STEVE WOEHLEKE
MORAGA TOWN COUNCIL - 2026
 

The core elements of quality decision making are:

• Fully characterizing the problem/opportunity.  This “Framing” includes completely understanding the issue (without prejudging “the answer”), defining the scope, and identifying and analyzing the full range of stakeholders.

• Identifying and analyzing a wide range of alternative solutions to ensure the best option is selected.

• Using data which is meaningful and reliable.

• Identifying appropriate decision criteria and developing rules for prioritizing criteria (including trading off values).

• Using appropriate analytical tools and applying sound reasoning to make the best choice.

• Get commitment by stakeholders (includes appropriate communications and transparency throughout the process).

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More information on the basics of decision making competency can be found by searching “Decision Quality” on Wikipedia.  Decision making using a disciplined process is successfully used by industry and applied on a fit-for-purpose basis.  For very simple issues the process is very abbreviated. 

 

The Canyon Bridge failure is a real example where the Town Council failed in decision making quality and Moraga suffered.  Click on the following link to view a lookback on the Canyon Bridge failure which I prepared and presented to the Town Council in March.

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One finding from the lookback is that project planning work was never done to substantiate that the Temporary Canyon Bridge was anything more than a "nice to have" project.  For this "nice to have" temporary bridge project, Moraga declared a fiscal emergency, distracted town staff and committed $3 million of the town's limited assets for an extended period with uncertainty that the total expected repayment will be achieved.

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I'm confident that had I been on the Town Council, we would have achieved a better response to the failed bridge. 

 

There are other examples of Council poor decision making which have hurt Moraga.  Ask me for examples.

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I can think of nothing more important to success of the Moraga Town Council than their consistently making quality decisions.

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I have the experience and expertise to build competency in decision making and pledge to work with other council members and staff to develop such.

 

Address Moraga's Near and Long-Term Fiscal Health – On June 27th a 2018/2019 $9.5 million “balanced” budget was approved, but with an estimated ~$1.5 million shortfall. This shortfall represents what should normally be committed annually for infrastructure renewal (including storm drains).  And looming over future budgets are major annual increases in Moraga’s obligations for funding pensions.  Moraga will receive additional revenue resulting from sales of new and used homes.  Still, addressing Moraga’s fiscal health will require in-depth study and making tough decisions.  Both cost reductions and revenue enhancements will need to be considered, and there must be realistic plans for addressing must-haves such as infrastructure.  As one measure, if Moraga cannot develop a realistic “survival basis” multi-year budget which avoids systemic deficits, only then should the town consider pursuing alternatives.

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I have the expertise to ensure that Moraga's fiscal future is addressed using appropriate quality decision making processes.

 

Ensure that the Storm Drain System Renewal Program is Prioritized and Optimized – The storm drain fee initiative failed.  A realistic plan is needed to address maintenance and renewal of the storm drain system.  But due to fiscal constraints, Moraga needs to explore beyond “conventional approach” practices.  Current definition of the individual storm drain projects is based on preliminary engineering.  Prior to entering final engineering, I advocate using a peer review team of local volunteer retired specialists (I’ve identified and talked with two in the Moraga area) to review the preliminary engineering of each project both as a check and to seek additional cost reduction opportunities.  Peer reviews are an industry best practice, which I proposed to the Town Council in March for the storm drain projects.  There may also be the opportunity to more precisely prioritize individual projects (e.g., first focus on those projects with the highest consequences from system failure and potentially relax design criteria for projects with low consequence of failure).

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Protect Open Space Consistent with the Moraga General Plan - For many reasons, protecting open space is important to Moraga.  In April 2018, revisions to Moraga's Hillsides and Ridgelines ordinance and design guideline were approved.  These revisions are currently being challenged in court by a local land owner, and resolution of the court case will determine appropriate future actions. 

 

Regardless, I take seriously the Guiding Principle of Moraga's General Plan which states: Preserve the Town's natural setting and environmental resources, including its undeveloped ridgelines and significant open space areas.

 

Regardless of the open space litigation outcome, consideration of future development of open space will have to incorporate learnings from the very destructive wild fires over the past several years.

 

I have lots of experience on protecting open space from my years on the Design Review Board and Planning Commission.  And I am very aware that once something is built there is no turning back.

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Update Moraga's Planning Process to Reflect Current Realities - Current environmental and other permitting requirements can drive applicants to define their projects earlier than the intent of Moraga’s current three-step planning process.  In particular, proposed projects more being more completely defined for the first Conceptual Plan step.  The Moraga Town Center Homes Project (aka City Ventures) is an example where significant frustration resulted because project characteristics normally reviewed and approved during the second General Plan step were approved during the Conceptual Plan step.  A broken planning process hurts all parties.  Moraga needs a process which reflects current realities and is responsive to all stakeholders, especially town citizens and applicants.  The process is overdue for review and updating.  Having served on the Planning Commission for 10 years over a 20-year span, I’m ready to work with staff and other council members to efficiently update the process.

 

Update Moraga’s General Plan – Moraga’s General Plan hasn’t been updated for over 15 years and the "normal" target is to renew approximately every 10 years.  Review of the current 2002 version shows sections are out-of-date.  The General Plan is the most important Moraga Community document as it sets the overarching expectations for the town.  We need to find a way to refresh at least the critical parts.  As part of this refresh, completing zoning of the Moraga Center Specific Plan must be prioritized.

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Develop a Long Term Traffic Plan Which Incorporates Growth Projections Across Lamorinda - Growth in all three Lamorinda cities is impacting traffic congestion, and promises to get worse.  To develop community alignment, a practical and comprehensive long-term plan is needed which identifies and evaluates options, assesses implementation requirements and envisions a timeline.  I pledge to champion developing a comprehensive and practical plan through, as much as possible, leveraging off of regional work already done.

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Enact Term Limits for the Town Council – While Moraga’s Town Council isn’t subject to term limits, the following offices are: President of the U.S., Governor and State Legislature of California and every board and commission of Moraga.  This issue is really straight forward.  I pledge to lead and work with other Town Council members to enact term limits for the Moraga Town Council.

 

 

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