Recommendation to Appoint the Nominated Members to the Mayor’s Economic Development Advisory Panel. (Community Development 001-7010)
Good evening. I'm Debbie Potter, the city's community development director. And I am pleased to be before you this evening to request the council's appointment of the mayor's nominated members of the Economic Development Advisory Panel. The purpose of the panel is to enhance the business climate here in the city of Alameda, as well as support the city's key economic sectors. And when staff was considering how we wanted to best kind of use the the members of the of the panel and the way that we could most efficiently and effectively organize that panel. We had kind of three key principles. One is that we wanted the panel to be flexible and we wanted a flexible structure that would allow us to really look to some of the business leaders and the personal contacts they had in their in the sectors that they represented. We wanted to have the work of the panel be very focused. We wanted to look at ad hoc committees and ad hoc structures so that we could bring the panel as a whole together or individual members to work on very specific issues or challenges in the economic development arena, and then kind of disband until there was another key issue that we wanted to work on and we wanted to use the panel and its individual members in an ambassadorial role where we could really rely on them. I think that when you're meeting with a new business or working within a business who wants to expand in the city, if you have another business person talking to them about the the good things about Alameda and the way it is to work with staff, it's a more compelling story when you have business representatives with you so that we really saw that ambassadorial role as key, too. So those were some of the important items we really wanted to focus on with the structure of the panel. And then when we thought about the key activities that we would want to engage the panel with is we really wanted to be able to look to the panel to help the city with business retention, expansion and attraction leads and helping to make recommendations to us as a city about ways that we could enhance retention and attraction within our key economic sectors. We wanted to be able to look to the panel to help assist us with business visitations, which we try to do on a regular basis throughout the calendar year. We wanted this panel to be a panel of experts who could advise staff, as well as the city council, to help us on any kind of specialized assignments or recruitment activities. And once again, we really wanted that third party validation of why Alameda is such a great place to do business. So those were the key activities that we envisioned for the Economic Development Advisory Panel. The mayor has nominated nine, nine members of the panel, along with one what we're calling an ex-officio member who would represent the Alameda business community as a whole. The other members are. Each representatives of one of the nine sectors are key sectors that you see listed in the slide. And these members would serve two year terms. There is a list of the proposed members in the packet. It's an exhibit to the staff report and we are asking that the council appoint these members this evening. That's my staff report and I'm happy to answer any questions. An American. Vice mayor. I would like to see if we can. Separate out at least one of the nominees away from the vote as a number is a client of mine, and I'd have to recuse myself to avoid the appearance of any kind of favoritism. And one of the nominees is the CEO of Penumbra. I also have a question and a concern about having a ad hoc committee that has no agendas, no minutes, no notice, and formulating and advising the Council on Policy. In the past, I have tried to just to convince this Council that we should reinstate the Economic Development Commission. I think a commission is matters of economic development, particularly now. And actually, before we headed into the abyss of the great meltdown, where I think demanded a commission that has a balanced membership, that can advise the Council on what policies we want to make in the city with regard to economic development. And I, I can point to the Alameda Marina rezoning as as had an economic development commission looked at that. That parcel before rezoning, we wouldn't be in the mess we're in with it now, trying to save the jobs that are there. So I think it's really important that that that part of the work that's one of these key activities be on a commission level. So that, again, it's noticed. There's agendas, there's opportunity for the public to weigh in as those recommendations for or policy are are being formulated and the council gets the benefit of of what public. Participation and commissions give to us in sifting things down before it gets to this this council for decision. I believe that staff absolutely anticipates that when meetings are convened, those meetings would be noticed, minutes would be kept, the public would be invited. And that just like with the America's Cup, when there are ad hoc committees that are convened, we're working on updating the economic development strategic plan. We anticipate an ad hoc committee. Those meetings would also be noticed. They would minutes would be taken so that all of those procedural items would be would be undertaken with with this panel. Yeah. Member, Odie. Thank you. I guess I have a process issue on this because if you look at the staff report at the bottom of page two says the city council previously endorsed the structure and purpose of the advisory panel. And I remember this discussion and I just pulled the minutes from April 7th of last year. And then the presentation was to recommend to establish the Mayor's Economic Development Advisory Panel in lieu of reestablishing an economic development commission. And then there was an item there. A vice mayor at ABC moved approval of directing staff to follow the parameters of the referral reform EDC, which failed. And then on the call of the question, which was recommendation to establish the economic advisory panel, the question also failed. So I guess I'm not convinced that this council has endorsed the structure and this has come before us. And, you know, it was my memory or recollection is that, you know, it's not something that we authorized. And I'm a little concerned about. Well, there was there was actually an earlier action in October of 2013, and it was. That's right. And the. Council. Nor was the vice mayor. Right. The council about it. The council voted to repeal the ordinance that established the EDC and directed the establishment of the Mayor's Economic Development Advisory Panel in October of 2013, so that the action and the discussion on April 7th of last year was a follow up to that action. And this action is now that we've actually got the nominated members of the panel. The request is to appoint the members of the panel. I think we declined to establish it by our vote, defeating that motion. And the motion was. You want to correct me if I'm wrong, the motion was actually in support. But there there had been action taken back in October 2013. The vice mayor's referral was to move forward with the Economic Development Commission, and that failed, which means then it's what stands is the prior council's decision of October 1st, 2013 , that it's not that it's not changed because the referral failed. Well, that was the vote on the referral, but there was a staff report recommending to establish the Mayor's Economic Development Advisory Panel in lieu of reestablishing an economic development commission. And that question failed to yes, to no one abstain. So, I mean, to me, that's the direction of this council, not to create this ad hoc committee. And I think we were pretty clear that, you know, we didn't really give direction. Mayor, I have a question as well. Member Ashcraft. Thank you. So I. I also concur with what Vice Mayor Ramirez's said about given the charge of this ad hoc committee to formulate policy, significant policy about the economic direction, development direction of our city. I would want that to be open and public and known by the community. And yet I think the next item we're going to consider or another item we're considering tonight are some proposed amendments to a sunshine ordinance. And from the description of the ad hoc committee in the staff report in your presentation, Miss Potter, this would seem to be a passive meeting. Passive? Because it's not a policy body that would actually. This is an advisory committee, at least under the red line version of the Sunshine Ordinance, which admittedly we haven't approved yet, but we're going to look at it. Advisory committees created by the initiative of a single member of a policy body, including the mayor or department. Head and passive meetings shall not include. Well. So not a my reading this correctly include a committee that consists solely of appointments of employees. Is this going to be a passive body? With that. I think maybe. I don't know. Assistant city attorney Roger can weigh in. Because it sounds like even if it is a passive meeting body, that staff intends on noticing it. So. Well, I think I think the question here really is that it's not this kind of a committee would not be required under our Sunshine Ordinance to do that. That was my reading. And we heard Miss Potter say is she's saying that that's what staff intends to do regardless of sunshine work. And I appreciate that. However, I think this is significant enough that we should have a better sense of what we're doing, how the noticing will take place and. And I guess the question, the overarching question that I had when I was listening to the presentation is, is there anything that is being proposed in this list of of I'm sorry, I'm just putting this up in the the list of. Key activities that we were just looking at that couldn't be carried out on an informal basis. If you have a question about something to do with waterfront development, is there some reason that you couldn't call upon? Maybe not just the proposed panel member from Power Engineer? I think it is, but maybe Bay Shipyard and put together a group, although that probably doesn't address the openness, the open meeting question. But I think I agree with Councilmember too that this is perhaps not what we had envisioned or we hadn't hadn't made a firm decision about what we wanted to have come back to us. I think that staff's understanding from that was that the referral the vice mayor made a referral twice about reestablishing the ADC and that in both instances that referral was not approved. And therefore the original action from October of 2013 to set up the advisory panel in lieu of the EDC was what stood, and that is how staff has been proceeding in terms of getting this this panel established. The panel itself and I would just want to clarify that the panel panel itself is not ad hoc. It's set up to be an advisory panel with the members serving two year terms, but that some of the activities that may be engaged in with would include participating on ad hoc committees. But the panel itself is not intended to be ad hoc. It's intended to be a formal standing panel that that is being adopted. That has been adopted in in lieu of the EDC. And then October 1st, 2013. At that time, the council voted to approve having a mayor's economic development advisory panel. Is that correct? That's correct. And remember, Ashcraft, you were on it then. So my at that point, do you know what the vote was? Do you know if it was unanimous? I believe it was unanimous. So I don't know for sure. And do you do you recall, aware? ASHCROFT You know, whether it was or whether it wasn't. There has been significant changes in our city, and we are considering it again so we can take a vote now and decide how we want to proceed. But I. I just I'm concerned with. The. The way this is structured. Member De SA. Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair. When I look at the individuals who have been asked and who have agreed to participate, they represent an incredible. Group of corporations that we have here in town from the co-owner of Saint George Spirits, their distillery that many comedians love, and that is always in the Chronicle. So it gives great advertising for the city of Alameda. We also have a representative from Google and also the CEO from the. Medical devices company penumbra that recently located here. So there's an incredible amazing talent at that been coalesced here and. How I felt back in 2013 is and still prevails. I do think that we need a panel that can that's nimble and that can move quickly in addressing issues. And in, as you had said, serving that ambassadorial, serving like ambassadors to whatever companies that we want to bring into town or whatever companies that we want to keep in town. I have no doubt that if a panel like this was in existence even prior to 2013, the concerns about the marina probably would have been vetted from their lens and from that economic development lens. I think this is a plus for the city of Alameda. And if it means that, you know, we have to, in no uncertain terms, make sure that the Sunshine Act and all the Brown Brown Act provisions apply, then so be it. Because I suspect that these individuals are willing to do that. This is, I think. This is a benefit to the citizens of Alameda as well as the businesses. We tried the Economic Development Commission model and this is a altogether different model. I guess I would just want to close by saying, you know, I remember many years ago. I think it was ever since I was bought out by Abbott Laboratories and there was a possibility that that Abbott Laboratories was going to close the facility down. But we had staff. I remember, I think it was Erich von Stein. We were all along with then Mayor Beverly Johnson, along with, I'm sure you know, members of the of the chamber, you know, who rallied to sell Alameda. And I think it's that kind of team with that kind of incredible breadth of experience representing, you know, different successful firms in a variety of industry clusters that we have growing here in town. I think it's that kind of of approach to economic development that I think is sorely needed in this fast moving city versus city type of environment that we're in. So how I voted in 2013, I still feel the same way. I support this and I support this approach. Ashcroft. And I will just say thank you, Councilmember de like I said, you make a very persuasive argument and I could be persuaded. But my support would hinge on this specifically being a body that is subject to the Brown Act and the Sunshine Ordinance and not as a passive body, but as a policy body. Because I truly feel that this shouldn't just be a matter of, oh, you know, we'll have a meeting, and if we have time, we'll let people know we don't have to. And I think that's important. This is a significant enough undertaking. It should be open to the public. We should be transparent. So if that change can be made, I think I could go along. And staff concurs with that, with that process. So why don't we put it? Specify it. Yes. Not not into it. Right. Well, I'm still going to vote no, because I think it was clear that there was a recommendation to establish this that was not passed. So to sit here and say that we gave authority to do that and you kind of. Agreed with. We didn't give authority that a previous council yet totally ignoring the other motion and the result of that that vote. I mean, I think there are some fine people that are nominated, but I also think we have a chamber, we have business associations, we even have a mayor who acts as ambassador. So I mean, to sit there and say that we need ambassadors, you know, I think we need to focus on, as the vice mayor has said, economic development and some of these issues. And I just I just think you're kind of you're trying to pull a fast one on us, and I don't like it, so I'm not voting for it. You know, I am going to jump in here because we've had conversations before about addressing our staff respectfully. I wouldn't I think there may have been some miscommunication. I wouldn't have characterized it as such. I do see that the recommendation is to appoint the nominated members to the this mayor's economic development advisory panel. The vice mayor was asked if that vote could be bifurcated because he has a conflict on one member. I think the the recommendation that needs to be voted on is also to specify, as I said, that this this body falls within the the the requirements of the Brown Act and the Sunshine Ordinance for a policy body. Okay. Just a moment to make a motion. Well, I would like to move staff's recommendation and add the amendment that and if you want to wordsmith it even better, feel free to that. This panel fully adopt both the Sunshine Ordinance noticing requirements as well as whatever Brown Act requirements that there are. And I'll leave that to city attorneys in the cities to have to put it into the the correct language. I don't think that's asking too much of them. And I do think it's important. I guess I just want to try to be clear here. I don't really understand the difference between how we are modifying this advisory panel. It sounds to me like we're making it a commission. So I'm just a little confused with what the council I mean, my understanding, frankly, had been that this advisory panel was going to be some kind of a much more flexible, not formal organization. It sounds like we're trying to make it more formal. So I'm just a little confused what you want us to do. Okay. So if I could ask a question of your question, I what I'm looking for is so a commission, I guess, has set meeting dates, whether it's monthly or quarterly or whatever. This may be on more of an as needed basis. But I would still expect that there would be the sort of noticing requirements that we would have of a commission meeting. So however many days before this is this meeting is to take place in the location and all that is is specified. So who calls the meetings of the the the panels? So staff, I think the way it was envisioned that staff would convene the meetings and it could be that council gives direction that they would like the panel to have a certain issue studied, such as the zoning or Alameda Marina. Then staff could convene a meeting or if staff has an agenda that it would like to convene a meeting about. That is how we had envisioned it. I do agree, though, the idea was not to do a monthly meeting. A standing monthly meeting with the idea was to come together as needed to meet that those meetings should be open to the public, should be agenda ized. And then if there is an item, for example, that that the city wants to study a particular issue that either the council's director did or staff has, that there is an opportunity for individual members to serve on an ad hoc committee on a specific issue. Then that ad hoc committee would do its work. Pursuant to the Sunshine Ordinance and that with the same kind of notice seen in minutes, and then they would disband as they do under the Sunshine Ordinance. And that's kind of the flexibility that would be sought out if there were was a business visitation staff would be able to identify. Okay, we were looking at this, you know, this particular maritime business. We want someone from the maritime industry to come with us. We would access the panel for that kind of meeting. That that's the that's the idea. Madame Maresca So what, what is seeming apparent to me and maybe I'm the only one, but perhaps we need to send this back to staff for some, some further clarification. Otherwise we're relying on essentially minutes of the meeting. I mean, you've you've made some very plausible arguments, Miss Potter, but I would have liked them to have been in the staff reports with the public and the council could be aware of them. Could we ask that this be brought back with all of the input that we've heard from Council for our consideration and have a little better idea of what it is we're voting on? So I think. But. So let me ask you, is it possible to have that direction, given that we've already shared those specificities, the Brown Act, Sunshine Act minutes with the current motion? My preference would be to proceed this not necessarily the same five people, but City Council voted for this back October 1st, 2013. I've heard several councilmembers up here speak to how important it would have been if we'd had this commission or committee for some of these issues. And I think that it is important to get to actually start this and get the feedback from this committee, because we do have critical issues where I think we as a as a council would benefit from their input. So if it's possible to proceed. Let me raise this. I mean, because I think it's it's it's important to have all the council members if we can if we can get that. I think it's important to have all the council members give their seal of approval for this. Is it possible that we can move forward with accepting the nominations and then so that these persons are and the companies that they represent, they know that, you know, we want them and that that the putting a little bit more meat on the bones discussion can come back. I mean that maybe that's what. Well if it's. At least it sends a signal to the to the members that we're serious about. This. We we value represent. But we're just going to put a little bit more meat on the bones. Vice mayor. I think this is creeping closer and closer to a commission, which is what I thought. And the reason the reason I want it is because when we talk, it's the the ambassadorship. I'm fine. The the ad hoc committees where you get a couple of the key business leaders together is fine. On a specific issue, for example, how do we entice maritime concern to move here, etc.? And I think that can be that can be accomplished here with these volunteers that have it is actually a pretty impressive list. But when we're talking about formulating policy. That has to be publicly noticed, I think. And it has to it can't be it. But I think there's value to having to having a commission do that. The commission delivered our economic development strategic plan, and I think it's worth keeping keeping that up. And I think the previous commission, I am repeating myself, but I think the previous commission died its death because of of lack of direction. And I think the council has to give direction to to kind of push this, just like the council to push the need for economic development strategic plan back in the nineties in anticipation of of growth here so of. I'm I'm fine with with putting these folks to work again as long as it's noticed, as long as there are minutes and as long as they report back to the council again, I think it gets us closer to its you know, if it looks like a duck and sounds like a duck and walks like a duck, it's a duck. We're going to eventually get there. Just. Well, the Mayor's Committee on Disabilities became the Commission on Disabilities because it was important. They don't want to lose the momentum. But I do want to make sure that we have that basically balanced to nine business people. Nine people who are interested in it have their own stake. And then there's 70 X number, thousands of people who who may need to hear or may need to help form those discussions. So do you want to second his motion? Make a different motion? Where are we on this? Yeah, I. Know. I think. I want. It to sound kind of like emotion to. Me. I think somebody. You know, is getting to compliment her day sucks point about, you know, trying to have us come together if if we had voted to establish this committee or at least set as established guidelines on what all of my colleagues had said we wanted to do around the ACT agenda, you know, whatever, whatever, whatever. I'm fine with it, but I still don't think we're there yet. So if maybe we can bring back a recommendation to create something, whatever you want to call it, I don't really care as long as it does what we want it to do. And then I'd be fine with voting for the nine people, but I just don't. I just don't think that I just don't think that direction is there. And I I'd like to at least have a vote that says we voted affirmatively this council to create whatever advisory panel slash commission under these guidelines, because I don't think we've done. That comfortable voting yet. And Madam Mayor, if I can. Remember disagree, it's. Altogether possible that the nine persons who are excited about signing up, it's altogether possible that they themselves would like us to come back with an outline of how they. At a minimum, c c proceeding. So it's something that they would like. So perhaps the thing to do tonight is to accept the nominees. To signal to them that we're serious about this, we're excited about their companies. But also along the lines of putting more flesh on the bones. And at the end of the day, when we put more flesh on the bones, it might look like a commission, but it's still going to be called the Mayor's Economic Development Advisory Panel. Whatever it is. So the mayor with Councilmember de Sox explanation there. I would like to make a motion that we accept. Yeah. No, actually, I'll let someone else make the motion so I can recuse myself for Mr. Elsasser. I'll make the first motion that we accept the names of the eight members in the ninth. Not because we don't want the ninth person, but for reasons of. Possible conflict. So that would be the emotion. And I would second that. May I clarify? It's actually ten because we have the ex officio at large position. So it's it's actually ten. Right. Okay. So nine is not voting on. So we have a motion and a second. All those in favor I oppose. I'm going to abstain. One abstention. Four in favor. One abstention. And now. Yes. Technically it'll. Be a. And I don't know what we're. Yes. So so I'll move that Adam Elsasser of Penumbra be nominated as the member of the is it biotech or his biotech. Right. Could be health care, too, but I know his health care. Okay. So biotech. Okay. It's been moved. Okay. All those in favor I oppose. Abstain. Abstain. Passes, three in favor, one abstention. And remember, vice. May or may return. He counts as an abstention. Then absent. Absent of. All right. Thank you. So now we're going to move on to. 61, so why. Don't you. No. I'm sorry. Yeah, yeah, exactly. I'd like to make a motion that we send. The issue of the structure of this committee back to staff to ensure that the points that were raised, particularly around the formalities that are required by the Brown Act, the formalities that are that are associated with keeping minutes and providing agendas and public records are considered and brought back as a. That's a direction for how this committee will function and what its obligations will be. Second. All those in favor. I. Motion carries unanimously. Thank you. And may I ask one clarifying question? So regarding policy, from a staffs perspective, the panel would never undertake any policy analysis or consideration unless directed to do so by the City Council, and that when that direction came, then panel would undertake that analysis and come up with those recommendations to return back to the Council is that I want to confirm that that's the sense of the Council to about how policy recommendations and policy analysis would be approached. Well, you said. That. You said never. But my sense is you got 9 to 10 people with incredible insights and experience. So they themselves might have some policy ideas that want they want to percolate up to council vice mayor. And to that point, as part of having that talent in the room on public display with public input and public comment is to me the real value of getting that back to it. So I don't want us to be the sole source of that. This is why we we've assembled the talent and we're grateful that they've volunteered. So I'd say that the answer is no is that the the policy can come from a direction can come from the council, but it can also come from the committee. But I also want to thank staff and all these business leaders that have stepped up to serve the city. Thank you. Thank you. Good luck. All right. Our next item six C. Introduction of ordinance amending the Alameda Municipal Code by amending adding a deleting sections of Article eight Sunshine Ordinance of Chapter two Administration concerning local standards to ensure public access to meetings and public records. Keep put up the PowerPoint. Oh, there's PowerPoint. All right. All right. I don't like. Oh, I'm sorry. I don't think it was attached to sir. I had the ordnance red line and then the current ordnance and the staff report in the open government minutes is there.