At its July 14, 2025 meeting, the Community Services Commission debated a revised 2025 work plan that staff said was rewritten to align with recently adopted city council priorities, prompting several commissioners to object that work they had developed earlier in the year had been removed.

Community Services Director Lucy Hakobian opened the discussion, saying the revision was meant to “correct that and move forward with clarity and purpose,” and that staff and the city manager had reviewed the commission’s earlier draft to align it with council priorities.

Commissioners split over how active the commission should be. Several said the revised draft reduced the commission’s role to largely advisory and promotional tasks — “social media presence,” outreach for pocket-park ribbon cuttings and similar items — while removing more substantive initiatives the commission had worked on earlier in the year. “I feel disrespected here,” Commissioner Lai said during the discussion.

Commissioners asked for clarity about the commission’s authority and whether items such as oversight of leased city facilities or the golf course fall within the commission’s purview. Director Hakobian told the body she had been directed by the city manager that some leased or operated city facilities are not within the commission’s jurisdiction and that staff would provide brief updates to the commission when appropriate.

Several commissioners pushed to keep a more active role in policy and program review. They proposed adding a commission-led review of gaps in youth services to the work plan, with the intent to prepare recommendations the commission could present to council or use to seek future staff support. Commissioners discussed doing community outreach and assembling recommendations without directing staff to begin work outside council priorities.

After extended debate, Commissioner Lai moved — and Commissioner Weinberger seconded — to postpone a vote on the proposed work plan and return the item to a future meeting for further revision and incorporation of the commission’s suggestions. The motion to table the vote was accepted by the commission.

The meeting also included procedural action earlier in the agenda: the consent calendar was approved by roll call, with Chair Samuels, Vice Chair Plotkin, Commissioner Field, Commissioner Bagaso, Commissioner Lai and Commissioner Weinberger recorded as voting yes; Commissioner Moore was absent.

During the discussion several commissioners expressed frustration with communication between staff, the city manager’s office and the commission, saying a previously approved April draft of the work plan had not been included in the packet and that changes had been circulated without prior discussion. Commissioners asked staff to bring the previous draft back for comparison and to work with the chair and a small group of commissioners to propose a revised plan for review at the next meeting.

Separately, two commissioners announced they would resign effective at the end of the meeting; staff was asked to advise on the formal process for resignation and vacancy. The commission set next steps: staff will repost or attach the April work plan for side-by-side comparison, add a standing agenda item to review community services programs (including a youth-services gap review), and return a revised draft work plan at the next meeting.

The commission’s next regular meeting was scheduled for Aug. 11, 2025, at 6:30 p.m.

Ending: The meeting closed with staff and commissioners agreeing to continue edits to the commission work plan and to bring a revised draft back for review; commissioners emphasized they want clearer direction about which items staff can execute and which the commission should pursue independently.