LAMORINDA WEEKLY | Moraga Town Council meets to determine '17 goals


Mayor Teresa Onoda holds one of many speaker cards and listened to a resident during the public comment session. Photo Andy Scheck

Moraga Town Council's annual goal setting exercise was more creative this year than ever, opening new conversations about both topics and methodology, but did not lead to the gelling of a list. The process is resuming at an upcoming council meeting and may take more than one sitting.

Mayor Teresa Onoda opened the discussion on Jan. 26 with her goals for the year. She presented a list of four objectives:

1) Complete the sinkhole repairs at the crossing near Moraga Road and Rheem Boulevard, restoring retail activity and traffic flow back to normal.

2) Have development in Moraga reflect the sentiment of the town's residents, including improvements to the three-step planned development process; seeking town council approval and implementation rules governing development on hillsides and ridgelines; and ensuring disciplined application of the town's design guidelines.

3) Stimulate and attract retail activity in Moraga by improving the permitting process for Moraga businesses and work with the chamber of commerce to make shopping in Moraga a pleasurable activity.

4) Complete successful negotiation of labor agreements with all employee bargaining units.

Prior to the mayor's presentation, town manager Bob Priebe listed last year's goals, indicating which ones had been achieved and which ones were still in process. The installation of security cameras, for example, has been delayed because the sinkhole has brought strain to the town's finances. Other goals such as the zoning of the Moraga Center Specific Plan are still in process.

Vice mayor Roger Wykle and council member Dave Trotter both asked that last year's unfinished business make it to the official list, in addition to the mayor's four goals. Trotter insisted that securing federal reimbursement for the sinkhole repair should be on the list. Wykle said he would want to see an ongoing work list with all the previously approved goals.

Councilmember Kymberleigh Korpus said that she had a list of some 20 objectives of her own, but that she was aware and respectful of staff's workload. One of them would be the establishment of a long-term vision and financial plan, including all infrastructure maintenance needs.

Several residents added their own requests, including protection against gun violence (see article above), the town support of the Community Conversation process that was started recently in Moraga and is endorsed by Saint Mary's College, the review of the Moraga climate action plan, and the town's support of Moraga Community Foundation's plans to make sure the Rheem Theater stays open.

The council members also debated the methodology used to establish a goal list. Council member Jeanette Fritzky proposed to work on the prioritization, while Korpus asked what metrics be used to measure the level of success in reaching goals.

Each council member was asked to send their list to town manager Priebe and his staff is compiling a list for discussion. A final decision will be made at a subsequent town council meeting.