General information:

Group Chairman Dave Cross called the meeting to order at 5:35 p.m. Attendees included: Cross, Dan Nemechek, Harrell Fletcher, Susette Naylor, Kim Probert, Susan Warnstrom, Bob Royster, Jerry Bunin and Tom Frutchey as facilitator.

Minutes:

The Dec. 3, 2003, and the Jan. 7, 2004, meeting minutes were approved as submitted. As a follow up to a Jan. 7 meeting action item, Dan Nemechek, Tom Frutchey and Susan Warnstrom agreed to e-mail group notetaker Jerry Bunin a description of their subcommittees that he can use in an e-mail seeking volunteers to join the Interaction Group. The 13-member Interaction Group decided it needs more members to continue functioning effectively. Frutchey said we could invite anyone we thought would contribute.

Feb. 18 Committee of the whole meeting:

Frutchey explained what will happen at the Feb. 18 meeting when all PIT members will meet for the second time along with Supervisors Naomi Schwartz and Joe Centeno, the Board of Supervisor liaisons to the PIT. Steering groups will also be able to make sure they are not overlapping and discuss mutual concerns. After introductory remarks and dinner, attendees will split into work groups based on issues to discuss such things as gaps and roadblocks and how to overcome them. The meeting will also share success stories, such as the improved web site.

Harrell Fletcher recommended discussing how to make the department’s public counter more of a one-stop-shop for people who now must visit several departments to get all the documents and approvals they need. Frutchey said Department Director Val Alexeeff is arranging meetings with other department heads to address the issue.

Bob Royster said PIT should also improve how certificates of compliance are processed and create a system to prevent project’s from stopping when the planner goes on vacation.

Tom Frutchey said a system is being developed to make sure applications for ministerial permits are assigned to planners who have the time and the skills needed to handle them.

Susette Naylor recommended establishing a procedure to make sure complete applications are processed in a timely fashion when they are submitted.

Subcommittee reports:

User Id: Dan Nemechek reported that the subcommittee is developing a time line. It has a preliminary list of organizations to contact – such as local architecture, engineering and land use planners – about changes in the department. He asked for suggestions on whom else to contact. Group members suggested the media and agricultural, historical and archaeological groups. Jerry Bunin offered to send Nemechek a spreadsheet with media contact information.

Public Awareness: Bunin reported that he had communicated with Rita Bright, responsible for department training, and has a document that could be used in the proposed class to show novices how to obtain a ministerial permit. She said developing the class could take about a month. He reported needing a subcommittee contact in the department and more members. He is now a committee of one and could you use more help, particularly someone from county planning staff. Dave Cross offered to contact Cox Media for assistance with the video. There was some discussion about offering the information through adult education programs.

Web Development: Susan Warnstrom said the improved site is very impressive. Work is in process add zoning, overlays and area plan information to the online county map. Kim Probert said the application page needs more descriptions. Frutchey said he would talk to the person developing the content. Harrell Fletcher said applicants should also be able to find information online about a project’s status and history. The subcommittee is seeking both a novice and a sophisticated computer user to test the site and provide feedback.

Continuous improvement: Frutchey, a one-person committee at present, needs more members, including department representatives from the north and south county offices. Cross said the suggestion form the subcommittee is developing should be available in Spanish and English.

General discussion:

Chairman Cross asked everyone present if they had any general comments or concerns.

Naylor wanted to make sure that work continues on making the counters more user friendly for the staff and public and that PIT involve as many people as possible. She also wanted to make the planning process more transparent to the general public, allowing project representatives to attend staff meetings when applications are discussed.

Fletcher wanted to make sure that new department employees are trained as quickly as possible. Frutchey said an employee manual has been created and is in use. He said that staff trainer Rita Bright has a check list so the staff knows what skills are needed to get their job classification upgraded. He said that a mentor program is also being used and that the staff individually meet on a regular basis with the deputy director.

Frutchey suggested that group next consider how to improve the interaction. He agreed to e-mail a draft proposal of how to do that so it could be discussed at the next group meeting.

The meeting adjourned at 7:25 p.m.