[RCAC] Boundaries committee recommendations

Hi folks, Please see below for the report and recommendations of the Boundaries committee.  We'll discuss this during tonight's retreat. See you there! Ana ------------------------------------------------------------ Boundaries Committee Report 16 June 2010 Your committee charged with looking at the CAC boundaries issue has met several times and offers the following to the full RCAC: All of the criteria previously reported to you were considered, but the final result boiled down to just three recommendations. 1.  Two very large CACs should each be divided into two separate CACs. Northeast and Northwest have experienced considerable growth since the CACs were created in the 1970s and have become unwieldy.  The smaller CACs should produce communities with more common interests. Further, their more compact size may help with efforts to increase interest and participation which are sorely needed if the CAC concept is to continue serving the city’s interests. 2.  Other adjacent CACs should be allowed to implement boundary adjustments so long as they mutually agree.  There are cases where some citizens have attended CAC meetings other than their own because they were more convenient.  Where these situations exist, it seems obvious that accommodations should be made.  In addition, some areas are said to have a more common interest with a neighboring CAC than with the one in which they are currently placed.  Allowing like-minded folks, if indeed such pockets exist, to meet together might encourage better citizen participation. 3.  Reviews of CAC boundaries should be formally placed on the RCAC agenda on a regular basis so that they will remain relevant to their purpose.  The committee recommends every four years in January or February starting in 2012 (when we anticipate an economic upturn). However, the essence of the recommendation is that a formal review take place periodically regardless of the interval selected.  More frequent changes could be made, of course, if the need arises. _____________________________________________________________________ We recommend that this report be discussed and adopted, as written or with whatever modifications are approved, and then sent to the City Council for their consideration.  Since we are recommending the creation of only two new CACs plus whatever minor adjustments may be agreed upon, there should be very minimal additional work or cost to the city.