El Cerrito: The Challenge of Accessing Public Information- Microblog The El Cerrito Citizens for Responsible Government (ECCRG) recently sought specific details from the city regarding the number of right-to-information requests filed in 2023, along with their outcomes and reasons for any refusals. It’s important to note that while the city did provide details about whoContinue reading “El Cerrito: The Challenge of Accessing Information”
Category Archives: City Council Meetings
Governance Matters: Expenses Continue to Outpace Revenue as Pension Liability Climbs – Microblog
In March 2023, El Cerrito unveiled its latest plan for financial improvement in response to a severe audit from the California State Auditor in 2021. This audit, part of a program targeting high-risk local governments, shed light on El Cerrito’s precarious financial state and tendency towards excessive expenditure. One key factor in the city’s revenueContinue reading “Governance Matters: Expenses Continue to Outpace Revenue as Pension Liability Climbs – Microblog”
State Auditor’s RoadMap: The Path to Success
The City of El Cerrito, while initially agreeing with some of the State Auditor’s recommendations, has shown a lack of commitment in implementing these suggestions, particularly in managing its financial struggles. The city’s budgets have consistently shown increased expenditures without justifying the rises, and its budget policy lacks clear procedures for monitoring departmental spending. ThisContinue reading “State Auditor’s RoadMap: The Path to Success”
Assessing Safety and Spending: A Tale of Two West Contra Costa Cities
The State Auditor’s report on page 25 highlights El Cerrito’s distinction of having the largest police staff per capita in the region, and potentially in California. Despite this, having more police officers doesn’t automatically translate to increased safety. El Cerrito faces the dual challenge of rising staffing costs and an escalating crime rate. El Cerrito’sContinue reading “Assessing Safety and Spending: A Tale of Two West Contra Costa Cities”
Exploring Untapped Revenue Potential in El Cerrito Volume 2
El Cerrito continues struggling to align expenses with revenue, causing great concern to many residents. El Cerrito has seen some strides in augmenting its revenue streams, primarily through increased sales tax collections from local businesses. Recent discussions, including a NextDoor post highlighting the proliferation of various establishments like massage parlors, liquor stores, a store specializingContinue reading “Exploring Untapped Revenue Potential in El Cerrito Volume 2”
City’s State of Affairs Address: Citizens Seek Authenticity Amidst Reality
In Tuesday’s annual State of the City address, outgoing El Cerrito Mayor Lisa Motoyama delivered a message of optimism and progress for our beloved city. While the tone was cheerful, it’s essential to consider the broader context and some missed points that are crucial for a complete understanding of El Cerrito’s current situation. Her optimisticContinue reading “City’s State of Affairs Address: Citizens Seek Authenticity Amidst Reality”
El Cerrito’s Stalled Progress: How Council Inaction Harms Community and Staff
This blog has been consistently focused on the critical aspects of governance, accountability, and transparency within El Cerrito’s city administration. The Chief Executive Officer, and City Manager, carries the responsibility for overseeing both the operational and financial performance of El Cerrito. It is essential to note that the City Manager is accountable to the City Council.Continue reading “El Cerrito’s Stalled Progress: How Council Inaction Harms Community and Staff”
Shame on the City Council
In leadership roles within public agencies, the common practice often involves promoting the next person in line for a position. While this approach may have its merits, it’s not always the wisest strategy. Promoting employees solely based on their tenure comes with a set of advantages and disadvantages that warrant careful consideration: Advantages of Tenure-basedContinue reading “Shame on the City Council”
Accountability and Transparency Must Be More Than Just Buzzwords
After 12 years as Assistant City Manager, Karen Pinkos became City Manager on January 1, 2019. Since then, several disturbing events have happened under her watch, yet she acknowledges none, nor has she addressed these significant and catastrophic issues. As the City Manager conducts business as usual, she has two patented phrases. One of herContinue reading “Accountability and Transparency Must Be More Than Just Buzzwords”
Blog Purpose: Promoting Transparency and Accountability
As the year draws to a close, it’s important to reflect on the core purpose of this blog. Our goal has always been to promote responsible, sustainable, and transparent governance in El Cerrito. Each post we publish is aligned with this objective. At El Cerrito Community for Responsible Government, we’re aware that some of ourContinue reading “Blog Purpose: Promoting Transparency and Accountability”
Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result
City Leadership: It’s not Us, It’s You. You just don’t understand. Citizens: Most residents want a new and improved library. We support the City’s efforts, but clearly not at any cost. In 2016, the initial attempt to secure a library bond in El Cerrito faced a resounding rejection from the Citizens. The bond measure crumbled dueContinue reading “Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result”
A Critical Look at El Cerrito’s City Management: Where Are the Funds Going? Read on:
In previous blogs, we delved further into the intriguing world of governance, or more pointedly, the absence thereof. To date, several people have chimed in to say that all candidates live in El Cerrito. But the blog’s crux is governance, and governance is the epicenter of El Cerrito’s woes. In this case: No one hasContinue reading “A Critical Look at El Cerrito’s City Management: Where Are the Funds Going? Read on:”
When a city goes bankrupt:Vallejo case study
As we continue toward the new year, it’s crucial to revisit a topic of utmost importance – the city’s financial health and the looming threat of increased taxes. Originally published in January 2021, this blog post is being brought back to spotlight the ongoing concerns surrounding our city’s fiscal mismanagement. Despite previous warnings, there isContinue reading “When a city goes bankrupt:Vallejo case study”
El Cerrito as Charter City – Chaos
The City of El Cerrito was originally incorporated as a General Law City in 1917 and became a Charter City in November 2018. The City is organized as a Council-Manager form of local municipal government. The City Council consists of five members elected at large for four- year, overlapping terms. A California charter city is aContinue reading “El Cerrito as Charter City – Chaos”
Where are the Residency Requirements ?
Understanding the Council-Manager Government: El Cerrito operates under a Council-Manager form of municipal government. This structure involves a five-member City Council, elected at-large for overlapping four-year terms, embodying the legislative responsibilities, while the managerial tasks are overseen by a City Manager. Charter City Status – A Double-Edged Sword: The shift to a Charter City statusContinue reading “Where are the Residency Requirements ?”
Rebuilding Trust: The Key to Advancing El Cerrito’s Library Initiative
The City’s decision to delay the library initiative from the 2024 ballot in favor of public education overlooks a significant opportunity in El Cerrito. Many residents support an improved library, yet surveys reveal a lack of trust in the City’s leadership, a crucial factor for the initiative’s success. To build support, the City must prioritizeContinue reading “Rebuilding Trust: The Key to Advancing El Cerrito’s Library Initiative”
Employee Pension and Benefits
EECRG is rerunning this blog primarily because the unfunded liability of El Cerrito Pension Costs has ballooned to $85 million dollars during the year since this post was written. _______________________________________________ Lost in the din of cheering about the progress of going from the 8th worst-ranked City in California to only the 13th worst (out ofContinue reading “Employee Pension and Benefits”
El Cerrito Library Survey Results: Public Outcry Leads to Release of Key Findings
After substantial public pressure, El Cerrito has released selected findings from the library survey. The results reveal significant concerns about the city’s management and financial planning, particularly regarding the library project. Key Survey Findings: The survey results suggest a lack of confidence in the City’s management and transparency, especially in financial matters. Despite having aContinue reading “El Cerrito Library Survey Results: Public Outcry Leads to Release of Key Findings“
City Manager Up to Her Tricks – Again
For those who may not have seen it, EECRG is running this blog originally posted on September 29, 2022. We previously shared a blog post a little over a year ago, and it has become increasingly evident that the City Manager is pursuing an independent agenda. Despite the 2020 findings of the State Auditor’s Report,Continue reading “City Manager Up to Her Tricks – Again”
What Is El Cerrito Hiding?
In March 2023, El Cerrito entered into contracts with both Gobe Research and Reynolds Strategies. One was for a contract for a research survey of El Cerrito voters, and the second was to assist the city with planning a strategy for a library bond measure. One contract was for 34,775 and the other was forContinue reading “What Is El Cerrito Hiding?”
El Cerrito Committee for Responsible Government (ECCRG) 