Advisory committee to have fewer members

A Thousand Oaks citizen advisory committee will lose 14 members over the next year, beginning this spring.

The city council agreed to reduce the number of members serving on the Business Roundtable, which advises the council on local business issues. The roundtable is made up of 25 members, including residents with business experience, local entrepreneurs and property owners, and local employees. That number will be cut to 11 members.

Eight seats will be cut this spring, followed by six more next spring. Several seats expire this spring while others don't expire until next year. The two-step process is being employed to retain continuity during the transition.

The cuts are being made to help the roundtable meet quorums, reduce the amount of staff resources needed to serve the group, and to conform with other city committees, which limit members to 11, according to Gary Wartik, city economic development manager.

The Business Roundtable was expanded in 2003 at the suggestion of a council member who felt that a larger group would better represent the business community by broadening the scope of its members, Wartik said. At that time, the 25th seat was designated to be filled by a representative from the Thousand OaksWestlake Village Regional Chamber of Commerce. Under the adjustment, the Chamber of Commerce seat will be retained.

A staff report indicated that although there was an increase in members, the number of active participants did not increase. On several occasions there were challenges in reaching a quorum.

"While the expanded Business Roundtable is composed of an outstanding group of business people, the Business Roundtable's size is twice the size of any other city committee," Wartik said.

Councilmember Claudia Billde la Pea suggested that onethird of the revised committee be made up of small business owners, or those companies with 50 or less employees.

Council members Jacqui Irwin and Andy Fox expressed discomfort with restricting roundtable membership in any way.

"Let staff look into the participants in the committee to make sure they are diverse and make recommendations to the council," Fox said.