2006-03-02 Cost of Government Commission Minutes

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10. DISCUSSION OF ANY RULE REVISIONS PROPOSED BY COMMISSIONERS Ms. Garson said there is a whole procedure needed to do rule revisions but that the commissioners could discuss it. The commissioners previously discussed possibly changing the meeting schedule but had decided to keep it on the first and third Thursdays for now. Mr. Miyasato moved on to item No. 11. 11. DISCUSSION /ACTION REGARDING APPROACH TO TAKE TO TIMELY ACCOMPLISH MANDATE OF THE COST OF GOVERNMENT COMMISSION Ms. Garson said the Commission knows what its task is, and this was to discuss how to go about accomplishing that task. The prior Commission had called in a representative from each department to do a presentation and put together a packet. She said the commissioners need to discuss whether they are going to prioritize which departments will be looked at, and issues like that. Ms. Stremski said it looked like eleven departments had been looked at and given recommendations and that she was curious how many recommendations had been implemented. Mr. Joseph explained that the handouts from Dixie Kaetsu were supposed to answer that. Ms. Stremski suggested that they then look at those departments that were not audited by the previous Commission rather than wasting time on departments that were already done. Mr. Sakaguchi said that it had earlier been said that all departments are supposed to present a budget, so presumably the Mayor's Office and the Council are looking at what kind of changes should be made in the budget process. He said he is not sure if this Commission needs to take the same approach as the prior one. He said he is interested in "talking story" and seeing how they might approach the problem rather than going from department to department and activity to activity. If the discussion is not fruitful, they could go at it another way. He said that in talking story, they could look at issues such as privatization; whether a program could be offered where employees all year long are encouraged to make suggestions; and whether there could be an open line to the community where ideas could be expressed. He said he is interested in doing a broad overview first. Ms. Garson read the Charter where it described what the Commission is to do: Each Commission shall "study and investigate the organization and methods of operations of all departments, commissions, boards, offices, and other instrumentalities of all branches of the County government and determine what changes, if any, may be desirable to accomplish the policy set forth herein." She said the prior Commission probably did go from department to department because of the mandate of the Charter. Therefore, they cannot just look at the broad issues but need to look at the details. Mr. Joseph said that in looking at Solid Waste, they could perhaps look at areas within Solid Waste where privatization might be recommended, but to generalize privatization for the entire County would not be appropriate. 17