The Willows City Council on a November evening debated how best to deliver Measure I financial oversight to the full council and public, eventually deciding to delay a final structural change until January.

Vice Mayor Thomas and members of the Measure I Oversight Committee told the council that the committee’s recent special meeting covered contracts, banking relationships and capital projects and produced detailed information that many council members found useful but which not all council members regularly see. “What we reviewed are the kinds of items — contracts, banking relationships, capital projects — that matter to the whole council,” Thomas said.

Several council members said they valued the committee’s in-depth work but wanted the full council to receive concise written updates. One council member proposed providing a short “clip notes” packet or placing a committee report on the regular agenda so members who don’t attend the separate committee meeting can review the highlights in advance. Staff confirmed the finance committee packet is posted online and suggested distributing the packet directly to council alongside the committee’s meeting materials.

Council discussion addressed options including: keeping a small finance committee to continue detailed vetting of bills and contracts while having the oversight committee provide a formal quarterly report to the full council; convening the oversight committee as a portion of a regular council meeting; or restoring a separate finance committee for contract oversight. Several members emphasized the need to avoid duplicative meetings while ensuring transparency about Measure I spending.

Mayor Evan Hudson proposed returning the topic when Council member Busby is present and asked staff and the current committee members to draft options for how regular reporting could be presented to the full council. The council agreed to table a final decision until January, directing staff to prepare an outline and a concise quarterly report template ahead of that meeting.

The move keeps the Measure I Oversight Committee active while committing the council to clearer, written reporting to ensure financial oversight is accessible to all members and the public.