RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) - Continuing to ensure full transparency when the city grants Community Enhancement Fund monies, the Council met Tuesday, October 12, and appointed four new members to the oversight board for the fund. A name change of the Community Enhancement Fund itself was also a topic of conversation at the Special Session. 

The Measure H and K funds go toward community projects, COVID-19 recovery opportunities, infrastructure, public safety, community/economic development, legacy projects, affordable housing/homelessness, and other programs. Funds come from ½ cent local sales tax measures approved by Rancho Cordova voters in November 2014 and 2020.

 The job of the oversight board is to review where the money is going and offer feedback. In operation since 2018, the board is made up of 9 city residents including students. The three adult applicants were Deane Burk, Karen Doll and Travis Hughes. The two student applicants were Mitchell Rumsey and MaryEllen Faulconer. There were only two open member slots for the three adults to vie over.

 During her presentation, Enhancement Fund Manager Stacey Delaney stated the city staff recommendations on choosing between the three “qualified” adult applicants: “We take one member who lives north of Highway 50 and one member who lives south of the highway which would broaden the diversity of where the individuals live and represent the city of Rancho Cordova.” Delaney mentioned choosing a man would also improve diversity as the current board is primarily female. She also mentioned the benefits of having an assembled body with differences in their amount of time spent as residents.

 Looking specifically at the two applicants who lived north of Highway 50 (Burk and Doll), the Council heavily weighed the fact that Burk had come before the Council to reiterate his interest in board membership - something neither of the two other adult applicants had done that night. Councilmember Terry also spoke of Burk as a resident who goes “above and beyond” in helping his community. The fact that Doll also lived north of Highway 50 appeared to seal her fate as the Council approved the appointment of Burk, Hughes and the two students.

 One of those students, Mitchell Rumsey also came forward to meet the council stating, “I’m really happy to have this opportunity and honored to be here to put my work and service in my community which I live in.”

 The Council also congratulated the present Burk with Councilmember David Sander chuckling, “Welcome Dean to his 80-hour a week job!”

 The four new appointees will take their oath of office this month.

 Led again by Stacey Delaney, the final topic of the night concerned renaming the Community Enhancement Fund to reflect both Measures H and R.

 Staff recommended the name “Community Enhancement & Opportunity Fund” with other ideas offered being “Community Enhancement & Investment Fund,” ”Community Enhancement & Revitalization Fund” and “Community Enhancement & Enrichment Fund”.

 The name change debate stemmed from the desire to encompass both Measure H and R for branding and organizational purposes yet “keep both the measures’ spirits.” City Manager Cyrus Abhar noted at the end of Delaney’s presentation that the expenditures will still be tracked separately.

 While the Council (which only included Mayor Garret Gatewood, Vice Mayor Donald Terry and Councilmember Sander due to Council Member Linda Budge’s absence and Councilmember Siri Pulipati experiencing Zoom technical difficulties) expressed concerns with getting away from the specific words “Measure H” and “Measure R” which voters would associate with; They finally acquiesced to choosing “Community Enhancement and Investment Fund.”

 “I can live with it,” said Councilmember Sander as the public part of the meeting concluded.