At the May 16th public hearing regarding the MCAS El Toro planning
     process, and again at the May 18th LRA meeting, a consistent theme
     emerged. Both the public and a majority of Board members have the
     perception that the planning process has been closed and secretive.
     Additionally, the Board has now provided new direction to staff to proceed
     with planning for the preferred reuse while broadening the Board's
     selectable options. Accordingly, I believe a reorganization of the planning
     process is in order. Outlined below are my proposals:

     Establish the MCAS El Toro Program Planning Office as a Separate
     Department.

     To ensure greater public visibility for this program, I believe it important to
     establish the MCAS El Toro Program Planning Office as a separate
     department. Staffing will be limited term, borrowed from other
     departments or contract personnel. Because the Board has directed we
     engage in extensive planning activities related to both aviation and
     non-aviation reuses, funding will be both general funds and aviation
     funds.

     My office will continue to provide legislative support and public information
     support to the Program, although a separate public information function
     should be established for the Program. The Airport will continue to
     manage the operational aspects of the Master Lease activities. Analyses
     of housing uses will be performed by the Program Office. This department
     will sunset at the end of the planning process. The ultimate placement of
     base operations will depend upon whether the ultimate use will be
     aviation or other.

     I intend to appoint Mr. Tom Mathews, the current Director of the Planning
     and Development Department as program director. Mr. Mathews and I will
     confer on staffing requirements and present those needs and funding
     requirements during June budget hearings.

     Eliminate the Board Aviation Subcommittee.

     The practice to date has been for my office and the MCAS El Toro Program
     Director to meet weekly with the Board established Aviation
     Subcommittee. At these subcommittee meetings, information and
     recommendations are provided by staff, and subcommittee members give
     input and direction.

     Because the requirements of the Brown Act prohibit subcommittee
     members or staff from "polling" other Board members or even telling other
     Board members what the discussions or thinking processes of the
     subcommittee members have been, there is a perception that staff is not
     keeping Board members informed. Accordingly, in lieu of weekly meetings
     with a subcommittee, I propose the Program Director provide weekly
     briefings to the entire Board at each Board meeting, thereby permitting all
     Board members to have an opportunity to ask questions and provide
     direction to staff.

     Conduct Monthly LRA Meetings.

     Monthly LRA meetings should be conducted by the Board. These
     meetings should be conducted as public hearings and held in the
     community, enabling greater participation and input. LRA meetings should
     be rotated among Districts and conducted in different cities within each
     District.

     Hold Weekly Media Briefings.

     To ensure the media has complete access to personnel involved in the El
     Toro planning process, and to ensure all available documents are made
     immediately available to media representatives, I propose the MCAS El
     Toro Program Director offer the media weekly access to himself and his
     staff. The media will then be able to ask any questions they wish and
     pursue additional inquiries as they prefer.

     The above changes should result in greater public input and increase
     involvement of the Board, as a whole, in this very critical planning process.