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Subject: [BULK] New eComment for City Council on 2026-01-29 9:00 AM - Regular Meeting Date: Friday, January 23, 2026 6:31:08 PM
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City of Fresno
New eComment for City Council on 2026-01-29
9:00 AM - Regular Meeting
Dan Waterhouse submitted a new eComment.
Meeting: City Council on 2026-01-29 9:00 AM - Regular Meeting Item: 4.-A. ID 26-124 RESOLUTION - Establishing the Policy Review Ad Hoc Committee eComment: I oppose this item. Any discussion of policy changes should be done in public. The public�€™s work must be done in full view, not behind closed doors.
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From:
To: Clerk
Subject: ID 26-124 AD-HOC
Date: Wednesday, January 28, 2026 11:59:05 AM
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I appreciate the Council’s effort to establish a Policy Review Ad Hoc Committee. I support the creation of a policy review body and would like to respectfully propose several amendments intended to strengthen transparency, independence, and public trust in the committee’s structure.
First, I request that the resolution be amended to require that all appointments to the Policy Review Ad Hoc Committee be approved by a majority vote of the full City Council at a public meeting.
Because this committee is created by and reports back to the Council, Council-wide approval of membership is an important transparency safeguard.
Second, I recommend removing the pre-designation of specific Councilmembers in the resolution and amending the membership structure so that the Policy Review Ad Hoc Committee consists of two (2) City Council Members appointed by the City Council, along with three to four additional non-Council Member advisory participants selected through a public appointment process.
These additional members could include individuals with expertise in areas relevant to policy review, such as municipal governance, ethics and transparency, environmental or land-use policy, fiscal oversight, legal analysis, or community engagement. Including non-Council advisory members would broaden perspectives, reduce the concentration of authority, and strengthen the credibility and independence of the committee’s work.
All committee appointments, including non-Council advisory participants, should be approved by a majority vote of the full City Council at a public meeting.
Third, I propose amending the leadership section so that the
committee elects its own chair at its first meeting, rather than naming the chair in advance. Alternatively, if the Council President participates, that role could be designated as ex officio or non-voting to avoid concentration of authority.
Fourth, I respectfully request removal of the provision allowing the committee chair to determine when the committee’s work is complete.
Instead, I propose that the committee sunset on January 29, 2027, or be dissolved earlier only by action of the full City Council. No single member should have unilateral authority to end a Council-created oversight body.
Fifth, while the resolution states that the committee is advisory, it also authorizes the committee to make recommendations. I recommend clarifying that any recommendations or feedback provided by the committee are non-binding and advisory only, with final policy authority remaining exclusively with the City Council.
Sixth, I propose adding a requirement that the committee prepare a written report summarizing its activities, findings, and advisory recommendations, to be presented at a noticed City Council meeting and made publicly available.
Finally, regarding scope, I suggest clarifying that policy topics may be referred to by the City Council or the City Administration, subject to acceptance by a majority of the committee, to ensure the committee is not limited to reviewing only those policies selected by one source.
These amendments are offered in the spirit of strengthening the committee, ensuring good governance, and aligning the process with the Council’s stated values of transparency and accountability. Thank you for your consideration.
Dez Martinez