Residents of Mill Valley, Corte Madera, Larkspur and Tiburon who volunteer on county advisory boards may see their commissions restructured, merged or eliminated under staff recommendations heading to the Marin County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, Aug. 25.

County staff reviewed all 19 advisory bodies and sorted each into one of five categories: keep as is, improve, restructure or combine with another body, sunset, or study further. The county's Aug. 20 news release said most bodies still provide value, but a "small number" may need consolidation or planned discontinuation.

No boards have been named yet. The full staff report, which identifies each body and its recommended path, is expected to be posted on the Board of Supervisors meetings page before the Aug. 25 hearing.

What the review found

A 2026 survey presented to supervisors on May 19 flagged recurring problems across the 19 bodies: persistent vacancies, difficulty meeting quorum, outdated bylaws, unclear roles, inconsistent onboarding and uneven staff support. The current review grew out of that survey and the county's 2024 Boards and Commissions Equity Project, which aimed to diversify membership and remove barriers to participation.

Staff also recommended system-wide fixes regardless of individual board outcomes: clearer bylaws and legal authority, better vacancy management, consistent staff-liaison roles, annual work plans, regular reporting to supervisors and stronger public outreach.

One week earlier, supervisors at their Aug. 18 meeting considered a related resolution authorizing the Clerk of the Board to coordinate a centralized bylaws modernization initiative for all county boards and commissions.

What happens next

The recommendations are staff proposals only. The county stated in its news release that no decision is final until the Board acts at a public meeting. If supervisors direct changes on Aug. 25, the county said it will contact affected commissioners, staff liaisons, departments and other stakeholders. Some changes may require additional legal review or a separate Board action.

The Aug. 25 agenda, staff report and public participation details are available at marincounty.gov/departments/board/board-supervisors-meetings. Residents who serve on or interact with county advisory bodies can attend the meeting or submit public comment through the Board's standard process.