Chapter 2.17
CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Sections:
2.17.050 Purpose and operation.
2.17.060 Chairperson--Removal of members.
2.17.090 Conflict of interest.
2.17.010 Establishment.
A citizens advisory committee is established in order to effectuate the goal of the city’s comprehensive plan relative to citizen involvement. Said goal, and the purpose of the citizens advisory committee, shall be to develop a citizen involvement program that insures the opportunity for citizens to be involved in all phases of the planning process. (Ord. 1449(part), 1981).
2.17.020 Membership.
The citizens advisory committee shall consist of seven members, to be selected through an open well-publicized public process and formally appointed by the mayor with the approval of the city council. All citizens attending citizens advisory committee meetings shall be entitled to express opinions or offer additional information pertaining to any matter being heard by the committee, subject only to reasonable rules to be established by the chairperson relating to the time limitations and orderly procedures for the conduct of meetings. (Ord. 1449(part), 1981).
2.17.030 Powers and duties.
A. The citizens advisory committee shall be advisory to the city council and/or planning commission.
B. Recommendations relating to the following matters may be formulated by the citizens advisory committee for consideration by the city council and/or planning commission: housing, schools, streets, traffic safety, sidewalks, bike paths; public transportation and communication; business and economic development; land use, zoning, building, annexation, subdivisions; police, fire and emergency medical services; other matters of general community interest.
C. These recommendations shall be rendered to the city council in writing and, while the council is not obligated to follow any of the recommendations set forth, it is obligated to consider all written recommendations and express its reasons for decisions in writing. (Ord. 1944 §1, 2010; Ord. 1449(part), 1981).
2.17.040 Meetings.
A. The citizens advisory committee shall encourage the active participation of each and every citizen at its regular meetings, which shall be held on the second Tuesday of the months of January, April, July and October. Regularly scheduled or special meetings may be cancelled by the mayor or city manager.
B. Special meetings may be called in the case of an emergency or critical conditions which warrant the same.
C. All meetings shall be duly and regularly advertised as required by law.
D. A register of attendance will be made available for citizens to sign at each meeting.
E. Recommendations of the citizens advisory committee will be formulated by a simple majority vote of the committee members in attendance at the meeting where the item is discussed. At the committee’s discretion, the audience may be polled on any particular issue being discussed and the results of that poll may be submitted along with the committee’s report or recommendation.
F. Citizens may suggest agenda items for discussion by notification to the citizens advisory committee chairperson not less than fifteen days prior to the date of the next regular meeting. The chairperson will prepare an agenda for each meeting, which will be prominently posted at the City Hall for at least one week prior to the meeting. (Ord. 1969 §1(part), 2013; Ord. 1449(part), 1981).
2.17.050 Purpose and operation.
In order to comply with the intent of the citizen involvement portion of the city’s comprehensive plan, the citizens advisory committee shall incorporate the following components in its operation:
A. Citizen Involvement. The program shall involve a cross-section of affected citizens in all planning phases and shall include a recognized citizen advisory committee.
B. Communication. In order to assure effective communication with citizens, mechanisms shall be established, including such methods as newsletters, questionnaires, mailings, posters, and other available media, as appropriate.
C. Citizen Influence. Citizens should be included, whenever possible, in all phases of the planning process, including (1) data collection, (2) plan preparation, (3) adoption, (4) implementation, (5) evaluation and (6) revision.
D. Technical Information. The city should assure that all information used in the preparation of the plan or related reports, should be made available in an easy to understand form and should be available to the general public at a local library or other location open to the public.
E. Feedback Mechanisms. The city should provide a mechanism through which citizens and citizens’ groups taking part in the planning process will receive a response from the policymakers. All land use policy decisions should be documented in written form and made publicly available.
F. Financial Support. Adequate human, financial and informational resources should be allocated from the citizen involvement program and such resources should be an integral component of the planning budget. (Ord. 1449(part), 1981).
2.17.060 Chairperson--Removal of members.
The chairperson of the citizens advisory committee shall be appointed by the mayor with the approval of the council, for a term of one year. The chairperson shall be a voting member of the citizens advisory committee. Any member of the citizens advisory committee, including the chairperson, may be removed by the mayor, with the approval of the city council, after hearing, for misconduct or nonperformance of duty. A member who is absent from three meetings without an excuse as approved by the chairperson is rebuttably presumed to be in nonperformance of duty and the chairperson shall report such absences to the mayor and council promptly. (Ord. 1449(part), 1981).
2.17.070 Staff services.
The city manager shall provide such staff and consultation services to the citizens advisory committee as shall be appropriate. A record shall be kept of committee proceedings. (Ord. 1969 §1(part), 2013; Ord. 1449(part), 1981).
2.17.080 Compensation.
Citizens advisory committee members shall receive no compensation other than expenses as authorized by the mayor and council. (Ord. 1449(part), 1981).
2.17.090 Conflict of interest.
A member of the citizens advisory committee shall not participate in any committee proceeding or action in which any of the following has a direct or substantial financial interest: the member or his spouse, brother, sister, child, parent, father-in-law, mother-in-law, any business in which he is then serving or has served within the previous two years, or any business with which he is negotiating for or has an arrangement or understanding concerning prospective ownership, partnership or employment. Any actual or potential interest shall be disclosed at the meeting of the committee where the action is being taken. (Ord. 1449(part), 1981).