Davis

IÕm chairwoman of the Davis Senior Citizens Commission, speaking as a private citizen. A move is afoot by Mayor Don Saylor and Councilwoman Rochelle Swanson to consolidate city commissions from 20 to only 14.

This ultimately would reduce the number of people participating in local governance by 49, severely reducing citizen oversight.

This move will not save money because city staff are not paid extra for commission liaison duties. Saylor and Swanson admit Òat this stage, exact savings are difficult to determine Ñ rather than simply focus on Ôhow muchÕ a commission costs, the subcommittee also focused on whether each particular commission fit into the core goals.Ó

Saylor and Swanson are pushing to make this monumental change to reduce public participation with minimal public input in one evening: ÒWith new appointments pending in the next few weeks, this is the best window of opportunity to restructure commissions …Ó

The blatant threat to hold up commission appointments if a ÒmergerÓ is not approved was used before in an effort to eliminate the Senior Citizens Commission. Saylor and Swanson are threatening: ÒMissing this window and postponing action on the above recommendations translates to potential postponement of commission appointments.Ó

Former Mayor Ruth Asmundson directed from the dais that the issue of merging the Senior Citizens and Social Services Commissions not be considered again. Yet here we are, three years later, revisiting this issue.

Eliminating/merging the Senior Citizens and the Social Services commissions would violate the Americans with Disabilities Act. Seniors cannot meet at night, when all other commissions meet to accommodate those who work during the day. Seniors will be illegally shut out of participating in the commission process. In one weekend, 138 angry seniors signed a petition to save their commission.

Had not the Senior Citizens Commission existed, Davis would not have developed two senior car safety DVDs in partnership with the CHP, a transportation safety expo and senior housing guidelines. Nor would Davis have the Carlton Plaza Davis assisted living facility.

Commissioners serve at the pleasure of the City Council, which serves at the pleasure of the Davis voters. Saylor and Swanson would do well to remember that.

Elaine Roberts Musser

Davis

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