San Clemente committee merges safety and human‑affairs duties, elects chair and sets work plan

The San Clemente Community Safety and Welfare Committee elected Mike Greenwald as chair by acclamation and nominated Rosemary Salas as vice chair in its first regular meeting, approved a bi‑monthly meeting schedule and recommended changes to the municipal code to reflect the merger of the former public safety and human affairs committees.

The committee recommended that Orange County Fire Authority, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and the city’s marine safety division serve as staff advisors rather than as non‑voting committee members and voted to remove the word “personnel” from a proposed code provision describing review of performance measures.

Those choices were coupled with an initial work plan the committee voted to present to City Council, and members established several subcommittees to develop recommendations on homelessness, fire mitigation, park rangers, e‑bike/school safety outreach and youth leadership programs.

“The committee works as an entire committee, and you guys are expected to meet six times a year,” City staff said while outlining the role of subcommittees so members can do focused homework and return recommendations to the full committee and, where appropriate, the City Council.

Why it matters: the panel combines two prior advisory groups and will now advise Council on public‑safety and community‑welfare issues. The code edits are intended to clarify staff roles (who provide technical briefings) and to limit the committee’s responsibility for…