RECOMMENDATION(S): (CONT'D)
3. MODIFY the MAC Policy to permit up to two alternate seats for each MAC, which can be recruited and filled upon Board approval at the discretion of the corresponding District Supervisor.
4. MODIFY the MAC Policy to permit the addition of one non-voting youth representative seat to each MAC, which can be recruited and filled upon Board approval at the discretion of the corresponding District Supervisor.
5. DIRECT the County Counsel to develop parental permission/release of liability forms for youths participating on County MACs.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None.
BACKGROUND:
On December 11, 2012, in response to a proposal to add Youth and Alternate seats to the Alamo MAC (Item C.111), the Board asked the County Administrator to survey County MACs to determine if the Countywide MAC Policy should be modified to provide:
(1) an option to add an Alternate seat for a 7-member MAC
(2) an option to add a non-voting Youth seat to any MAC, regardless of size
Working through the County Supervisors’ offices, the County Administrator distributed surveys to the following MACs:
|
5 Member Composition |
7 Member Composition |
Bethel Island
Byron
Diablo
Kensington
Knightsen
M-16 (Clyde)
Pacheco |
Alamo
Bay Point
Contra Costa Centre
El Sobrante
North Richmond
Rodeo |
Eight of the thirteen MACs responded, four each of 5 and 7 member MACs. The Discovery Bay Community Services District was not surveyed because, while it serves the function of a MAC, the MAC itself was terminated in 1998 and, therefore, the body’s composition is fixed and the survey is not applicable to it.
The survey responses, attached for information, produced the following findings:
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Ability to Convene. Both 5 and 7 member MACs reported a 10% meeting cancellation rate due to lack of quorum, regardless of the difference in committee composition and availability of alternate members. While the 5 member committees convened no special meetings, the 7 member committees convened special meetings, which resulted in the same meeting cancellation rate as the 5 member committees. Seat vacancies – both the frequency and duration – appear to be a more significant attendance factor for 7 member MACs than the 5 member MACs.
-
Need/Desire for Alternate Seats. All of the respondents reported that their committees can function effectively without the addition of an alternate seat. Five of the eight respondents reported that their committees would benefit from having an alternate seat. Four of these five are 7 member MACs. Two of the three MACs that anticipated no benefit to adding an alternate seat already have alternate seats.
-
Need/Desire for Youth Seats. With the exception of the North Richmond MAC, youths do not frequently attend MAC meetings nor do they frequently offer public comment when they do. Half of the respondents indicated that they have had youth-related issues on their agendas but youth issues represent a very small percentage of the agenda items. Youth issues tend to focus around parks, civic events, school resources, and youth health.
Six of the eight respondents indicated that a youth representative would benefit their MACs but only three of the eight identified a youth seat as a need. All of the MACs reported that they meet during times normally available to school aged children.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
Disapproval of the recommendation will maintain the status quo.
CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT:
The recommendation would support Children's Report Card outcome (5) Communities that are Safe and Provide a High Quality of Life for Children and Families, by providing a formal avenue for youths to voice concerns and provide input on community issues affecting them.
CLERK'S ADDENDUM
The County Administrator, Mr. David Twa, noted that a suitable release form is already available and Recommendation No. 5 is removed from consideration.
ACCEPTED the report and findings from the survey of municipal advisory committees; FOUND also that quorum requirement is statistically, nearly the same for both 5 and 7 member bodies (at 60% and 57%, respectively); MODIFIED the MAC Policy to permit up to one alternate seat for each MAC, which can be recruited and filled upon Board approval at the discretion of the corresponding District Supervisor; MODIFIED the MAC Policy to permit the addition of one non-voting youth representative seat to each MAC, which can be recruited and filled upon Board approval at the discretion of the corresponding District Supervisor.