South Tahoe creating community fiscal committee
By Kathryn Reed
South Lake Tahoe wants the public’s help when it comes to money matters.
The City Council this month agreed to create a Fiscal Sustainability Committee. Councilmembers Claire Fortier and Bruce Grego were not at the March 15 meeting.
“In these economic and fiscally challenging times many local governments are seeking to increase public engagement in fiscal matters,” the staff report says. “This approach not only benefits local government by better utilizing the expertise of its citizens, and increasing the diversity of ideas, but also improves the overall transparency in areas such as budgeting and financial management.”
The goal is six or eight people from the community will be appointed to the committee at the April 19 meeting.
In the past the council has had a budget committee made up of the mayor and mayor pro tem. That committee will be blended into the larger community committee. Hal Cole and Claire Fortier will represent the council.
City Manager Tony O’Rourke and Finance Director Christine Vuletich will represent city staff.
Councilman Tom Davis said this would be a good bridge. He mentioned Alice Jones, who works for the Tahoe Keys Property Owners Association and ran for council last fall, as a potential committee member. (TKPOA is a separate entity from the rental agency Davis is affiliated with.)
No criteria have been set for applicants. Nor do they have to reside in the city. The council will make the appointments, with a majority of three councilmembers having to approve each person.
Meetings will be subject to California’s open meeting laws, so they will all be open to the public. The plan is the committee would meet at least eight times a year. Issues likely to be addressed include: operating budget development, capital improvement program budget development, long-term financial planning, investment management, debt issuance, pension and health plans, enterprise funds, revenue enhancement and diversification, financial reporting and independent audits, and internal controls.
Applications for the committee may be obtained at city offices at the Lake Tahoe Airport or by calling (530) 542.6004. The deadline to apply is April 12 at 5pm.
Yep, Bruce thought the TRPA was more important than voting on the city re-org and 5-year financial plan, Bruc e, resign and become a lobbyist…also, use your own stationary
Sounds to me as though this is just another committee made up of the council and their friends, Why not let the people of So Lake Tahoe form the committee and have the council listen for a change.
Looks like 4 or 5 of the committee are council or city employees and one who tried to be on the council.
“The goal is six or eight people from the community”. Sounds like 5 of the 6 or 8 have already been picked.
X Local,
You seem to have lots of anger. Why don’t you read the fourth paragraph of the story again and chill out a bit?
Kathryn Reed, LTN publisher
What ever happened to the results of the city’s citizen survey mailed out last December? Let’s hope they use those results as a template to set spending priorities and cut back those programs and services that citizens and taxpayers have deemed lower priority. Another committee with more time consumig meetings to reach these conclusions already determined is unnecessary.
Survey story: https://www.laketahoenews.net/2011/01/citizen-survey-south-tahoe-functioning-at-subpar-level/
There is a search button on LTN to find things yourselves.
Kathryn Reed, LTN publisher
style over substance and form over content is usually the result of these ideas.
Admin
I read the 4th paragraph and still feel the same way.
It will be run by and lead by the city and only what they want will be chosen. There are many great Ideas that have been presented to the Council over the years and most have been shelved or buried.
South Lake Tahoe is or was a beautiful place to live, I lived there for over 50 years, Yes I have a lot of anger only because of what the area has become and becoming, a place for the rich and it should be a place for all to enjoy. Look at the area between Stateline and Glenwood and then tell me that there is improvement!
Tahoe is a vacation area where all should be able to enjoy the Beach the Lake and the beauty, What beaches are left for the public ? You have to get a permit to go into the Forest and enjoy the beauty, I was stopped 2 years ago in the Desolation area 4 miles above Echo Lake for whistling for my dog, told that I was disturbing the campers and wild life by a forest service person.
Not to pick on Tom Davis! But Alice Jones? a little too close for comfort.