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Vallejo oversight commission debates independence of outside counsel and midyear budget needs
Summary
Public commenters and commissioners pressed for greater POAC involvement in selecting outside counsel and an independent auditor, while staff outlined midyear budget items including training, memberships, outreach and contracting costs to be costed for the city council27s February midyear process.
A Vallejo Police Oversight and Accountability Commission meeting on Feb. 1 focused on who will hire and oversee outside counsel and auditors and on midyear budget priorities for the new commission.
During public comment, a member of the public who appeared on the agenda as Robert Choise urged the commission to ensure independence in selecting legal counsel and auditors and warned that allowing the city attorney27s office to control selection creates a perception of conflict of interest. "POAC should play a major role in the interviewing process and actual selection, not the city attorney," the speaker said, urging monthly updates so the process "doesn't go into a dark hole."
City Attorney staff said the ordinance requires that staff and the city manager coordinate selection steps but that the commission will have input. The city attorney's office told commissioners it plans to reissue a request for proposals for an independent public auditor (IPA) in February and that the commission will have the opportunity to review candidate pools and provide recommendations before any final selection by the city manager.
Staff and commissioners also discussed likely midyear budget asks. The commission secretary outlined probable categories: NICoLE membership and conference attendance, training for commissioners, outside counsel, the IPA, consulting and outreach materials. Deputy Chief Bob Knight and staff said investigations and independent investigator fees are budget items that will depend on workload; staff will produce cost estimates to support formal requests to the city council.
Commissioners raised practical questions: whether the commission could obtain group memberships, how community outreach (including printed materials and translated paper forms) would be funded, and whether external candidates could be considered for IPA or counsel roles to provide outside perspectives. Staff said those asks can be costed and sent to the city council as part of the midyear appropriation process on Feb. 24 and that council can fully authorize new appropriations in a two-step process by early March.
Why it matters: The commission is forming its operating tools — its legal counsel, auditor, and training plan — at the same time it is taking initial complaint and policy review work. Who selects and supervises outside resources affects public trust and the commission's ability to handle investigations and oversight work independently.
The commission did not take a formal vote on hiring counsel or auditors at the meeting; staff said it will provide RFPs and cost estimates and bring candidate pools to the commission for input.
