City staff reports criticized

Elise Gee

COSTA MESA -- Some city leaders complained Monday that staff

reports were biased and didn’t provide the balance needed for them to

make informed decisions.

The concerns were raised at a joint study session by City Manager

Allan Roeder on behalf of Councilwoman Linda Dixon and Planning

Commissioner Katrina Foley, who came to him with their concerns.

“If we’re relying just on the expertise of staff then we’re relying on

staff to build the city, [so] why do we have a Planning Commission?”

Dixon said.

Dixon said although she believes the staff’s expertise is important,

she wanted balanced reports rather than those written only to support

staff’s views.

Planning commissioners and council members receive staff reports on

all agenda items. The reports usually include a recommendation,

background information, a fiscal review, an analysis and a conclusion.

Foley said the reports need more “objective analysis,” “investigation”

and “depth.”

Dixon’s and Foley’s concerns were supported by Councilwoman Heather

Somers and Planning Commissioner Katie Wilson. Somers said since she has

been on the council, she has noticed that staff reports sometimes make

recommendations that conflict with policies established by the council.

Wilson said that it has been an “eye-opener” to see just how much

power staff reports have. She also complained that statements such as

“compatible with residential use” were too subjective and said the staff

should take differing viewpoints into consideration.

City Council staff reports come with alternatives in addition to

recommendations. One suggestion that came out of the study session was to

include alternatives with Planning Commission reports as well.

Not all city leaders at the meeting agreed that staff reports needed

to be changed.

Planning Commission Chairman Walt Davenport, who has served on the

board for nearly 20 years, said he has no problem.

“I think they’ve provided the kind of information we’ve needed,” he

said. “There’s never been a problem with commissioners if commissioners

want to go a different direction from a staff recommendation.”

Mayor Gary Monahan agreed, adding that one of the reasons this issue

might be coming up is that both Wilson and Foley are newly appointed

planning commissioners.

“I have had no problem changing, overruling, and coming to my own

conclusions based on my own research and my own conclusions on an issue,”

Monahan said. “I think it’s a basic responsibility of a council member,

planning commissioner and parks commissioner to do their own research and

bring their own expertise to the table.”