Call for Applications to Serve on the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority’s Independent Citizens Oversight Committee - South Bay Seat

December 15, 2022

Applications due January 17, 2023

On June 7th, 2016, residents of the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area voted with a 70% majority to pass Measure AA, the San Francisco Bay Clean Water, Pollution Prevention and Habitat Restoration Measure. This measure is a parcel tax of $12 per year, raising approximately $25 million annually for twenty years to fund shoreline projects that will protect and restore the Bay.

Measure AA is expected to generate $500 million over its 20-year term. Funding from this measure will allow for the restoration of thousands of acres of natural habitat for wildlife, support our local economy, improve access to public lands, address flooding issues, and create thousands of new jobs.

The Authority’s Governing Board seeks one individual from Santa Clara County or Southern San Mateo County to serve on the Independent Citizens Oversight Committee (“Committee”). Send your application to karen.mcdowell@sfestuary.org by January 17, 2023.

The Committee has three main roles:

Annually review the Authority’s conformance with Measure AA;
Review the Authority’s audits and expenditure and financial reports; and
Publish an annual report of its findings, which will be posted on the Authority’s website.

The Committee will work independently of the Advisory Committee of the Authority, providing a completely independent annual analysis of the work of the Authority, focused on the Authority’s expenditures and finances and on the Authority’s conformance with the requirements of Measure AA.

The Committee will meet three to four times each year: once to discuss and make initial comments on the Authority’s annual reports and any financial documents such as financial audits or reports; then to discuss and review draft findings; and a final time to review and adopt its findings to provide to the Authority, in the form of a written report.

Geographic Representation:

This call is seeking to fill the South Bay seat with an individual from Santa Clara County or Southern San Mateo County (south of the northern boundary of Redwood City).

Subject Matter Expertise:

Each member of the Committee must possess expertise in one or more of the following subject matters:

Water quality,
Pollution reduction,

Habitat restoration,
Flood protection,
Improvement of public access to the bay, or
Financing of these objectives.

Factors that Determine Ineligibility for Membership:

No person may serve on the Committee who:

Is an elected official or government employee;
Has had or could have a financial interest in a decision of the Authority; or
Is affiliated with an organization associated with a member of the Governing Board.

Term:

The members will be considered for appointment at the March 3rd Governing Board Meeting. Each member will be appointed to serve from March 3, 2023 through December 31, 2024.

Time Commitment:

The Committee will meet three to four times a year (usually in the spring and summer). Initial meetings with informational presentations are expected to be 3-4 hours with later meetings likely to be scheduled for 2 hours. All members are expected to review reports prior to the meeting. Meetings will likely be held at 375 Beale Street, San Francisco, California. Members are eligible to receive a stipend of $100 for each meeting attended.

Background:

The San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority was formed by the California Legislature in 2008. The Authority’s mission is to raise and allocate resources for the restoration, enhancement, protection, and enjoyment of wetlands and wildlife habitat in the San Francisco Bay and along its shoreline, as well as related public recreation and flood protection projects. The Authority is led by a Governing Board of seven members from local governments.