Title
Approval of Proposed Changes to Advisory Board and Committee Process
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Move to Approve the General Government Committee’s recommended changes to the advisory board and committee process and operations.
City Manager Recommendation:
Move to Approve the General Government Committee’s recommended changes to the advisory board and committee process and operations.
Report
Issue:
Whether to accept the recommended changes from the General Government Committee.
Staff Contact:
City Manager, Steve Hall, 360.753.8370
Presenter(s):
Steve Hall
Background and Analysis:
Each year the City Council’s General Government Committee meets with advisory board and committee chairs and staff liaisons to assess the workflow and effectiveness of the advisory boards and their relationship with the City Council.
The General Government Committee met with chairs and staff at its March 28 meeting. Based on that conversation, a number of changes are recommended:
• Checking City email - some committees experienced a problem with members regularly checking their City issues email accounts. The proposed action is to add a notice in the board application form that successful candidates will be issued a city email account and are expected to check it regularly. Committee chairs and staff liaisons will also remind members about this obligation.
• Meeting Attendance - The proposed action is to add to the application form that the City has high expectations for regular attendance. The application form will be modified to note that three absences in a year may result in removal from the board. Also, whenever practical, members will be reminded to advise staff liaisons in advance if they expecting to miss a meeting. Finally, committee chairs and staff were expected to reach out to members early to address absentee issues.
• Diversity of representation- new language will be added to the application process that emphasizes that the City values participation from all, groups, perspectives and life experiences. In addition, that the City looks for equity and inclusion in its appointments including race and gender and other differences.
• Recruitment - Current members who want to reapply will continue to be asked to do so by October 31. Otherwise, the position will be considered vacant. Continuing members will still be asked to fill out an application form for the next term. In the future, Advisory Boards and Committees will conduct the initial screening of applicants and recommend names of finalists to be interviewed by the GG Committee. In is likely that in most cases the Chair and Vice Chair would solicit input from their committee colleagues, screen the applicants and then make recommendations to the GG Committee.
• Term Limits- proposed - no more than three full terms, 9 years on any specific board or committee (Except Design Review Board - no term limits). Partial terms would not count. Citizens could apply for different boards after reaching the term limit on a particular board or committee.
• Council Liaison Role, Guideline 4.5. Clarify that City Council will appoint liaisons from the Council to the Boards at its annual retreat and add that Council liaisons are expected to attend the designated board at least twice per year and meet with the Committee Cahir at least once per year (Design Review Board excluded)
• Mandatory Training - Chairs were advised of the upcoming Open Government Training set for June 20. This is mandatory training for new members. Chairs and Liaisons would work to set up new members for the training
Neighborhood/Community Interests (if known):
N/A
Options:
1. Accept the recommendations as proposed
2. Revise the recommendations
3. Seek additional City Council guidance
Financial Impact:
No direct costs. Staff time to implement new changes.
Attachments:
March 28, 2018 General Government Committee Minutes