Fullerton’s Committees and Commissions. What Are They Good For?
Well, the answer to that question depends on who you are and what you want.
Last Tuesday’s Fullerton City Council agenda featured an item to modify some of the current roster of committees and commissions. The idea was to schedule fewer meetings for some, get rid of “at-large” members in others and in one case, the Active Transportation Committee, roll it into the Transportation and Circulation Committee. The Planning Commission was to be expanded to seven members by adding two at-large members.
Naturally, the true nature of these committees and what they actually accomplish was not part of the discussion.
Almost no city committees are legally necessary according to State law – except, I believe, Library Boards and Planning Commissions. The rest are there, presumably, to give the public a chance to contribute to the charming swindle known as participatory government. This is almost always a fiction, as anybody who has spent any time watching these shows, knows. The committees are little better than rubber stamps.
City staff likes committees because it gives them a chance to build momentum behind one of their pet projects – to create an aura of inevitability about this or that. It’s an opportunity to go to the City Council and explain the unanimous support for their item. And if, perchance, a committee shows a little independence then their ideas and their votes are mere suggestions with no legal standing.
Some of the bureaucratic enthusiasm for committees must have waned a bit when Fullerton went to direct Council appointments a few years back. Previously choices were made by review panels made up of council and committee members who could be relied on to pick “sound” people, that is, folks who could be trusted not to rock the proverbial boat.
In the olden days staff liked larger committees. The reasoning seemed to be that the more members you had the more impotent the commission really was.
City Council members like to put friends and allies on committees, and, in the case of the Planning Commission, maybe even someone moving up in Fullerton’s political arena. This is how you build a political machine: you help people, they help you.
It is not uncommon that if there is an annoying member of the public, an irritant at Council meetings, he or she might just be shut up by being put on a committee, becoming part of the team, so to speak. It worked shockingly often. John Henry Habermeyer, Estelle Geddy Professor of Political Science and Economics at RPI for many years, describes the scenario eloquently:
“The answer is to asphyxiate the irritant in a smothering embrace; to draw said miscreant into the circle of government itself by appointing this him to some footling committee or other, thereby causing him to voluntarily silence himself in deference to the grand fraternity to which he has been officially welcomed. He has a name plate; perhaps even a coveted parking space! Many an underdeveloped and agitated ego has been assuaged by such a maneuver and its proprietor thereby silenced.“
Committee members who are not impatient with bureaucratic doubletalk like to be on committees, especially if they can sit up on the dais in the City Council chamber. It makes them feel good about things, an ego boost.
Of course the public is completely unaware or even interested in committee meetings which are almost always held in empty rooms.
Since almost everybody seems to like the current set-up, why the proposed alterations? The staff report referred to economies, efficiencies, and such-like. The verbiage didn’t sound very heart-felt or persuasive and the reader gets the impression of a top down diktat from Mayor Fred Jung to clean things up.
In the end most of the proposed reductions to five directly appointed members of certain commissions was approved, which is basically a smart move. The inconsistent proposal to increase the Planning Commission membership to seven (actually the way it used to be) failed. The motion to keep it the way it is passed 3-2 with Fred Jung and Jamie Valencia voting no.
On a side note, Fullerton Boohoo was at the meeting to display their unhappiness. Why not? The altar of probity, the Fullerton Observer had tried to stir up opposition earlier with one of their editorial/news mishmashes. The funniest part of this effort was to explain that these committees help keep staff “accountable,” an obvious misdirection from the Kennedy Sisters who have never cared about staff accountability before.
Whether or not the changes would have saved anybody time or money is debatable. What is not debatable is that these footling committees are there to look like public participation is going on, when it hardly ever is.
Absolutely nothing.
Once in a while a committee member or a commissioner shows some independence.
But it’s rare. Agenda are created and written by staff.
Your buddy Jung went for a power play on the dumb Planning Commission try.
He failed.
Power play from Jung? Beats the usual foreplay and circle jerk from your Zahra who can’t cry and kick his way to mayor.
How about that idiot Shana Charles? Her ego is the only thing bigger than her mouth. She won’t shut up! What she has to say is so important?
““sound” people”
That could also mean people who are not assholes/bomb throwers trying to derail work and just generally sabotage the ability of the committee to operate.
Jesus H., I thought you were in jail.
Oh, no. Not that thing, again.
What are you making up now? Not interesting enough to have ever been in jail.
You’d be a perfect staff stooge. Why don’t you apply for something? Zahra or Charles would love your lack of sales resistance for their stupid boondoggles.
I prefer working on things I know will end up being used.
Explains why you’re on the shitter. Constantly.
The Trail to Nowhere won’t, so that’s a lie. The Wank on Wilshire is only used when the City staff programs kiddie activities on it.
Of course you didn’t really “work” on anything, so I guess maybe you are telling the truth.
They are good for giving out patronage and reaping cash for your never-ending campaign.
This whole re revision of committees was just a setup to add to members to the planning commission Doug Cox and Gambino who are both terming out
I don’t think so. Cox is obnoxious.
Cox talked enough for 5 people.
No, the idea was for Jung to get another 2 friendly members appointed and get a 5-2 majority. This was bad politics and bad policy.
Bad politics? If Jung had 2 friendlies, the city may finally get some sensible zoning and permitting. Do you think Ahmad or Shana would be better?
Do these committees and commissions matter? Planning does. Parks has a place. Why do we have an Active Transportation Committee? This is classic government patting itself on the back for being government.
The people who walk need to be represented.
Abd people who use scooters and what not.
You may be right (or not) about the outcome, but the optics were bad and it looked like a power play. Other committees were being reduced.
“The Planning Commission makes recommendations to the City Council for the regulation of future growth, development and beautification of the city in relation to its public buildings, streets, grounds and vacant lots” source is City of Fullerton’s Planning Commission website describing its functions. This commission concerned with physical development of the city which translates to construction projects. Construction is a lucrative business to those agencies and developers selected by a planning commission. Is affordable housing state mandates assigned to cities’ planning commissions? What does the Kennedy Commission (named after Sharon Kennedy’s father) which is housed in same building as affordable housing Jamboree agency.(Jamboree is a nonprofit affordable housing developer with proven solutions that transform an entire community for the long-term.) do? Why is Sharon Kennedy angered by Fullerton’s sensible decision to create more effective, efficient municipal government?
Deception.
Let’s face it. Nobody will talk about the truth – these committees accomplish nothing in practical terms. It’s a farce.
BTW TDR, you stole “charming swindle” from Prof. Habermeyer, right?
Haha. No. He wrote “charming scam.”
Well, I guess you’re half right.