Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Michael P. Callagy, County Executive
Subject: Resolution to Dissolve the San Mateo County Domestic Violence Council as Currently Structured and Recommend County Executive Restructure to Enhance Effectiveness and Expand Scope
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution to dissolve the San Mateo County Domestic Violence Council and recommend restructuring to enhance effectiveness and expand scope.
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BACKGROUND:
The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors formed the Domestic Violence Council (DVC) in 1998. The DVC operates as the County's task force on violent crimes against women, pursuant to Penal Code Section 14140. The DVC has provided critical leadership in addressing domestic violence in San Mateo County but faces structural limitations in its current formation that hinder its ability to respond effectively to urgent needs.
As a body subject to the Ralph M. Brown Act, the DVC as currently structured faces particular challenges, including that it must:
* Conduct all business in public meetings, where maintaining safety and confidentiality for survivors is not possible.
* Allow a designated period and format for public comment, with a set time limit per speaker, which restricts ability to engage with commenters and limits opportunities for meaningful discussion.
* Ensure that no more than half of its members discuss issues outside of meetings, which creates communication challenges since many of the DVC members are County staff and creates constraints on full participation in working sessions, including, for example, upcoming strategic planning for the County's proposed Family Justice Center.
Along with creating safety concerns for survivors, these restrictions create barriers to swift action, including limited flexibility, reduced efficiency, and slowed progress on urgent issues.
In 2023, the DVC created the DVC Task Force, an ad hoc ...
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