San Diego County Supervisor Pushes for Transparency in Ad Hoc Committee Meetings

San Diego County Supervisor Joel Anderson is spearheading an effort to increase transparency in the operations of the county’s ad hoc subcommittees. The move comes amid concerns that key policy discussions are taking place behind closed doors, limiting public access, and input.

Concerns Over Lack of Transparency

Currently, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors frequently establishes ad hoc subcommittees – temporary groups of two supervisors – to address specific, limited-scope tasks. However, these subcommittees have faced criticism for a lack of public accountability. According to Voice of San Diego, agendas and minutes from meetings of the three ongoing ad-hoc subcommittees created in the past year have not been publicly released.

This lack of transparency has raised questions about how policy decisions are being shaped. The Voice of San Diego reports that proposals originating from these subcommittees have already led to board items and bidding processes, including one that was later cancelled.

Anderson’s Proposal

Supervisor Anderson is proposing new guidelines to standardize the rules governing ad hoc subcommittees. His proposal, slated for a board vote on March 24, would require the following:

• Publicly Posted Agendas: Agendas for subcommittee meetings must be posted in advance.
• Meeting Minutes: Minutes of subcommittee meetings must be recorded and made available to the public.
• Publicly Accessible Locations: Meetings should be held in locations accessible to the public.
• Meeting Recordings: Subcommittee meetings should be recorded.

“San Diego County residents shouldn’t have to wonder where important policy ideas are being shaped,” Anderson stated. “This proposal simply ensures that when government is doing the people’s work, the people can see it, follow it, and be part of the conversation from the very beginning and at every stage of the process.”

Fiscal Transparency Subcommittee Meeting Scheduled

Anderson, along with Supervisor Paloma Aguirre, will hold the first meeting of the Fiscal Transparency & Accountability Ad-Hoc Subcommittee on Wednesday, March 18, at the County Administration Center, located at 1600 Pacific Highway, San Diego, CA 92101. This subcommittee will focus on reviewing county contracts for potential savings and efficiency improvements.

Board of Supervisors Meetings and Public Access

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors regularly holds public meetings at the County Administration Center, in the Board Chamber (Third Floor, Room 310). Community members are encouraged to attend and provide input. Information about meeting agendas and records can be found through the Board of Supervisors website and the Clerk of the Board’s document search, which contains records dating back to 1877.

This push for greater transparency builds on previous efforts to improve public access to government information. Last April, the Board reformed agenda posting procedures to provide residents more than a week to review upcoming items.