Title
Recommendation to Review and Adopt Proposed Revisions to the Rules and Procedures for the City of Alameda Mayor’s Economic Development Advisory Panel. (Base Reuse and Economic Development 10061810)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Jennifer Ott, City Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
City of Alameda (City) staff are presenting revisions to the Rules and Procedures for the City’s Mayor’s Economic Development Advisory Panel (EDAP) (see the original and redlined as Exhibits 1 and 2, respectively). In particular, the revisions:
• Clarify that changes to EDAP’s “Purpose” and "Membership” must be approved by the Alameda City Council;
• Add an “at large business representative or community/resident business liaison” to represent local concerns;
• Change the set terms of members to an open-ended appointment, subject to the Mayor and City Council’s reassessment, to maintain EDAP’s coherence and consistency;
• Change the election of officers from two (2) to four (4) year terms;
• Specify “Maintenance of Membership” to reflect that the appointed members are currently employed in Alameda, representing their designated sectors; and
• Miscellaneous minor changes related to a change in a department name, readability, and adjournment of the meeting.
BACKGROUND
At its June 7, 2016 meeting, City Council adopted the Rules and Procedures for the newly created EDAP (File No. 2016-2921), whose purpose is to enhance the business climate of Alameda’s business parks and commercial districts and support the growth of Alameda’s major commercial and industrial business clusters, by providing both strategic policy and tactical business attraction and retention advice.
DISCUSSION
EDAP is composed of leading executives from major businesses and community organizations, representing important sectors of the local economy. EDAP meets sparingly, at least one-time per year, in order to strategically use the members’ time to discuss high-level concerns addressing the City. Staff recommends the following changes to help clarify the Rules and Procedures and contribute to EDAP’s overall continuity and effectiveness as a high-level advisory body:
• Any changes to the Purpose or Membership sections of the Rules and Procedures now require City Council approval, rather than only EDAP approval. This oversight provision is consistent with City Council’s original review and adoption of the Rules and Procedures on June 7, 2016.
• The addition of a new “at large business representative or community business liaison.” This position would work with multiple types of businesses (such as a commercial broker), offering both a local perspective as well as a holistic take on the City’s economy.
• Change the set terms of members to an open-ended appointment to maintain coherence and consistency. The Mayor may reassess the member list from time to time, and then, would nominate new members for final City Council approval.
The current term of office is two years with the possibility of being reappointed to a second term. A member may therefore be able to participate in four regularly scheduled meetings over the course of their appointment. Because of the infrequency of the meetings, and if the appointments are staggered (e.g., some members are appointed one year and others are appointed the following year), there is limited continuity and consistency of EDAP’s deliberations from one year to the next. Over the course of four years, there is a possibility that that a panelist may only share two meetings with a fellow panelist.
In addition, there is a limited candidate pool for each business sector from which to select executive level panel members that have familiarity with Alameda and who are willing to devote their time. Eliminating the term of appointment will help maintain the EDAP as a high-level advisory body.
• The Chair and Vice Chair would be eligible to serve four years in their respective seats, instead of two years, in order to maintain improved consistency of the meetings.
• Members may be ineligible to continue to serve if:
o through change of employment, they no longer represent the business sector in which they were appointed; or
o the member no longer has an active business in Alameda or is no longer a community/resident businessperson.
ALTERNATIVES
• Approve the proposed revisions to the Rules and Procedures for EDAP.
• Review, modify as needed, and adopt revisions to the Rules and Procedures for EDAP.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Funds to staff the EDAP are included in the Base Reuse and Economic Development Department’s budget.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
The EDAP is consistent with the City’s Strategic Plan’s priority to “Support local businesses and workforce development.”
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This action does not constitute a “project” as defined in California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15378 and therefore no further CEQA analysis is required.
CLIMATE IMPACT
There are no identifiable climate impacts or climate action opportunities associated with the subject of this report.
RECOMMENDATION
Review and adopt proposed revisions to the Rules and Procedures for the Mayor’s EDAP.
Respectfully submitted,
Abby Thorne-Lyman, Director, Base Reuse and Economic Development Department
By,
Eric Fonstein, Development Manager
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Margaret O’Brien, Finance Director
Exhibits:
1. Original Rules and Procedures
2. Redlined Rules and Procedures with Proposed Changes