BOARD MEETING DATE: March 5, 2004
AGENDA NO. 33
Amend Charter for Ethnic Community Advisory Group
SYNOPSIS:
The Ethnic Community Advisory Group (ECAG) serves the Board with specialized expertise on the impact of air quality issues on the ethnic communities in the South Coast basin. ECAG's current membership criteria allows for up to 30 representatives from the Latino, African-American, Asian Pacific Islander and Native American communities. There is no requirement regarding representation by county in the membership criteria. This action will amend the charter to ensure that the membership reflects the geographic diversity of the four counties.
COMMITTEE:
Administrative, February 13, 2004, Recommended for Approval
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Amend the Charter for the Ethnic Community Advisory Group in accordance with
Attachment A.
Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Executive Officer
Background
The Board established several Advisory Groups in 1997 and from time to time has modified charters for those groups to meet the needs of AQMD and the public. In December 2002, a Blue Ribbon Panel reviewed the operations and charter of all Advisory Groups and made recommendations to the Board, which were approved.
The terms of many members of ECAG have expired and recommendations for membership have been solicited. Several Board Members have made recommendations, and many current members of the Advisory Group have expressed interest in continuing to serve. In the past, the vast majority of members were from Los Angeles county. In an effort to have more balanced representation from all four counties, it is preferable that ECAG members be appointed by both caucus and by county. Listed below is an outline of the proposed membership composition. The revised membership criteria would ensure regional diversity for representation on the Advisory Group.
Proposal
Staff recommends that the Charter be amended to allow for a specific number of members by county and by caucus as stated below and a revised mission statement to focus emphasis on public education and outreach.
Amend the Ethnic Community Advisory Group Charter to
provide that the Advisory Group may have 30 members assigned to four caucuses
with members representing the four counties as follows:
|
African American (9) |
Asian Pacific Islander(9) |
Latino (9) |
Native American (3) |
|
|
LA County |
3 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
|
Orange County |
2 |
2 |
2 |
* |
|
Riverside County |
2 |
2 |
2 |
* |
|
San Bernardino County |
2 |
2 |
2 |
* |
| *2 positions available to 3 counties, by rotation |
Fiscal Impacts
None.
A – ECAG Charter
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