HomeMy WebLinkAboutS15 - Proposed Association of Orange County CitiesCITY OF NEWPORT BEACH
CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
Agenda Item No. S15
November 9, 2010
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: City Manager's Office
Dave Kiff, City Manager
949 - 644 -3000, Dkiff @newportbeachca.gov
SUBJECT: Proposed Association of Orange County Cities
RECOMMENDATION:
Direct the City Manager to express the City's formal:
1. Support of a new Association of Orange County Cities as a replacement entity to the
Orange County Division of the League of California Cities; and
2. Support of the City of Newport Beach's continued membership in the League of
California Cities.
DISCUSSION:
The League of California Cities (State League) provides legislative advocacy,
professional development and education services to member cities. The State League
is divided into sixteen (16) Regional Divisions, one of which is Orange County.
The Orange County Division - League of California Cities (OC Division) is the only
Regional Division with a full -time staff and a separate dues structure. OC Division staff
are considered employees of the State League. Division dues are paid to the State
League which provides administrative support services (i.e. payroll, accounting, human
resources) for the separately budgeted activities of the OC Division.
For philosophical and /or economic reasons, several Orange County cities have dropped
their State League memberships and have stopped paying State League dues. As a
result, the State League does not allow these cities to formally participate in the
activities of the Orange County Division or pay Division dues.
Several other Orange County cities have stated their intent to drop out of the State
League in 2011, some for political and some for economic reasons. The impact of the
current and prospective withdrawals from the State League threatens the financial
capability of the OC Division to continue to support a full -time staff and provide the
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November 9, 2010
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broad range of Division membership and representation services, educational programs
and collaborative opportunities that currently exist.
The OC Division elected officials have proposed the formation of a new 501(c)(3) non-
profit organization that may be known as the Association of Orange County Cities. The
new Association would provide essentially the same services and programs of the
current OC Division; however, it would be legally and financially separate from the State
League.
Benefits to the formation of the new Association:
• Any Orange County city could continue to pay dues to, and fully participate in the
policy development, legislative advocacy and educational programs of, the State
League.
• Any Orange County city that declines State League membership could choose to
pay dues to and be a member of the new Association. That is not possible under
current State League administrative policy.
If some or all of the current and prospective State League non - member OC Cities
chose to join the new Association, the financial position of the new Association and
its ability to continue to provide a broad range of services to its members would be
strengthened.
• The current OC Division staff would be removed from the position of being State
League employees who are primarily accountable to a Regional Division and Board
who sometimes find themselves in conflict with State League legislative priorities
and positions.
• The new Association could take a legislative position on behalf of Orange County
cities that is in conflict with the State League, and communicate that position without
violating State League By -Laws.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None. It is proposed that the dues structure for the new Orange County Association be
that same as the 2010 dues structure for the OC Division of the State League. The 2010
membership dues to the OC Division for the City of Newport Beach was $16,562.
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November 9, 2010
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Public Notice:
This agenda item may be noticed according to the Ralph M. Brown Act (72 hours in
advance of the public meeting at which the City Council considers the item).
Submitted by:
Dave ff
City Manager