SOUTH BAY CITIES COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENT'S POSITION PAPER

Recommendation:

That the City Council review and comment on the South Bay Cities Council of Government's (SBCCOG) Position Paper (Attachment #1) and direct the City's SBCCOG delegate to forward the City Council's comments to the SBCCOG Board on or before October 23, 1997.

Background:

A voluntary organization of cities, known as the South Bay Cities Association (SBCA), has existed in the South Bay since the early 1970's, with a coexisting joint powers authority to address subregional transportation issues. In recent years, however, much regional planning has shifted to subregions for policy development and implementation. In addition, criteria to determine funding allocations for transportation and infrastructure projects depends, in part, upon joint sponsorship from the subregion. As a result, in 1994 the SBCA reorganized into a joint powers authority to combine all activities under one organization, and became the SBCCOG.

While still the SBCA, the organization developed a Subregional Strategy, mission statement, and implementation program that has been the basis for actions over the last three years. Due to changes in the organization, completing priorities, and increased demands and expectations with no increase in resources, in the winter of 1996 the SBCCOG held a goals workshop to reevaluate its goals and priorities. Before adopting a new work program to implement the revised priorities, however, at the recommendation of the South Bay City Managers' Association, the COG Board voted to develop a Position Paper to forward to all member cities. The Position Paper provides background information and a context for the current priorities and action items; highlights many of the SBCCOG's successes on behalf of member cities and our subregion; compares the SBCCOG with other similar subregional organizations; and presents a rationale for creating and filling staff positions for the COG.

Technically, the SBCCOG's Bylaws and Agreement allow the SBCCOG governing board to fill an "executive director" position and hire employees without going to each city for approval. However, as this action would take the COG in a new direction, the Board believes that it is important to determine if there is adequate member city support to continue developing this subregional organization. Conversely, if there is not member city support for the COG's goals or to hire staff to implement those goals and work program, then the implications of increasing regional competition coupled with the inability to continue the current level of "volunteer" administrative support must be addressed.

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