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recommendations on reconfiguring some of the Commissions to <br />decrease the numbers of commissioners, number of meetings and <br />possible collaspe of some commissions. Some of the <br />recommendations that have already been made have helped with <br />more effective meetings such as decreasing the numbers in the <br />Economic Vitality Committee Members. <br />Please see Agenda Item #2 and #13 in the Agenda Packet, <br />https://pleasantonca.portal.civicclerk.com/event/121/files/agenda/177). <br />I have also attached a pdf of agenda item #13 below. <br />I have been following this issue closely since originally proposed for a <br />number of reasons. As a past Commissioner on both the Library and <br />Human Services Commissions for ten years I am familiar with the <br />past organization of the Commission meetings, the Commissioners' <br />responsibilities and scope of their influence. The Commissioners are <br />tasked with meeting regularly to provide assistance and <br />recommendations to the City Council. The Commissioners bring up <br />priorities to staff to be conveyed to the City Council as members of <br />the community. There have been some changes to past practices of <br />addressing the Council in a Priority Meeting with Commissioners every <br />two years since adopting the new Strategic Plan "ONE Pleasanton", <br />however the responsibilities of the Commissioners remain the same. <br />If the Council votes to accept staff's recommended "reorganization" of <br />the Commissions, for example putting the Civic Arts with the Library <br />Commissions to meet together, this would make it extremely difficult <br />to get through each of the group's action items and mandates within <br />the scheduled meeting dates. Some of the Commissions have lenthy <br />Community Grants to review which requires several hours and an <br />entire Commission meeting to distribute grant funding for arts groups <br />and for human services programs. The commissions each have <br />different functions and therefore the impact of merging two different <br />commissions would mean less effective and efficient adisory services <br />to the community and the City Council. <br />When on the Commissions, I meet once a month routinely. The Library <br />Commissioners would frequently bring up items for the next <br />meeting's agenda and had many responsibilities related to the Library <br />and the community. k met once a year to make a presentation to the <br />Council. I was additionally asked to served as a representative from <br />the Library Commissioner on many task forces to help develop the <br />Youth Master Plan, the Cultural Arts Plan and on other committees <br />representing the interests of Pleasanton residents. <br />Since attending the yearly Commission and Committee Recognition <br />Events, I have been struck by the amount of work and completed <br />projects that are accomplished because of the inspiration and energy <br />of the Commissioners and Commissions, from the Bernal Community <br />Park, Public Art and Arts Facilities, such as the Firehouse Arts Center, <br />to affordable housing and low cost health care and meals for the