The first task of the newly appointed Los Altos blue-ribbon budget committee will be to prioritize a list of 65 capital improvement projects, officials said.
The 29-member Los Altos group is scheduled to meet with a facilitator on April 17 and review items that include developing the city-owned 5-acre 401 Rosita site, updating the city's housing element and widening Los Altos Avenue to make it bicycle safe.
Some of the items are "nonstarters," said city councilman Francis La Poll. He would like them removed from the list so "no one would have the wrong idea about city government intentions."
Like widening Los Altos Avenue. "I have never heard any council support for, or even discussion of, such a project," La Poll said.
Committee member Marge Bruno said, "We will be looking at the city's needs into the future." Bruno, a former mayor, said she sees the committee prioritizing "various competing needs." The committee is "clearly advisory," she said.
"There are more tasks than there's money," said committee member Bob Norton. "The city has to decide what's most important. These 29 people will provide citizen input rather than just staff and council input."
Every time someone makes a suggestion, city staff faithfully keeps track. Currently the list has grown to a multi-million dollar wish list that will get pared down.
Most likely there will still be more items than money. Part of the blue ribbon committee's charge is to consider "funding options," like a bond, staff said.
The process for prioritizing is "not fully developed yet," said City Manager Phil Rose.
The meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 17 in Room A at the Hillview Community Center, 97 Hillview Ave., Los Altos. For more information, call 948-1491.