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OSAC hears staffing review: council analysts stretched; committee asks for options and onboarding plan
Summary
Staff reported results of interviews with each councilmember and presented eight priority areas where councilmembers want more support, from policy analysis to constituent engagement.
Staff presented an eight‑theme summary to OSAC on Sept. 12 following interviews with each council member about staffing needs created by a 2024 charter amendment that allows more flexibility in council staffing structures.
The summary identified eight bodies of work where council members said they need more capacity: policy analysis and legislative drafting; collective coordination among councilmembers; constituent response and engagement; scheduling and administrative support; communications and public narrative; committee/board/commission (CBC) support; meeting preparation for all council business; and support for external representation and leadership roles.
A staff presenter summarized the findings and said, “The current ratio of 1 policy analyst to 4 council members is far too stretched,” and noted council members varied in how they wanted support — some preferred subject matter experts available to all councilmembers, and others wanted generalist staff dedicated to individual councilmembers.
Why it matters: council staffing choices influence how quickly councilmembers can move community priorities into ordinance or resolution, how consistently constituents receive responses, and whether committees, advisory boards and external representation are prepared and coordinated. Staffing choices also have direct budget implications for the 2027–28 biennial budget cycle.
Key discussion points
- Policy analysis and legislative drafting: Councilmembers asked for better research on best practices from other cities, faster legal and department coordination, and quick‑turn responses for committee or constituent questions.
- Constituent services and equity: Staff noted a difference in workload between district and at‑large councilmembers; district members reported higher volumes of neighborhood requests and a need for localized engagement support.
- Committee and volunteer integration: Members flagged inconsistent pre‑reads and follow‑up across committees and asked for stronger alignment between council priorities and committee workplans.
- Scheduling and calendars: Committee members discussed calendar management complexities and asked staff to explore technical solutions that let members block personal time while keeping public calendars consistent and compliant with disclosure rules.
- Onboarding: Members urged an improved onboarding process with department‑prepared briefings tailored to new councilmembers’ priorities and a “just‑in‑time” toolkit for members taking on external leadership roles.
Next steps requested by OSAC
Staff were asked to return at the next meeting with a set of options that range from low‑cost process improvements to fuller staffing models, including estimated costs, proposed phasing for the 2027–28 biennial budget process, and suggested changes that could be pursued before the next year. Staff also said they would prepare options for council onboarding and for clarifying where process improvement (rather than new hires) would address capacity constraints.
No hiring decisions or budget commitments were made at this meeting; the committee asked staff to develop options and cost estimates for future consideration.
