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San Bernardino council delegates strategic-planning consultant selection to city manager
Summary
Council voted unanimously to authorize the city manager to select and execute an agreement with a consultant to lead strategic planning, goal-setting and team-building sessions; some council members urged preference for local firms.
The San Bernardino City Council on Sept. 3 voted unanimously to authorize the city manager to select and execute a contract with a professional consultant to lead a strategic-planning, goal-setting and team-building process involving the mayor, city manager and council.
Council member Theodore Sanchez moved to defer selection to the city manager and staff so the city could conduct a full vetting and select a consultant the manager and staff would be comfortable working with. Sanchez said, “I'd move to defer this decision to the city manager and his staff, and to then authorize the city manager to execute that agreement and then set up the strategic planning sessions as soon as possible.” Council member Victor Ortiz said he shared the sentiment but asked that staff prioritize local Inland Empire firms when feasible.
In public comment, former council member Kimberly Calvin questioned the repeated use of outside consultants for strategic planning and whether prior consultant work had produced measurable results: “Where are the results? Was it executed? Did that consultant bring forward what we needed them to bring forward so that we as a council ... will be able to deliver?” she asked. That criticism framed part of the council’s remarks urging scrutiny of consultant selection.
Why this matters: the contract will set the facilitator for council goal-setting and will shape how the mayor, council and city manager set short- and medium-term priorities. Several council members emphasized the need for a consultant acceptable to staff and the manager so the resulting plan can move into implementation.
What’s next: staff will proceed with vetting and contract execution per the city manager’s authority. Council members pressed for timely scheduling of sessions once a consultant is selected.
Ending: The vote was unanimous; council members said they expect staff to ensure the selection advances implementation rather than produce a plan that remains unused.
