“As mayor, you can call on certain voices to lower the
temperature on a particular issue,” says Asm. Diane Papan.
“Everyone gets an opportunity to speak, but it’s about what order
you have them speak. The order of things can affect the outcome
of a decision.”
“Even though offices are full again, most of our meetings still
happen on Zoom or Teams,” writes a department leader from Lake
Elsinore. “Don’t get me wrong: Some things needed to change. …
[But] We’ve lost something. The way we connect, make decisions,
and communicate has shifted, and not always for the
better.”
The state Legislature has changed several key ethics and
transparency rules for local government officials and staff.
These range from some good news-bad news tweaks to recusals to
changes that impact new housing developments.
Glendora plans to convert an assisted living facility
into either permanent low-income housing or a mix of transitional
and permanent housing. The city, which has spent $5 million thus
far, needs to raise another $40-$50 million to make it a
reality.
“I have discovered that leadership is less about style and more
about sphere, the arena where we operate at our very best,”
writes Cal Cities President Lynne B. Kennedy, Ph.D. “For me, that
sphere has always been where community, collaboration, and
possibility intersect.”
Early this summer, Southern California Edison wildfire science
expert Tom Rolinski was in the foothills of Mount Baldy. He could
sense summer setting in and with it, an early fire season.
In its early years, Menifee faced complaints about growth, and
residents had few ways to reach the city outside normal business
hours. Today, community engagement is crucial to how the city
defines itself and the secret to its success.