The Marin County Board of Supervisors considered the future of 19 county boards, commissions and committees Tuesday through a report prepared by the Office of the County Executive.
Advisory committees are composed of appointed members who provide advice, recommendations and community input to government agencies or elected officials. They do not have the authority to make laws or final decisions.
The report recommended that some advisory bodies continue, while others be modified, restructured, consolidated or eliminated.
“Nothing’s being sunsetted today,” said Supervisor Eric Lucan. “It’s really just that next step in terms of additional evaluation, a check-in point.”
“These bodies have been created at different points in time for different purposes and under different operating structures,” said Supervisor Dennis Rodoni, who introduced the report. “This process has shown us the value of periodically stepping back, asking whether those structures still make sense. Is the body still serving a clear and necessary purpose?”
The staff recommendations divide the bodies into several categories. The Library Commission and Marin Women’s Commission are recommended for retention. Seven others, including the Bolinas Lagoon Advisory Council, Civic Center Conservancy, Marin County Fish and Wildlife Commission, Parks and Open Space Commission and Marin County Youth Commission, are recommended for retention with governance improvements.
Governance improvements include changes such as updated bylaws, clear membership provisions, improved public engagement and more consistent work planning and reporting, said Omar Rascon with the Office of the County Executive.
Staff recommends consolidating the Alcohol and Drug Advisory Board’s functions into the Behavioral Health Board while preserving substance-use expertise and community representation. The Behavioral Health Board, the report said, already has a subcommittee that does similar work. It would remain in place with changes to its membership, bylaws and committees to accommodate the consolidation.
Several local advisory bodies would undergo further evaluation. Those include the Greenbrae, Las Gallinas Village and Stinson Beach community service areas, as well as the Kentfield planning advisory board and Strawberry and Tamalpais design review advisory boards.
County Service Area 20, which funds local park and recreation services in Indian Valley/Domingo Canyon, was recommended for sunset because its original purpose appears to have been fulfilled and its activities may overlap with the Parks and Open Space Commission. The report also recommended eliminating the Health Council of Marin.
The review evaluated each body based on its legal authority, mission, activities, membership, ability to reach a quorum, governing documents, administrative support, public engagement and overlap with other county structures.
Staff also recommended making the sunset review an ongoing process for all county advisory bodies, with future reviews timed to coincide with the county’s biennial boards and commissions review.
