2011-01-14 Cost of Government Commission Minutes

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MS. O’HARA: Well, that would be nice for all of our building projects, but we’re not set up to function that way right now. And I don’t know how water permits come through us semi-autonomous, Board of Water Supply. How that’s all going to fit into one office is challenging. MS. NICHOLSON: What would you think of inviting Mr. Tanouye to come in and elaborate on these suggestions? I feel a little uncomfortable about moving them into the report because I’m not quite sure what they’re all about. But obviously there have been some discussions and these came out of the subcommittee, and if we can give them a little more importance by putting it in the report, but I’d like to know a little bit more about them. And they’re well thought out suggestions. MS. O’HARA: I just see them as, C for instance –Planning Department collaborate with Public Works, Real Property Tax Office to create efficiency and opportunity incentives for important agricultural lands. It is the state that is identifying what are important agricultural lands at this point in time. In other words there is some crossover here between state and county functions and how we will be able to carry that out. MR. ARMOUR: I think, if I understand this correctly, he’s on the Agricultural Advisory Commission, so they will be making recommendations. And maybe with us asking these questions, they thought of something that they might have been thinking of before, and so that they would be recommending these. MS. NICHOLSON: So, and I think again cause it’s what we will be discussing under the same agenda item that Gloria brought up is probably suggestions that come like this. Do we want to put them in our report or do we just want to submit they’re putting it in some other report that they’re already making? I don’t know. I just thought like there were some real validity and some contemplation that took place in these, and I’m not quite sure what they are, but I would like to know more to see if there are things that we should include in our report. MS. PROVALENKO: I agree with you Marilyn. After looking a this a little bit more as we’re talking, I think we should bring him in, ask him to come in and explain, because as you had said, difference between agricultural lands is state designate lands and what the county’s is, is two different things. And so we need to find out what he was really referring to, or if they took that into consideration. And the only way we’re going to find that out is if he explains it. MS. NICHOLSON: And for instance, he has under 3D, decrease purchase of imports. I’d really like to know more about that. What are they talking about and is it something that we should be considering. MS. WONG: So, you’d want to invite him to the next meeting? MS. NICHOLSON: If you are interested in it also in hearing more from him. I would like to hear more from him specifically addressing this document. What’s your feelings? MS. PROVALENKO: I agree. I would like to hear more from him. 30