On a normal city council, the idea of requiring nonprofits to sign contracts addressing their responsibilities and liability issues when they provide public services would seem noncontroversial, depending of course on the details of those agreements. But Huntington Beach’s City Council is far from normal, so its plan has ignited understandable pushback.
A recent staff report explains that for several years “certain ‘nonprofits’ and other organizations and individuals have been operating in the city, to help provide valuable services to the city and its residents at little or no cost.” The city notes that groups such as the Friends of the Library, American Legion and the Tree Society have operated “with government and private characteristics, performing public functions but not fully controlled by the city.”
The City Council voted unanimously to create an ad hoc committee looking at putting together the requisite contracts. Council members claim it’s just about improving the partnerships, but some residents are leery. One public speaker expressed fear that it’s a “power grab” designed to punish groups that don’t align with the conservative council’s political goals, per the VoiceofOC.
And former council member Natalie Moser accused the council of having “sown division, injected partisanship and targeted organizations who speak up.” She’s right on that point.
