August 19, 1997


Dr. Penzell
Santa Barbara County Grand Jury
1100 Anacapa St.
Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Dear Dr. Penzell;

Thank you for the opportunity to respond to the Grand Jury's Recommendations concerning Boards and Commissions reported in the 1996-97 Grand Jury Report.

I have been asked to respond to Recommendation No.1 regarding periodic review of the usefulness of boards and commissions and the recommendation that cities establish a written policy for disbanding a board or commission. This is a valid and appropriate recommendation as the City has, in the past, disbanded a committee without an established process and criteria. Too often, boards and commissions do outlive their usefulness simply because a periodic performance review process is not in place.

The City of Carpinteria has been very careful not to add new formal boards or commissions without examination of the mission to be accomplished. The next step is to examine the usefulness and establish a sunset review process in the form of written policies. This subject will be one considered at the next Council/Staff Strategic Planning Session.

Again, thank you for the opportunity to comment.


Sincerely,


Donna Jordan, Mayor