The Tracy City Council on Jan. 7 approved its slate of council representatives to city committees and outside agencies and made two procedural changes: (1) the council directed staff to combine the Finance Committee and the Investment Review Committee for regular meetings (with provisions for more frequent finance-focused meetings during budget cycles), and (2) the City Schools Liaison Committee was changed from monthly to quarterly meetings.

Appointments and adjustments: Mayor Amir Areola presented a proposed slate and amended it to add incoming Councilmember Mateo Badoya to several roles (alternate for AVA Community Energy Authority and the Valley Link representative alternate; member of the Tracy Homelessness Advisory Committee). The council discussed continuity for certain public-safety roles and voted to appoint the membership list as amended. The full motion to adopt the slate, as amended, passed by unanimous roll call.

Why it matters: Committee and board assignments determine which council members represent the city at regional meetings and where councilmembers will concentrate subject-matter oversight. The combined Finance/Investment approach is intended to reduce meeting frequency while preserving statutory reporting (the treasurer’s report must remain publicly available and reported to council). Staff said the ordinance/bylaw changes needed to formalize the merger can be prepared and the treasurer will continue to provide required reports.

Specific adjustments noted in discussion:
- Finance/Investment: Councilmembers discussed reducing meeting frequency to ease staff workload; staff indicated the legal requirement is to publish and report the treasurer’s reports and that reporting to two council members satisfies that requirement. The council asked staff to return with ordinance/bylaw language to formalize the change and proposed a quarterly cadence outside of budget season.
- City Schools Liaison: The council kept the liaison group but changed it to quarterly meetings and appointed Councilmembers Dan Evans and Steve Abercrombie with Mayor Areola as alternate (and added procedural language to formalize who runs meetings).
- South San Joaquin County Fire Authority: The council appointed Mayor Pro Tem Abercrombie and Councilmember Dottie Nygaard (after discussion about continuity and subject-matter expertise).

What the council directed next: Staff will prepare the necessary ordinance/bylaw amendments to formalize the consolidated Finance/Investment meeting structure and return with proposed language. The City Clerk will publicize the appointments and meeting schedules.

No budget or policy changes were approved that night; the council’s actions set membership and meeting cadence pending any required ordinance updates or further council direction.