. and Interwest Consulting Group each passed unanimously (4-0). The motion included an amendment by Vice Chair Moreno requiring the department to provide an update on hiring progress at a future committee meeting.
- Item 3: The committee voted unanimously (4-0) to direct the chair to develop a 2023 work plan incorporating member priorities and public input.
- Next meeting scheduled for Wednesday, February 8, 2023, at 9:00 a.m.
Meeting Transcript
Good morning. Until further notice, the budget and government efficiency committee meetings will be conducted pursuant to the provisions of California Government Code Section 54953E, added by Assembly Bill 361, which allows the city to use teleconferencing and to provide the public an opportunity to address the city council committee via a call-in option or an internet-based service option during a proclaimed state of emergency. While the public is allowed to attend the meetings in person, we encourage you to maintain six feet of social distance as well as California mask guidelines where masks are strongly recommended. In addition to being able to attend in person, this meeting is being televised and live streamed on the city's website, and the clerk and council liaison, City Council liaison will, I'm sorry, Council Committee liaison will continue to make arrangements for the public to comment using the Zoom webinar platform. Additionally, members of the public who wish to provide virtual testimony must enter the virtual queue by raising their hand before the queue closes. The queue will close when the last virtual speaker finishes speaking or five minutes after in-person testimony ends, whichever happens first. This will allow for better meeting management between the two platforms and ensure the council is able to manage and conduct city business. Tyler, please call the roll. Thank you, Chair. Uh Vice Chair Moreno. Present. Councilmember Locaba. Present. Councilmember Lee, present. And our chair, Council President Pro Tem Montgomery Step. I am here. Thank you. Also in the meeting is Charles Monica, our independent budget analyst. Uh Rolando Charvel, Department of Finance Director, and Brett Bartelato from the City Attorney's Office. Tyler, please proceed. Thank you, Chair. If you are in person, please complete a speaker slip located at the entrance of chambers and place it on top of the box indicated at the speaker's lectern at the front of the room. Please do so in a timely manner to ensure proper meeting management. In-person testimony will conclude before virtual testimony begins. Members of the public can also join the Zoom webinar by computer tablet or smartphone by accessing the link, which is listed online in the preamble language of the agenda on the city's webpage. If you need to participate by telephone, you may dial 1669-254-5252 and then input webinar ID 160-356-9855 pound. Members of the public who wish to provide virtual testimony must enter the virtual speaking queue by raising their hand before the queue closes. The queue will close when the last virtual speaker finishes speaking or five minutes after in-person testimony concludes, whichever happens first. Please note that if you are watching via City TV 24 or online, there may be a delay. So please participate via the audio on your phone and mute your TV or computer when it is your turn to speak. If you wish to speak on a particular item, wait for that item to be called and then raise your hand to speak by tapping the raise your hand icon, or if you're a call on participant, you may press star nine on your cell phone or landline. If you raise your hand during a non-comment period, your hand will be lowered. Chair. Thank you so much, Tyler, for reviewing those instructions for the benefit of the public. A quorum is now present. We will now dispense with the approval of the committee actions of December 7, 2022. Thank you, Chair. The public comment period for the committee actions is now open if you've already joined the Zoom webinar online or by phone. Please raise your hand if you wish to speak on the committee actions of December 7th, 2022. If you are watching on CET V TV or the live stream, you may call 1669-254-5252 when prompted, input webinar ID 160-356-9855 pound. You may raise your hand to speak by selecting the raise your hand button or pressing star nine. I will announce when it's your turn to speak, and then you may unmute yourself by selecting the unmute button or inputting star six. Uh Chair, we do not have any speakers in chambers that have indicated that they wish to speak on the minutes, nor do we have any virtual testimony. So that will conclude public testimony on the committee actions of December 7th, 2022. Thank you so much. We will now vote on the approval of the committee uh actions of December 7, 2022. Do I have a motion to approve the committee actions? Happy to make a motion. Okay. We have the Vice Chair Moreno with a motion, and we have member Lacava with a second.
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