Breaking Down Silos

Sonoma County Board of Supervisors

Chair Rabbitt, and other members of the Board,

I’m here today to seek clarification from you and County Counsel on a procedure I intend to utilize to facilitate more comprehensive communication on  advisory boards.   The Brown Act prohibits private conversations among members of local legislative bodies.   The result of which is that the only time any of us appointees ever get to share our advice with each other is in an open meeting on a topic placed on the agenda which is published prior to the meeting. Collective thinking and discussion on our boards on issues not ready for approval hardly ever happens.

But I think I’ve found a workaround.  I’ve read the rules governing emailed communications distributed with agendas.  Most indicate that emails received at least five days prior to the meeting will be distributed to all board members and the public.  Utilizing this procedure, my understanding is that such an email from me to the boards on which I sit will not violate the Brown Act’s prohibitions.

Additionally, at least one of your advisory boards has taken to place on their agenda an item they have called “Board Member Questions and Comments”, at which time the Board could discuss emailed comments provided with the agenda.

Thus, open discussion on any topic within the scope of responsibility of the Board, described in an email circulated with the agenda, and not currently ready for final action, can be addressed.

Unless I am told that such a procedure is a violation of the Brown Act, I am going to promote it’s use to generate collaborative planning, both within and across advisory boards.  It’s time we find ways to open up effective transparent productive, silo-breaking, conversations.Gregory Fearon