Call for Applications to Serve on the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority’s Independent Citizens Oversight Committee
Deadline November 17, 2022
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 is allowing for the restoration of thousands of acres of natural habitat for wildlife, supporting our local economy, improving access to public lands, addressing flooding issues, and creating new jobs.
The Authority’s Governing Board seeks two individuals to serve on the Independent Citizens Oversight Committee (“Committee”). Send your application to karen.mcdowell@sfestuary.org by November 17, 2022.
The Committee has three main roles:
1. Annually review the Authority’s conformance with Measure AA;
2. Review the Authority’s audits and expenditure and financial reports; and
3. Publish an annual report of its findings, which will be posted on the Authority’s website.
The Committee will work independently from 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: Individuals from the following counties are eligible to apply to this call for applications: Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Solano, and Sonoma. Individuals will be considered for both the at-large and regional seat, as applicable, so that the strongest two applicants are selected.
This call is seeking to fill the following two seats:
- West Bay seat (three-year term) – Seeking an individual from the City and County San Francisco or the portion of San Mateo County that is north of the northern boundary of Redwood City.
- At-large seat (three-year term) – Seeking an individual from a county not already represented in one of the regional seats. For the purpose of this call for applicants, individuals from the following counties are eligible depending on who is selected for the regional seat: Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Solano, and Sonoma.
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 December 16th Governing Board Meeting. Each member will be appointed to serve from January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2025.
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 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.
Key Links
Independent Citizens Oversight Committee webpage
Independent Citizens Oversight Committee Guidelines
To Apply
If interested, please fill out the application here, and send it electronically to karen.mcdowell@sfestuary.org by November 17, 2022.
Questions? Contact Karen McDowell, Deputy Program Manager, San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority, at karen.mcdowell@sfestuary.org
