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minutes 03-18-00Page 15 of 27
<br />really what it’s supposed to lead to is better government. Because I sat here, John sat here. We know what the agendas can
<br />happen here, and a lot of times, they have nothing to do with better government or how the service is rendered to the people,
<br />or how that impacts quality of life, and if we can put it in the hands of people who are stockholders in it.
<br />BOUCHER: And finally, Cost-of-Government Commission. I think it sounds like another layer of government, or another
<br />leaf of the tree of government, but it’s obviously something that we need to be looking at, and I don’t think there is anybody -
<br />RAY: No, it’s just every other year, the Mayor would appoint a Commission to, basically, input County government on how
<br />they might be more efficient, and reduce the cost of government. So, I think creating a formal structure for that type of input
<br />is healthy, and I think it will be a pretty negligible cost to do that, and would be a good forum, like I say, to independently
<br />look at cost of government.
<br />BOUCHER: Right, and actually I am in support of it. It does add another leaf to the tree but I am in support. Obviously there
<br />is nobody looking at this specifically.
<br />IRVINE: I was going to say, also, in the more detailed proposal, this is a Commission that would be appointed one year, run
<br />for one year, and then be pau. It’s not something that would be ongoing forever, and therefore ignored. It would be every two
<br />years, they’d do their thing, they’d disband and two years later, they’d start over again with a new Commission. You couldn’t
<br />serve again on the same -
<br />BOUCHER: That’s an interesting approach. Where did that model come from, if I may?
<br />RAY: Maui.
<br />IRVINE: Maui.
<br />BOUCHER: Oh, really?
<br />SANTANGELO: Peter, you did something that surprised the heck out of me. You went from 4. What happened to 5?
<br />BOUCHER: I’m speaking as a private citizen here.
<br />SANTANGELO: So, you have no comment on 5?
<br />BOUCHER: Right now I’m speaking as a private citizen, Peter Boucher.
<br />IRVINE: Thank you for separating those.
<br />BOUCHER: Now, I’m getting ready to speak as Peter Boucher, the Head of the Wastewater Division, the Department of
<br />Public Works.
<br />RAY: Right.
<br />SANTANGELO: I like the private citizen.
<br />BOUCHER: Yes, much nicer. Much more easy going, right? Anyways, regarding item number 5, Department of
<br />Environmental Services, yes, I am in favor of this, but with some caveats, of course. Number one, let me start off by saying I
<br />think you should change the title of this to Department of Environmental Management rather than Services. It’s sort of a
<br />philosophical approach, like Services sounds like we’re trying to correct the problem, and Management sounds like we’re
<br />trying to control, overlook the whole thing, prevent problems, taking the holistic approach.
<br />RAY: How about Department of Waste Management? That was a suggestion that came up. We were just trying to, kind of,
<br />couch this in Green terms, or whatever.
<br />BOUCHER: I think Environmental is the correct way to put it.
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