When it comes to Beverly Hills City Council Priorities, who was responsible for the numerous items and who is accountable for success or lack thereof.

The October meeting will include a further report and, perhaps, adoption of specific Council Priorities. Not a committee, not an ad hoc committee, not a department, not unidentified “staff” but to a specific named person. Council should then allow that person to do their job without micromanagement and without predetermined goals and work plans. If the Council has to do this work, for what do we need the Department or staff?

The Council should appoint one (not two) Councilmember to oversee the work toward accomplishing each strategic priority. Together, the designated person and Councilmember should make periodic reports throughout the year on their progress. As a footnote which reveals my bias against the over-use of consultants, no consultants should be involved without express written advance approval of the Mayor and the responsible Councilmember.

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Accountability

At the end of the fiscal year, an analysis of each priority item should be prepared by the responsible person and responsible Councilperson reflecting whether the priority has been accomplished and what can be learned from the process. And the responsible person and responsible Councilperson should be held accountable for success or failure.

This will be consistent with Yogi Berra’s admonition and, with luck, we actually may get where we are going.