The RDA Successor Agency Advisory Committee (boy! that's a mouthfull)held a public meeting in Council Chambers at 10:30 AM Wednesday morning. Greg Wade reported on issues still remaining with the State Department of Finance and the ROP's and Bond Debt.
Former City Councilwoman Mayda Winter presided over the meeting of the successor agency advisory committe. The agenda is posted on the city's website, however there were only three people sitting in the audience which makes one think that having a meeting on a work day at 10:30 in the morning pretty much insures that most working people couldn't attend even if they wanted to.
Having meetings at unusual times such as workshops and successor agency meetings pretty much insures minimum public input or observation. While the bond debt was discussed in great detail at the meeting, most folks in Imperial Beach know little if anything about the debt or finances of the City/ Agencies.
None of the voting members of the RDA Successor Agency Advisory Committee were elected officials, yet they are voting on issues that will deeply impact the financial future of property owners/taxpayers for years to come.How is it possible that non-elected/appointed political figures can sit in our council chambers and vote on such serious issues that will affect the future finances of our city?
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
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New City Manager Andy Hall was kind enough to respond to this post and a number of other issues I had mentioned at a recent Council Meeting. This is an excerpt from that letter regarding the subject matter from the above post. I would like to thank Mr. Hall for clarifying what is a sometimes confusing situation within City Government. Here are his comments:
1. Successor Agency – It was brought to my attention that you had recently blogged about the Successor Agency on the Patch. Upon review of your comments, I thought I should provide you with some additional information that will likely muddy the already murky waters, but at least give you a bit more insight in to the process. The meeting you attended was actually the “Oversight Board” to the Successor Agency to the Redevelopment Agency – quite a mouthful… The Oversight Board is not an elected body, but rather a group of predetermined appointees organized to ensure that the Successor Agency is following the correct procedures during the wind down of the Agency. The Oversight Board as dictated by State law is constituted as follows:
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One member appointed by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors
One member appointed by the Mayor of the City
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One member appointed by the San Diego County Water Authority (the largest special district)
One member appointed by the County Board of Education
One member appointed by the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges (Southwest Community College)
One member of the former RDA staff is appointed
One member at large is appointed by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors
The actual Successor Agency in the case of Imperial Beach, is made up of the members of the City Council, as it is in most communities. They perform certain tasks which are then reviewed by the Oversight Board. Many of the members of the Oversight Board actually sit on several Oversight Boards. At any rate, I hope this short explanation provides a bit more clarity of who serves on the Oversight Board and what their duties include. Your observation that they are not elected officials was accurate; they are appointed as dictated by statute.
Andy Hall
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What do you think?
Imperial Beach Redevelopment Agency Successor Agency Resolutions
City Council Resolution No. 2012-7243
City Council Resolution No. 2012-7255 Transferring Seacoast Property Other Actions
Imperial Beach Housing Authority Resolution No. HA-12-12 Use of Bond Proceeds to Make Debt Service Payment
Oversight Board Resolutions
Imperial Beach Redevelopment Agency Successor Agency Resolutions