Title
Joint Meeting of City Council with Board and Commission Chairs and Vice Chairs to Review and Improve Overall Effectiveness of Commission Meetings
Report
BACKGROUND
On November 14, 2023, the City Council held a joint study session with Board and Commission (B/C) Chairs and Vice Chairs. The purpose of the study session was to convene an annual discussion regarding B/C effectiveness, and to invite input from B/C members to the City Council.
The input during this annual round of discussion was substantial. The November 2023 meeting resulted in over a dozen suggested improvements or modifications for consideration. Of those, 10 were administrative in nature and the majority of those have been implemented already or are in progress by staff. The remainder, 7 items, were policy-based and were referred to the Council Subcommittee on Boards and Commissions (Subcommittee) for consideration.
On February 14, 2024, the Subcommittee provided comments on several operational changes (RTC No. 24-0106) made in response to the feedback received at the joint study session. The Subcommittee also discussed several policy or procedural items, some of which would require policy changes (or even a Charter Amendment), and others of which are more operational suggestions. The Subcommittee’s discussion included items raised at the November joint study session as well as additional items introduced by the Subcommittee. The Subcommittee requested staff follow up after its February meeting and met again on June 26, 2024 to further refine its recommendations to the full Council.
On September 24, 2024, the City Council reviewed the Subcommittee’s recommendations (RTC No. 24-0644) and provided the following direction:
1. Direct the Arts Commission to identify work plan items related to dynamic, interactive and literary art forms for 2025.
2. Increase the size of the Human Relations Commission from 5 to 7 members in time for the 2025 recruitment cycle.
3. Direct staff to return with policy language to allow Board/Commission Members to respond to requests to meet with members of the public received by the respective Board/Commission AnswerPoint.
4. Direct staff to schedule annual review by the City Council of the Board/Commission Application questions in the first quarter and to include the Board/Commission Application in the annual Joint Study Session between the City Council and Board/Commission Chairs and Vice Chairs.
Potential Future Study Issues
In addition to the discussion of operational and policy changes at the Subcommittee, Subcommittee Member Mehlinger stated they may prepare Study Issue Sponsorship Forms on the following topics separately from the Subcommittee’s immediate recommendations to the full Council:
- Potential Study Issue 1 - Create a Transportation Board or Commission
- Potential Study Issue 2 - Expand scope of Heritage Preservation Commission
The status of operational changes are included in Attachment 1; the status of policy changes are included in Attachment 2.
EXISTING POLICY
Council Policy 7.2.19 (Boards and Commissions
DISCUSSION
Progress on the September 24, 2024 Council direction is provided below:
1. Direct the Arts Commission to identify work plan items related to dynamic, interactive and literary art forms for 2025.
Status: This direction is being communicated to the Arts Commission as part of their November 20, 2024 consideration of 2025 work plan items (RTC No. 24-1124).
2. Increase the size of the Human Relations Commission from 5 to 7 members in time for the mail 2025 recruitment cycle.
Status: Council adopted a Resolution and approved a policy change on Oct. 29, 2024 to make this change.
3. Direct staff to return with policy language to allow Board/Commission Members to respond to requests to meet with members of the public received by the respective Board/Commission AnswerPoint.
Status: Staff are reviewing Council Policy 7.2.19 Boards and Commissions and plan to return to Council with draft language as soon as practical.
4. Direct staff to schedule annual review by the City Council of the Board/Commission Application questions in the first quarter and to include the Board/Commission Application in the annual Joint Study Session between the City Council and Board/Commission Chairs and Vice Chairs.
Status: The Board and Commission Application and Reappointment Request Form are attached to this report. These documents will be scheduled for review with Council in the first quarter of 2025.
The purpose of this joint study session between City Council and Board and Commission (B/C) Chairs and Vice Chairs is to convene an annual discussion regarding B/C effectiveness, and to invite input from B/C members to the City Council.
Staff notes that given the robust list of changes currently being implemented from last year and the upcoming Charter Review Committee effort commencing this month and running through early 2026, staff resources to pursue additional board and commission changes will be available in 2026, barring any time urgent, high priority items.
Staff
Prepared by: David Carnahan, City Clerk
Reviewed by: Sarah Johnson-Rios, Assistant City Manager
Approved by: Tim Kirby, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Operational Changes Initiated by Staff Following the November 14 2023 Joint City Council Study Session with Board/Commission Chairs/Vice Chairs
2. Follow up from Nov. 14, 2023 Council Joint City Council Study Session with Board/Commission Chairs/Vice Chairs and Sept. 24, 2024 Council Direction
3. Boards and Commissions Application
4. Incumbent Board and Commission Member Request for Reappointment Consideration