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the Council should value the input of citizens, especially on such an important issue as traffic and transportation, the number one concern in San Mateo County. Mayor Howard said she agreed with Council Member Leipzig that community input was extremely valuable and will help with traffic issues. She said, however, that there are no active members on the committee at this time, and the City had hired a new Traffic Engineer who had been handling traffic problems and concerns. Mayor Howard said the previous T AC members highlighted the problems of the Committee - they were unsure of the TAC's scope of work, what they were supposed to accomplish, and what were Council's goals and objectives for the Committee. She recommended that the Council dissolves this current committee, and after Council discussions and concurrence on exactly what Council wants from a citizens traffic committee, then the Council could recruit. She said it was unfair to future members if the Council was unclear or unsure about what was expected of them, and to go forward with the same situation would be setting everyone up for another failure. Mayor Howard recommended that this topic be a subject of future study sessions to be held with boards, committees and commissions. MEMO 3/17/98 Council Member Ira agreed that the Council would not want to appoint new members to the T AC under the old parameters. He asked if, procedurally, it would be easier to dissolve the TAC or just freeze the membership until the Council could decide on what it truly wanted from such a citizens group. City Attorney Schricker said a new committee could be established easily at any time. He provided background on the troubled TAC and said it would probably be easier to start over after the Council had formulated a specific scope of work. He said starting fresh would give the Council more freedom to establish goals and policies. City Attorney Schricker said, "I know from having drafted this in the past, it has been very difficult to weave our way through the staff authority that exists under City Code provisions." Council Member Hartnett said his motion would put the Council in a position to define an understandable and workable mission for such a committee. He said it was important to avoid the same situation that has plagued the committee from its inception ten years ago. Council Member Hartnett said it had been a difficult experience for the members, the staff and the community as well, and the problems could not be solved piecemeal. He said the people who serve on the committee should feel secure that they are making a difference, and the Council needs time to work that out. Council Member Bain said that this Committee should be considered in context with all the other Council appointed boards, committees and commissions. He said he saw no harm in placing the Committee on hold pending a study session where the Council could hear from the public. Council Member Bain described how the Housing and Human Concerns Committee resolved the problems they were experiencing by having the Council study the issue and making substantial changes in its scope of work, recruitment and terms. He suggested the Council do the same for the T AC. REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTE BOOK NO. 56 MARCH 16, 1998 MINUTES Page No. 330 PAGE 12