Moraga Council Evaluates RECON, Looks to the Town's Financial Future

A report presented at the Moraga Town Council meeting on Wednesday has council members and citizens talking about ways to better their community.

The Revenue Enhancement Community Outreach to Neighborhoods (RECON) Committee Report was based on an analysis of responses culled from focus groups and online surveys. The findings addressed resident's perceptions about Moraga's financial state as it relates to business development and Saint Mary's College.

Moraga resident Dick Olsen and St. Mary's professor Dr. Larry Bienati presented the report, which described the process, methodology, and findings of the outreach effort. The purpose of the study was not to advocate or educate, but to simply observe how Moragans perceive their town and its needs.

Over 600 respondents weighed in and produced several thematic concepts, transcribed and translated by the RECON team. A few key ideas are summarized below, with some concepts combined into one for the sake of brevity.

Development of retail centers

One particular problem appeared on survey responses in a variety of ways, all leading back to the same premise: Moraga business development is lacking. The themes interpreted by Dr. Bienati were, "lack of retail shops, dining and entertainment," "poor condition of Rheem Shopping Center and high vacancy rate" and "blight in Moraga center."

Suggestions for change included revitalizing the town's shopping centers, advocating for an affordable small business environment and tapping into the St. Mary's College populace for input, a topic that became a theme unto itself.

Moraga's relationship with Saint Mary's College

Citizens and council members agreed that the town could benefit from increased inclusion of SMC stakeholders in the planning process. During public comment, several residents suggested that the college should have a liaison at town council meetings, such as the college president. The representative would advocate on behalf of the students and faculty of the college.

Moraga Chamber of Commerce President Edy Schwartz commented that the town should communicate with students to determine how they utilize local businesses. A common complaint from students is that there are no entertainment options in town, so they often take their business to Walnut Creek and Lafayette. Survey respondents and council members hope to bring some of their patronage back to Moraga.

Knowledge of the town's financial condition

Respondents in both the focus group and online survey admitted that they were not well informed about the financial status of the town. While no particular blame was placed on the town council, council members brainstormed ways that they might better reach out to the public.

One insight that council members found interesting was the infrequent but ill-informed respondent suggestion that Moraga is spending too much money. Councilman Mike Metcalf admonished the response, reminding meeting attendees that Moraga is the lowest spending town per capita in Contra Costa County.

Communication with citizens

In addition to newsletters, local media and the town website, citizens expressed that they need alternative sources of information. Moraga Citizens Network President Ellen Beans suggested face-to-face personal relationships with store owners and residents as a way of sharing important town news.

Several council members brought up the idea of a marketing plan centered around a small brochure or information packet containing easily digestible content like pie charts and summaries. This abbreviated version of the town financial report would target busy residents who might not have time to read the full version.

Response to survey findings

Council response to the RECON presentation was immediate. An Economic Development Director position was established, creating a volunteer job to report directly to Town Manager Mike Segrest. The position is meant to help address the issues brought up by survey respondents, from courting new businesses to fill retail centers to creating status reports for presentations at town meetings. In response to calls for increased coordination with Saint Mary's, the director will also act as a liaison to the college on behalf of the town. 

The hope is that the new Economic Development Director will maintain the momentum gained by the RECON report by addressing the specific concerns laid out by citizens. The ideal candidate will have experience and education in implementing effective economic management strategies. Report presenter Dick Olsen is hopeful about the council's steps to respond to his findings.

"Now that you have your finger on the pulse of the community, keep it there," Olsen advised.