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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - Full - Ad Hoc Boards and Commissions Committee - 02/01/2023 -2/1/2023 – Agenda Page 1 Agenda Ad Hoc Committee for Boards and Commissions February 01, 2023 – 4:00 PM CIC Conference Room, City Hall, 300 Laporte Avenue & via Zoom at https://fcgov.zoom.us/j/92427789756 Remote Participation Available A) Call Meeting to Order B) Roll Call C) Approval of Minutes 1. Consideration and approval of the minutes of January 4, 2023. The purpose of this item is to approve the draft minutes of the January 4, 2023, Ad Hoc Committee for Boards and Commissions meeting. D) Discussion / Informational Items 2. Discussing and evaluating the purpose of Boards and Commissions, Council’s role, recruitment and interview processes, and member composition of boards and commissions. The purpose of this item is to discuss the purpose of Boards and Commissions, as well as options for process changes and the implications, pros, and cons that would come with those changes. E) Other Business F) Adjournment Next Scheduled Committee Meeting: 4:00 PM, March 1, 2023 Upon request, the City of Fort Collins will provide language access services for individuals who have limited English proficiency, or auxiliary aids and services for individuals with disabilities, to access City services, programs and activities. Contact 970.221.6515 (V/TDD: Dial 711 for Relay Colorado) for assistance. Please provide advance notice. Requests for interpretation at a meeting should be made by noon the day before. A solicitud, la Ciudad de Fort Collins proporcionará servicios de acceso a idiomas para personas que no dominan el idioma inglés, o ayudas y servicios auxiliares para personas con discapacidad, para que puedan acceder a los servicios, programas y actividades de la Ciudad. Para asistencia, llame al 970.221.6515 (V/TDD: Marque 711 para Relay Colorado). Por favor proporcione aviso previo cuando sea posible. Las solicitudes de interpretación en una reunión deben realizarse antes del mediodía del día anterior. - Page 1 - 1/4/2023 – Minutes Page 1 Minutes Ad Hoc Committee for Boards and Commissions January 04, 2023 – 5:00 PM CIC Conference Room, City Hall, 300 Laporte Ave & via Zoom at: https://fcgov.zoom.us/j/99250290925 Remote Participation Available A) Call Meeting to Order  5:08 p.m. B) Roll Call  Committee Members Present: Emily Francis (Chair), Julie Pignataro, Tricia Canonico  Staff Members Present: Davina Lau, Rupa Venkatesh, Anissa Hollingshead, Carrie Daggett, Tammi Pusheck  Members of the Public: Kelly Ohlson C) Public Participation  None D) Public Participation Follow-up E) Discussion / Informational Items 1. Election of a Committee Chair  Committee Member Tricia Canonico nominated Committee Member Emily Francis to be Chair. Committee Member Julie Pignataro seconded the nomination. 2. Ad Hoc Committee Work Plan Review.  Discussion Highlights: Staff Member Davina Lau provided a general overview of boards and commissions and their purpose and structure. Staff Member Rupa Venkatesh described Council’s role for boards and commissions. Staff Member Carrie Daggett provided clarification on term limits, saying that quasi-judicial commission members are limited to two four-year terms and type one and two board members are limited to eight consecutive years. Staff Member Rupa Venkatesh informed the committee of concerns that have been expressed by various people surrounding structural and logistic processes regarding boards and commissions. Staff Member Davina Lau described improvements underway, including re-establishing Super Issues Meetings and creating a code of conduct to be included as part of onboarding new board and commission members. Committee Member Julie Pignataro suggests clarifying the purpose of Super Issues Meetings. Staff Member Rupa Venkatesh talked about logistic improvements that have been made to the application and the application process. Staff Member Rupa Venkatesh covered the timeline for the year, including updating Ordinance 049, 2021, updating the boards and commissions manual, annual recruitment, interviews, appointments, and member onboarding. Committee Member Julie Pignataro expressed concern about interviews for boards and commissions happening at the same time as campaigning and elections for City Council. Committee Member Emily Francis asked if the Respectful Workplace Policy or code of conduct - Page 2 - Section C, Item 1. 1/4/2023 – Minutes Page 2 will cover grounds for dismissal for a disruptive board member. Staff Member Carrie Daggett provided clarification by saying that the Respectful Workplace Policy covers protected classes but not disruptive board members. Staff Member Rupa Venkatesh suggested researching other cities’ processes for dismissing board members. Committee Member Tricia Canonico suggested outlining expectations for workload and time commitment for boards and commissions. Staff Member Davina Lau offered to include expectations for workload and time commitment in the boards and commissions application. Committee Member Julie Pignataro suggested asking Staff Liaisons for an estimate on weekly time commitments for their board or commissions. Committee Member Julie Pignataro reviewed her list of suggestions for changes including fixing the code on Work Plans and providing training on the role of the Chair. Committee Member Julie Pignataro suggested shortening the interview process by reconsidering how Council reappoints incumbents, clarifying the role of the Council Liaison, and replacing the Women’s Advisory Board with a Gender Equity Board. Committee Member Emily Francis suggested creating a process on adding and deleting boards. Committee Member Julie Pignataro stated that members of the public should disclose whether they are serving on a board or commission when they are making a public comment to Council. Committee Member Julie Pignataro suggested that boards with seven members should be able to flex to nine members if there are enough applicants. Committee Member Julie Pignataro suggested spreading out the work of the recruitment and interview process over the course of the year. Committee Member Emily Francis expressed concern over Councilmembers appointing new members and then not being very involved with boards and commissions while new members do not have context for their role on their board and expect Council Liaisons to be more involved. Committee member Emily Francis requested clarification on Work Plans and their purpose. Staff Member Carrie Daggett elaborated by stating that Work Plans are a tool to inform Council on what boards are focusing on as well as a tool to plan resource distribution. Committee Member Emily Francis expressed a desire for an easier process for boards to conduct joint meetings. Staff Member Carrie Daggett confirmed that the desire of Committee members is to free up boards to be more agile and be able to expand their scope of work. Committee Member Emily Francis requested that there is added clarification surrounding the requirements to serve on the Housing Catalyst. Staff Member Davina Lau and Staff Member Rupa Venkatesh created a list of discussion items that Committee members are prioritizing for future meetings during a brief recess. Staff member Rupa Venkatesh presented an updated list of items that do not require discussion and a list of items that require further discussion by Committee Members. 3. Provide Research from Ordinance No. 049 known as the Reimagine Ordinance.  No discussion on this item. F) Review of Upcoming Calendar G) Other Business  None H) Adjournment  6:56 p.m. Next Scheduled Committee Meeting: 4:00 PM, February 1, 2023 Upon request, the City of Fort Collins will provide language access services for individuals who have limited English proficiency, or auxiliary aids and services for individuals with disabilities, to access City services, programs and activities. Contact 970.221.6515 (V/TDD: Dial 711 for Relay Colorado) for assistance. Please provide 48 hours advance notice when possible. - Page 3 - Section C, Item 1. 1/4/2023 – Minutes Page 3 A solicitud, la Ciudad de Fort Collins proporcionará servicios de acceso a idiomas para personas que no dominan el idioma inglés, o ayudas y servicios auxiliares para personas con discapacidad, para que puedan acceder a los servicios, programas y actividades de la Ciudad. Para asist encia, llame al 970.221.6515 (V/TDD: Marque 711 para Relay Colorado). Por favor proporcione 48 horas de aviso previo cuando sea posible. - Page 4 - Section C, Item 1. Council Committee Agenda Item Summary – City of Fort Collins Page 1 of 1 February 1, 2023 AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY Choose an item. STAFF Davina Lau, Public Engagement Specialist Rupa Venkatesh, Assistant City Manager SUBJECT Discussing and evaluating the purpose of Boards and Commissions, Council’s role, recruitment and interview processes, and member composition of boards and commissions. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The purpose of this item is to discuss the purpose of Boards and Commissions, as well as options for process changes and the implications, pros, and cons that would come with those changes. STAFF RECOMMENDATION N/A BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION N/A CITY FINANCIAL IMPACTS None. PUBLIC OUTREACH N/A ATTACHMENTS 1. Resolution 2016-039.pdf 2. Ad Hoc PowerPoint 2-1.pptx 3. Boards and Commissions Recruitment Review 4-26-2022.pdf - Page 5 - Section D, Item 2. - Page 6 - Section D, Item 2. - Page 7 - Section D, Item 2. Ad Hoc Committee for Boards and Commissions Feb 1, 2023- Page 8 - Section D, Item 2. 2Agenda •Purpose of Boards and Commissions •Is there consistency in how boards and commissions are providing input and recommendations to Council? •Are boards and commissions functioning well? •Evaluating recruitment and interview process •Incumbent process •Council’s role in interviews •Recruitment timing •Discussing board and commission member composition •Consideration of all boards and commissions to be comprised of seven (7) members •Council’s role regarding boards and commissions (just an FYI) •Expectations as part of Board and Commission member orientation - Page 9 - Section D, Item 2. 3Purpose of Boards and Commissions From ordinance: “acquiring and studying information in specific areas and to make recommendations to City Council on issues within the board's area of expertise." Boards and Commissions bridge the gap between the public and Council. They provide valuable perspectives and insight to the topics they discuss. It is important for Council to hear their voices and recommendations to gain an idea of the impact the policies that Council enacts will have. Giving residents a voice through Boards and Commissions allows them to shape the quality of life where they live. Boards and Commissions - Page 10 - Section D, Item 2. 4Boards and Commissions Flowchart City Council Residents/Voters City Staff/Department Heads Government Function Represent Maintain Boards and Commissions Advise/Make Recommendations Advise & Inform People who want to use their voice and experience to benefit the community and to feel like they matter. - Page 11 - Section D, Item 2. 5Purpose cont’d Where do boards and commissions have influence? •Level of decision making varies between type of board •Providing memos to council with their insight and perspective •Connect with city staff for learning opportunities How many times have boards and commissions made a recommendation to Council outside of what staff has presented to them? •Happens rarely because it does not fall under their scope of work •One example: HRC and Chapter 13 amendment recommendations How does the public view their purpose on boards and commissions? •Because it is a Council appointment, public sees their role on boards and commissions as important and meaningful •Continued interest as seen in number of applications received every recruitment cycle •Feedback does recommend changes to increase Council communication loop and board effectiveness •Opportunities to improve board member orientation and onboarding - Page 12 - Section D, Item 2. 6Other communities What other communities are doing: City Purpose of Boards and Commissions Role of the Council Liaison Asheville, North Carolina •Give residents an opportunity to share experience and knowledge and a voice in city growth and future. •Provide input and make decisions on policies that shape the government and city. •Advise the City Council on a wide variety of subjects by making recommendations on important policy matters. •Providing detailed studies and considered advice to City Council. Boards and Commissions are often catalysts for innovative programs and improved services. •To serve as the direct communication link between Council and the board, and to provide information regarding long-range issues and projects under consideration for both Council and the board. •The liaison can address questions regarding Council’s strategic goals and assist the board with procedural questions and scope of work but shall not play an active role in deliberation. •Council liaisons are encouraged to attend meetings, but it is not required. Ann Arbor, Michigan •Boards and commissions provide a critical reservoir of knowledge and community input that inform City policy decisions and operations. •They provide information, analysis, and recommendations to inform the City Council's and City Administrator's decisions on matters pertaining to the board or commission's specialized knowledge. •The City Council regularly appoints councilmembers as non-member liaisons to City boards and commissions. Council liaisons will not be enumerated in enacting laws or bylaws and have no voting rights or ability to make or second motions, but council liaisons provide a valuable resource to boards and commissions and make insightful contributions to discussions. San Jose, California •Investigate, study, or review any matter pertaining to the board’s scope of work. •Submit reports and recommendations to City Council. •Serve as an advisory body to the city council regarding board/commission-related issues. •Advise the city council of the background, attitudes and reasons behind decisions and recommendations of the board or commission. •The council liaison may attend the meetings of the board or commission but shall have no power to vote and shall receive no additional compensation.- Page 13 - Section D, Item 2. 7Opportunities to consider •Simplify boards and commissions •Reimagine research suggested an opportunity to convene fewer, larger advisory groups around similar areas of interest (ex by Service Area or Strategic Plan Outcome Area) •Council interview involvement increases as decision making authority of board/commission increases - Page 14 - Section D, Item 2. 8Reimagine proposal - Page 15 - Section D, Item 2. •By the city charter, Article 4, Section 1b, Council is responsible for filling vacancies ie appointing new members. The ordinance outlines the process so a change in the process requires a change in the ordinance. •Currently, Council spends on average 11.7 hours interviewing applicants for all 25 boards, commissions and authorities. Interviews are 15 minutes each and conducted over a 2-3 week time period. •Library District IGA memo forthcoming 9Recruitment and interview process Council’s role in interviews - Page 16 - Section D, Item 2. •We track closely with peer cities in the average term length and number of members per board. However, we have 7.65 more boards than the peer city average. 10Council role in interviews Peer city research Process alternative Peer cities that use the process Appointments made by Mayor (Council approves) Columbus, Provo, Cedar Rapids, Ashville, Athens, Lincoln Seats on boards assigned to districts/wards and at large Individual council members appoint 1 board member each Santa Rosa, Ashville, Portland Santa Rosa, Thornton, Anaheim Specific board seats are reserved for current board members to fill and appoint Provo, Eugene, Bellevue, Athens, Lincoln, Ashville, Tacoma, Burbank City Manager appointments Provo, Gainesville, Bellevue, Irving, Portland Staff advisory boards and council advisory council boards –department managers recommend Eugene, Tacoma Percent of board appointments made or recommended by specific community groups/outside entities Tacoma, Athens, Norman, Portland, Loveland, Thornton, Longmont- Page 17 - Section D, Item 2. 11Interview Options Option 1: Current board members interview for vacancies and recommend appointments to Council Option 2: One Councilmember and staff liaison conduct interview and recommend appointment Option 3: Staff liaisons conduct and record interviews. Staff liaisons recommend appointment Option 4: City Manager recommends appointments to Council. Designate staff liaisons to interview. Option 5: Council interviews using the current process for quasi-judicial boards only. Type 1 and Type 2 boards to follow one of the other options above. Option 6: Keep current process and do two or more recruitments a year to spread the interview time commitment throughout the year. …..or other options!- Page 18 - Section D, Item 2. 12Recruitment timing •Incumbent process •Should there be a different process if the member wants to continue to serve vs reapplying via the general application and interviewing? •Timing of recruitment •Currently, we recruit annually in September unless there are quorum issues. •Examples: Parks and Rec advisory board, Youth Advisory Board, Historic Preservation Commissions •Council interviews mid-October/first week in November •Council appoints in November/December •Term starts in January •Opportunity: Elections have moved from April to November on odd years - Page 19 - Section D, Item 2. 13Recruitment timing options •Option 3: Biannual recruitment •Would do both Option 1 and Option 2 •Group all quasi-judicial into one recruitment + other boards •Youth Advisory Board would be in Group 1 •Eliminate off cycle appointments in almost all instances, as no one would be waiting more than a few months usually to address a vacancy. Application opens Interviews Council appointment Term begins Current September October November January Option 1 Dec 19-Jan 30 Mid Feb March April Option 2 April Mid May June July - Page 20 - Section D, Item 2. 14Potential Plan for 2023 •Need to shift current term expirations based on new recruitment schedule •If Option 1 is selected, and their term would have expired on December 31, 2023, it would now expire on March 31, 2024 for this term only •If Option 2 is selected and the term would have expired on December 31, 2023, it would now expire on June 30, 2024 for this term only •If Option 3 is selected, the term extension would depend on which group the board falls into •For 2023 only, we would only do recruitment for current vacancies (11 as of Jan 24) •April -Applications •May -Interviews •Early to mid June -Council appointment - Page 21 - Section D, Item 2. 157-member board composition •Discussion on whether all boards should be comprised of 7 members unless we have enough applications for 9 •What is the threshold for “enough” applications? •# of boards that have 9 members •9 Type 1 boards •1 Type 2 board •3 quasi judicial - Page 22 - Section D, Item 2. 16Next month’s topics •Review of Super Issues Meeting purpose •Allow for more flexibility in code related to work plan and working with other boards •Process to add and delete boards •Women’s advisory board •Revisit simplification discussion, if needed •Review draft code of conduct - Page 23 - Section D, Item 2. 17Recap of ad hoc committee direction so far •Remove one-year term except for youth advisory •Will be part of ordinance update •Improvements to application to be completed administratively •Updated expected time investment for each board webpages •Added question on application –“how many hours a month are you willing to invest?” •Added question on application -“have you previously applied for this board?” •Subscription so subscribers are notified when applications are being accepted •Training for Chair on roles and responsibilities, how to conduct a meeting, de-escalation training, etc. •Exit interviews for board members if needed •Make it clear that it is a requirement that current boards members need to resign if they want to apply for another board •Policy for no show applicants •Improvements to Council summary sheets - Page 24 - Section D, Item 2. THANK YOU! - Page 25 - Section D, Item 2. Section as it relates to Council liaison role Board and Commission Orientation - Page 26 - Section D, Item 2. The 5 Key People You Will Be Working With 20 1.Board Chair –This individual runs the meetings and can delegate tasks. 2.Staff Liaison –A knowledgeable staff member who can guide members and answer questions. The staff liaison prepares the agenda,coordinates the board's annual work plan and annual report,handles meeting logistics,and ensures that new members are oriented to the board. 3.Council Liaison –A Councilmember who can help your board or commission communicate with the entire Council. They may review your Work Plans or answer questions, but they do not participate directly in discussions, direct your work, or influence your decisions. Council Liaisons do not regularly attend meetings. 4.City Attorney Liaison –They can answer any legal questions your board or commission may have. 5.Davina Lau –I can help you with any questions you may have. If I don't have the answer, I will find it for you! - Page 27 - Section D, Item 2. The Role of the Council Liaison 21 1.Fill vacancies and review applications for boards and commissions. 2.Serve as the primary informal Council contact for the board or commission. 3.To answer questions the board or commission may have about the role of Council,municipal government,and the board or commission. 4.To communicate to the board or commission that the liaison's role is not to direct the board in its activities or work. 5.To serve as Council contact rather than an advocate for the board or commission. 6.To review the annual work plan of the board or commission and make recommendations to the City Council regarding the work plan. - Page 28 - Section D, Item 2. DATE: STAFF: April 26, 2022 Anissa Hollingshead, City Clerk Tammi Pusheck, Privacy & Records Mgr. Sylvia Tatman-Burruss, Sr. Project Manager WORK SESSION ITEM City Council SUBJECT FOR DISCUSSION Boards and Commissions Recruitment Review. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The purpose of this item is to explore opportunities to improve the recruitment process for Boards & Commissions and seek feedback from Council on priorities for next steps. GENERAL DIRECTION SOUGHT AND SPECIFIC QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED 1. Do Councilmembers have feedback on formalizing standard recruitment processes and other process improvements related to appointed Boards and Commissions? 2. Are there additional structural or other shifts building on the work done since 2019 to reimagine Boards and Commissions Councilmembers would like to explore? 3. How would Councilmembers like to be engaged in ongoing work around appointed Boards and Commissions? BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION HISTORY Boards and commissions are intended to provide a pathway for formally engaging residents and community members in a range of issues of importance to the City organization and the community. There is a unique connection between Council and these entities, as members are appointed directly by the Council and one or more Councilmembers are assigned as liaisons to each board or commission. The City Clerk’s Office provides support for the appointed boards and commissions program, includ ing coordination of the recruiting and appointment process as well as the general structure of how boards and commissions operate. In total, there are 24 boards and commissions that perform a range of specific functions from advising to decision making. Over 200 residents share their valuable time and expertise through board membership. Approximately 45 staff members spend time directly supporting them in various ways. The 24 appointed Boards & Commissions include: 6 quasi-judicial commissions using forma l procedures to objectively determine facts, interpret law, and draw conclusions to provide the basis of their actions which are subject to appeal to Council or the courts. 4 advisory type 2 boards serving an advisory function to Council and staff and also have authority to make decisions on certain matters specified in City Code to serve as formal recommendations to Council or staff. 14 advisory type 1 boards that make recommendations to Council and staff on areas of particular knowledge or expertise. Ensuring effective operations of appointed Boards & Commissions is an ongoing and iterative process. One value consistently expressed by Council is the importance of hearing from voices representative of all of Fort Collins through boards and commissions. More recent efforts to support this value started with efforts to quantify the current make up of appointees to boards and commissions. In 2017, the City’s Equity Team researched and - Page 29 - Section D, Item 2. April 26, 2022 Page 2 created a Public Participation Report that included a survey and analysis of existing board member demographics, as well as recommendations to remove barriers and increase diverse participation. Link to report: https://www.fcgov.com/cityclerk/files/publicparticipationreport-final.pdf?1557934233> REIMAGINE BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS On July 2, 2019, Council adopted a priority to Reimagine Boards and Commissions, outlined as: Better structure the board and commission system to set up success into the future, align with Outcome Areas and allow for integrated perspectives. Explore models that allow for greater use of ad hoc meetings, diverse stakeholders, and additional community participation. Following adoption of this Council priority, staff has had extensive communication with current and former board members on what works and what could be improved. This included engaging 79 board membe rs with a Reimagine Boards and Commissions questionnaire and convening 55 board members at the Boards and Commissions Super Issues Meeting in February of 2020 to discuss this Council Priority in small, facilitated groups. Momentum in the Reimagine process slowed as the pandemic set in. Significant shifts did move forward in April of 2021 making changes to the Code provisions governing appointed boards and commissions. Ordinance No. 049, 2021 included updated provisions addressing: Allowing boards and commissions to meet remotely. Clarifying naming structure to make quasi-judicial bodies all commissions, and other appointed bodies boards. Encouraging collaboration through joint meetings of different boards. Adding new and varied term lengths, to allow a shorter-term commitment by appointees. Staggering terms manually as a reset to ensure different end dates for appointed members. Updating attendance policy for appointees. Shifting the residency requirement to eliminate the requirement to reside within the Urban Growth Area for at least a year prior to appointment. 2021 ANNUAL RECRUITMENT PILOT In late 2021, staff engaged Council in a conversation regarding the recruitment proce ss for Boards & Commissions. Councilmembers expressed interest in treating the annual recruitment in 2021 as a pilot to allow revisiting the workability of different elements of the process before finalizing any ongoing shifts. With plans to return to Council this spring following that process, filling any remaining or new vacancies has been paused since the beginning of the year to allow this opportunity for Council input on an updated process for handling vacancies outside of the annual process and on the recruitment process generally based on the pilot approach. The following points are listed as a reminder of the way the pilot recruitment process was structured based on Councilmember comments at the November 9, 2021, work session: Who will participate in interviews and how will that be determined? o Council Liaison and a randomly selected Councilmember (preferred alphabetical method of randomizing when appropriate and schedules allow) conducted interviews. For quasi -judicial commissions, the Mayor was also added to all interviews as a participant where possible. - Page 30 - Section D, Item 2. April 26, 2022 Page 3 Will all candidates be interviewed? o A limit of 10 candidates to be interviewed was be set, with the Council Liaison was identified as the person responsible for vetting applications. Will back-up selections be identified? o If applicable, back-up selections were noted, but only where the interviewers considered appropriate. How long are back-up selections kept and will they be maintained when one or more of the interview team has left Council? o Back-ups will only be recognized as back -ups until the time of annual recruitment at which time they will need to reapply. Should there be a different interview process for Quasi -judicial Commissions? o Yes. The process the Mayor, Council Liaison, and a randomly selected Councilmember did these interviews in a public meeting that was posted in advance. What actions will prompt a separate recruitment after the Annual Recruitment/Appointment process has taken place in the final quarter of each year? o If a board does not meet quorum requirements a separate recruitment would be initiated outside the annual recruitment period. Some lessons staff learned related to the pilot: WHAT WORKED: 15-minute interviews for each applicant with members of Council helps applicant s to feel heard and valued. One recruitment per year helps to concentrate staff efforts and focus community outreach for Board & Commission vacancies. Having Council liaisons for each Board & Commission helps to increase visibility of the body’s work to al ign with Council priorities. RECRUITMENT PROCESS CHALLENGES With only one recruitment per year, vacancies often remain for long periods of time, sometimes resulting in an inability to meet quorum, currently defined in the Boards and Commissions Manual as consisting of the majority of the total number of members specified by the City Code to comprise the board or commission. This quorum requirement does not change when a position on the board or commission is vacant). Even with a robust annual appointment process, all open seats were not able to be filled. A summary of the number of vacancies in 2021 by body, applications received, appointments made, and current vacancies is attached to these materials. (Attachment 1) Special Recruitments” to fill vacancies have not followed a defined process and may therefore lead to inconsistent and limited outreach. Recruitment timing results in a crunch during the holiday season in December when staff, community members and Council members are unavailable. Specific to 2021, the position in the Clerk’s Office focused on Boards and Commissions became vacant mid - year. Also vacant for much of the same time period was the City Clerk role, leaving the Interim City Clerk - Page 31 - Section D, Item 2. April 26, 2022 Page 4 responsible for multiple roles including managing the recruitment process and the implementation of the adopted Reimagine provisions. ROLE OF COUNCIL LIAISONS Each board or commission has a Councilmember appointed as a liaison. The role of these liaisons was originally defined via Resolution 1988-78. In 2000, Council updated this area through the passage of Resolution 2000 -76, and then again in 2016 via Resolution 2016-039. (Attachment 2) The Resolution defines the role Councilmembers play in recruitment, communication, and board operations. Any updates desired t o this scope can be made via a new resolution. POTENTIAL CHANGES 1) Should the recruitment and appointment schedule be changed? The current recruitment and appointment process for Boards & Commissions often runs into the December holiday season, which is not ideal for Council, staff, or candidates. There are also potential issues with elections and Council members beginning their terms shortly after potential appointments. Therefore, staff can explore moving the recruitment and appointment schedule. Recruitment Cycle Options Continue with annual recruitment process and consider timing changes, such as pushing the time for interviews and appointments from November/December. Continue with annual recruitment and add ad hoc “special” recruitments as needed. Create a biannual or quarterly recruitment system. Potential Benefits: o Avoid the holiday season when many people are out of town or unavailable. o May match up better with Council election timing, allowing appointees to carry out their Boards & Commissions terms with Councilmembers who appointed them (although consideration needs to be given to potential election timing change.) Potential Drawbacks: o Would be a change to the current system and would require changes to term dates for Boards & Commissions that line up with the current timing. o Would require staff resources to undertake the change and assess impacts to Boards & Commissions, staff, and Councilmembers. - Page 32 - Section D, Item 2. April 26, 2022 Page 5 2) Should staff formalize an off-cycle recruitment process? Some Boards & Commissions are experiencing vac ancies that have not allowed them to meet the current quorum” definition to conduct their meetings. This has resulted in staff liaisons and others requesting recruitment processes outside of the annual process. Currently, there is no formal process for th ese ad hoc recruitment cycles. Therefore, outreach is limited and may not be in line with comprehensive outreach goals. Potential Benefits: o A formal, step-by-step process would offer clarity as to when and how to conduct off-cycle recruitments. o May allow staff to plan for outreach strategies depending on the type of Board or Commission and time of year. o May allow for better communication and planning between staff and Council liaisons. Potential Drawbacks: o Will require staff time to create a formal off-cycle process. o May need to prioritize different vacancy thresholds depending on the decision-making or advisory authority of a given Board or Commission to limit number of off-cycle processes. o May still result in low numbers of applicants for vacancies. 3) Should the interview and appointment process be revised? During the last annual recruitment, applications for regular Boards and Commissions were reviewed by the Council liaison, as well as a randomly selected (by the Clerk’s Office) Councilmember. For quasi -judicial commissions, the applications were reviewed by the Council liaison, a randomly selected Councilmember, and the Mayor. After review of all applications, interviews were set-up and completed by the same team of Councilmembers that reviewed the applications. Interviews were scheduled at 15-minute intervals. The quasi- judicial commissions were considered a public meeting and as such required additional preparations for appropriate notice. Upon completion of interviews, Councilmembers made their final recommendation to the Clerk’s Office to prepare for presentation to the full Council for approval. Potential Changes: o Treat quasi-judicial commissions the same as all other boards and commissions and not require the Mayor to participate. This would eliminate the need for noticing each interview and reduce demands on Councilmembers’ time. o Consider creation of a Council Committee for Boards & Commissions that would act as the subject matter experts for all things concerning recruitment, interviewing, and appo inting, including potentially reviewing applications and making process recommendations. Potential Benefits: o Allows a smaller number of Councilmembers to winnow the applicant pool and bring forward potentially a smaller number of applicants. The result would be less of a time commitment for the members of Council that are not part of the Council Committee. 4) Should the definition of “quorum” for boards and commissions be updated? Quorum is currently defined in the Boards and Commissions manual and can lead to the inability of a Board or Commission to formally meet and discuss business. For some Boards & Commissions, there have been fewer applicants than positions available making it difficult to meet quorum if there are any absences at meetings. - Page 33 - Section D, Item 2. April 26, 2022 Page 6 Potential Benefits: o If the requirement for quorum were to be redefined for some Boards & Commissions to require fewer members to be present, meetings could move forward even with a limited number of absences or vacancies. o Lowering the quorum requirement for some Boards & Commissions could lessen the pressure to fill vacancies and allow Boards & Commissions to meet and conduct business more easily. Potential Drawbacks: o Reducing the requirement for quorum for some Boards & Commissions may reduce the number of voices at the table for discussion. o Reducing the requirement for quorum does not necessarily address reasons behind a small applicant pool or potential low attendance at Board & Commission meetings. 5) Should there be exploration of reducing the number of Boards & Co mmissions or changing the number of seats on some boards or commissions? The goal of reducing the number of bodies was outlined in the original “Reimagining Boards & Commissions” effort but was not implemented. There are several Boards & Commissions where members may benefit from changes to better align with their intended community benefit. Most boards and commissions currently have either seven or nine members. Of the 14 Type 1 Advisory Boards, two currently have seven members, while 11 have nine members and the Youth Advisory Board has a variable number of members. Three of four Type 2 Advisory Boards have seven members, with just one body at nine members, while the quasi-judicial commissions are split evenly between those with seven and those with nine members. Potential Changes: o Explore possibility of combining some Boards, especially those who may be better served with aligned goals and intentions. o Explore ways to improve clarity and benefits resulting from Board membership. o Explore alignment of Boards & Commissions with Strategic Outcome Areas (this was outlined in the original priority to reimagine Boards & Commissions on July 2, 2019.) o Consider if some current boards have reached their natural end of life. o Consider changing all Type 1 advisory boards to seven seats. Potential Benefits: o Some Boards & Commissions may benefit from renewed purpose in assessment and engagement. o If some Boards & Commissions could be combined, there could be greater efficacy and renewed strength of purpose. Potential Drawbacks: o Existing members may feel as if their current contribution does not matter if they are told that they must be combined with another Board. o Underlying issues of a given Board may persist even if Boards are combined. o Workloads of Boards may increase, or members may feel they are misaligned if the process of combining them is not done with care and intention. - Page 34 - Section D, Item 2. April 26, 2022 Page 7 POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS With input from Council on which areas Council would value further focused attention, staff is prepared to take next steps in shifts to boards and commissions. At this time, the primary position focused on boards and commissions in the Clerk’s Office remains vacant. During the time of vacancy, the position has been analyzed to make some adjustments to its focus to include more capacity for outreach and engagement in the recruitment process. In the interim, the City Clerk and the Privacy and Records Manager who served as the interim Clerk previously are working together to manage ongoing processes around this program of work as well coordinating any further evolutions. Possible next steps to identify a path forward for further shifts the Council may wish to consider recommending include: Create ad hoc Council Committee to guide potential changes to Boards & Commissions, to allow for an intentional process with ongoing Council involvement and input without burdening the full Council throughout each step. Staff can also explore specific changes and improvements with Council’s guidance at this time to bring back for full Council consideration and action. If Council desires to make changes to the parameters for Council liaisons to boards and commissions, staff can prepare and bring back a new resolution reflecting those changes. ATTACHMENTS 1. Recruitment Summary (PDF) 2. Resolution 2016-039 (PDF) 3. Powerpoint Presentation (PDF) - Page 35 - Section D, Item 2. List of Boards Commissions with 2021 Appointment Process Information Board Name Board Acronym Type of Board Number of seats* Number of seats needing to be filled at annual recruitment 2021 Number of Applications Received How many Appointments were made Current Vacant Seats Notes Building Review Commission BRC Quasi-judicial 7 3 1 1 2 Historic Preservation Commission HPC Quasi-judicial 9 4 2 2 2 Anticipating 1-2 upcoming resignations Human Relations Commission HRC Quasi-judicial 9 6 5 4 2 Some of the applicants that applied to this board also applied to several other boards. Some were appointed to other boards. Land Use Review Commission LURC Quasi-judicial 7 2 0 0 2 Planning and Zoning Commission PZC Quasi-judicial 7 2 6 2 0 Water Commission WC Quasi-judicial 9 2 4 2 0 Affordable Housing Board AHB Type 1 7 5 11 5 0 Air Quality Advisory Board AQAB Type 1 9 6 4 4 2 Arts in Public Places Board APP Type 2 7 4 5 3 1 Some of the applicants that applied to this board also applied to several other boards. Some were appointed to other boards. Citizen Review Board CiRB Type 2 7 3 6 3 0 ATTACHMENT 1 - Page 36 - Section D, Item 2. List of Boards Commissions with 2021 Appointment Process Information Board Name Board Acronym Type of Board Number of seats* Number of seats needing to be filled at annual recruitment 2021 Number of Applications Received How many Appointments were made Current Vacant Seats Notes Cultural Resources Board CuRB Type 2 7 3 5 3 1 One of the newly appointed applicants declined appointment because he was moving. Disability Advisory Board DAB Type 1 9 4 4 4 0 Economic Advisory Board EAB Type 1 9 6 7 6 0 Some of the applicants that applied to this board also applied to several other boards. Some were appointed to other boards. Energy Board EB Type 1 9 5 12 5 0 Golf Board GB Type 1 7 4 4 4 0 Housing Services and Housing Funding Board HSHFB Type 2 9 5 4 3 2 Some of the applicants that applied to this board also applied to several other boards. Some were appointed to other boards. - Page 37 - Section D, Item 2. List of Boards Commissions with 2021 Appointment Process Information Board Name Board Acronym Type of Board Number of seats* Number of seats needing to be filled at annual recruitment 2021 Number of Applications Received How many Appointments were made Current Vacant Seats Notes Natural Resources Advisory Board NRAB Type 1 9 5 4 3 2 Some of the applicants that applied to this board also applied to several other boards. Some were appointed to other boards. Land Conservation Stewardship Board LCSB Type 1 9 4 6 4 0 Parking Advisory Board PAB Type 1 9 6 2 2 5 Parks and Recreation Board PRB Type 1 9 5 3 3 5 Senior Advisory Board SAB Type 1 9 4 4 3 1 Some of the applicants that applied to this board also applied to several other boards. Some were appointed to other boards. Transportation Board TB Type 1 9 3 2 1 2 Some of the applicants that applied to this board also applied to several other boards. Some were appointed to other boards. - Page 38 - Section D, Item 2. List of Boards Commissions with 2021 Appointment Process Information Board Name Board Acronym Type of Board Number of seats* Number of seats needing to be filled at annual recruitment 2021 Number of Applications Received How many Appointments were made Current Vacant Seats Notes Women's Advisory Board WAB Type 1 9 6 3 8 Several board members resigned shortly after annual recruitment Youth Advisory Board YAB Type 1 5-9 1 0 Quasi- judicial Type 1 Type 2 In addition to serving an advisory funciton to the City Council and City staff, type 2 advisory boards also have as part of their assigned functions the authority to make decisions on certain matters specified in the City Code, which then serve as formal recommendations to City Council or City staff for their consideration and adoption. Type 1 Advisory boards make recommendations to the City Council and City staff on areas of particular knowledge or expertise. Recommendations made by advisory boards are formal opinions to the City Council on items and subjects that are on the boards' approved workplans. These recommendations are limited to advisement and are not decisive actions. Quasi-judicial commissions are non-judicial bodies that use formal procedures to objectively determine facts, interpret the law, and draw conclusions to provide the basis of an official action. Decisions of quasi-judicial commissions are subject to appeal to the City Council or the courts. Quorum is defined in the existing Boards & Commissions Manual as a majority of the total number of members specified by City Code to comprise the body. - Page 39 - Section D, Item 2. ATTACHMENT 2 - Page 40 - Section D, Item 2. - Page 41 - Section D, Item 2. Boards and Commissions April 26, 2022 Council Work Session Anissa Hollingshead ATTACHMENT 3 - Page 42 - Section D, Item 2. 2QuestionsforCouncil 1.Do Councilmembers have feedback on formalizing standard recruitment processes and other process improvements related to Boards & Commissions? 2.Are there additional structural or other shifts building on the work done since 2019 to reimagine boards and commissions Councilmembers would like to explore? 3.How would Councilmembers like to be engaged in ongoing work around appointed Boards & Commissions? - Page 43 - Section D, Item 2. History 24 appointed Boards & Commissions 6 commissions Quasi-Judicial 14 boards Ty pe 1 Advisory 4 boards Ty pe 2 Advisory - Page 44 - Section D, Item 2. History 45 City staff members directly support appointed Boards & Commissions Every board or commission has a Councilmember appointed as a liaison Work has occurred over time making shifts and changes to the board and commission program to ensure it is meeting Council’s objectives The role of Council liaisons is defined via resolution, last updated in 2016 Ti ming of annual appointments last shifted in 2007 from mid year to end of year In 2017, the City’s Equity Te am researched and created a Public Participation Report that included an analysis and recommendations to remove barriers and increase diversity of participants In 2019, Council undertook reimagining boards and commissions as a priority - Page 45 - Section D, Item 2. Reimagine Boards and Commissions History - Page 46 - Section D, Item 2. 6CurrentProcess May of odd years Councilmember liaisons appointed to each board or commission Feb./March Annual election of officers by boards and commissio ns January New members start their terms/ Onboarding Annual reports are due by January 31 Fall Annual recruitment process Applications accepted Sept.- Oct. Interviews & appointments made in Dec. November Work plans due by November 30 Current Board & Commission Annual Timeline with Fall Recruitment: - Page 47 - Section D, Item 2. 7CurrentProcess –2021 Annual Recruitment as a Pilot In late 2021, Council feedback included a desire to treat the annual recruitment process as a pilot. These were the parameters used in recruitment process: Who will participate in interviews and how will that be determined? o Council Liaison and a randomly selected Councilmember (preferred alphabetical method of randomizing when appropriate and schedules allow). For quasi-judicial commissions, the Mayor was also added to all interviews as a participant where possible. Will all candidates be interviewed? o A l imit of 10 candidates to be interviewed will be set, with the Council Liaison identified as the person responsible for vetting applications. Will back-up selections be identified? o If applicable, back-up selections will be noted, but are not required. How long are back-up selections kept and will they be maintained when one or more of the interview team has left Council? o Back-ups will only remain as back-ups until the time of annual recruitment at which time they will need to reapply. Should there be a different interview process for Quasi-judicial Commissions? o Ye s. The process will only be different in that the Mayor, Council Liaison, and a randomly selected Councilmember will do the interviews. This will be considered a public meeting and need to be noticed as that. What actions will prompt a separate recruitment after the Annual Recruitment/Appointment process has taken place in the final quarter of each year? o If a board does not meet quorum requirements a separate recruitment will be initiated outside the annual recruitment period. - Page 48 - Section D, Item 2. 8CurrentProcess –2021 Annual Recruitment as a Pilot What Worked 15-minute interviews for each applicant with members of Council helps applicants to feel heard and valued One recruitment per year helps to concentrate staff efforts and focus community outreach for Board & Commission vacancies Recruitment Process Challenges Because there is only one recruitment per year, vacancies often remain for long periods of time, sometimes resulting in an inability to meet quorum (currently defined within the Boards & Commissions Manual) Special Recruitments” to fill vacancies are not yet defined and may therefore lead to inconsistent and limited outreach Recruitment timing results in a crunch during the holiday season in December when staff, community members and Council members are unavailable - Page 49 - Section D, Item 2. 9CurrentProcess Councilmember Liaisons Role is defined currently in Resolution 2016-039, including: Serving as the primary two-way communications channel between Council and the body Ta king the lead in filling vacancies and the application & interview process Serving as the primary informal Council contact for the body Helping resolve questions from the body about the role of Council, municipal government and the body Establishing formal or informal contact with the chair of the body Providing procedural direction and relaying Council’s position to the body with clarity the liaison’s role is not to direct the board’s activities or work Serving as a Council contact rather than as an advocate or an ex-officio member Reviewing the annual work plan of the body and make recommendations to the Council regarding the work plan Identifying and helping resolve any problems with the functioning of the body Facilitating the training of new members by providing suggestions and relevant information to City staff responsible for providing the training Conducting a periodic review with the body according to an established schedule and providing an oral summation of that review at a regular Council meeting - Page 50 - Section D, Item 2. Potential Changes 10 Explore formalization of an off-cycle recruitment process Explore changing the recruitment and appointment schedule Explore ways to streamline the review of applications, interview, and appointment process Explore options to update the definition of “quorum” in the Boards & Commissions manual Explore reducing the number of Boards & Commissions possibly aligning with outcome areas - Page 51 - Section D, Item 2. 11QuestionsforCouncil 1.Do Councilmembers have feedback on formalizing standard recruitment processes and other process improvements related to Boards & Commissions? 2.Are there additional structural or other shifts building on the work done since 2019 to reimagine boards and commissions Councilmembers would like to explore? 3.How would Councilmembers like to be engaged in ongoing work around appointed Boards & Commissions? - Page 52 - Section D, Item 2. - Page 53 - Section D, Item 2. Potential Changes 13 Explore formalization of an off-cycle recruitment process Potential Benefits: A f ormal, step-by-step process would offer clarity as to when and how to conduct off- cycle recruitments May allow staff to plan for outreach strategies depending on the type of Board or Commission and time of year May allow for better communication and planning between staff and Council liaisons Potential Drawbacks: Will require staff time to create a formal off-cycle process May need to prioritize different vacancy thresholds depending on the decision-making or advisory authority of a given Board or Commission to limit number of off-cycle processes May still result in low numbers of applicants for vacancies - Page 54 - Section D, Item 2. Potential Changes 14 Explore changing the recruitment and appointment schedule Recruitment Cycle Options Continue with annual recruitment process and shift current timing from November/December Continue with annual recruitment and add ad hoc “special” recruitments as needed Create a quarterly or bi-annual recruitment system Potential Benefits: Avoid the holiday season when many people are out of town or unavailable May match up better with Council election timing, allowing appointees to carry out their Boards & Commissions terms with Councilmembers who appointed them Potential Drawbacks: Would be a change to the current system and would require changes to start-times for Boards & Commissions that line up with the current timing Would require staff resources to undertake the change and assess impacts to Boards & Commissions, staff, and Councilmembers - Page 55 - Section D, Item 2. Potential Changes 15 Explore ways to streamline the review of applications, interview, and appointment process Potential Changes: Tr eat quasi-judicial commissions the same as all other boards and commissions and not require the Mayor to participate. This would eliminate the need for special preparations done by staff (i.e., public noticing each interview). Create an ad hoc Council Committee for Boards & Commissions that would act as the subject matter experts for all things concerning recruitment, interviewing, and appointing. Potential Benefits: Allows a smaller number of Councilmembers to winnow the applicant pool and bring forward potentially a smaller number of applicants. The result would be less of a time commitment for the members of Council that are not part of the Council Committee. - Page 56 - Section D, Item 2. Potential Changes 16 Explore options to update the definition of “quorum” in the Boards & Commissions manual Potential Benefits: If the requirement for quorum were to be redefined for some Boards & Commissions to require fewer members to be present, meetings could move forward even with a limited number of absences or vacancies Lowering the quorum requirement for some Boards & Commissions could lessen the pressure to fill vacancies and allow Boards & Commissions to meet and conduct business more easily Potential Drawbacks: Reducing the requirement for quorum for some Boards & Commissions may reduce the number of voices at the table for discussion Reducing the requirement for quorum does not necessarily address reasons behind a small applicant pool or potential low attendance at Board & Commission meetings - Page 57 - Section D, Item 2. Potential Changes 17 Explore reducing the number of Boards & Commissions and/or changing number of seats Potential Benefits: Some Boards & Commissions may benefit from renewed purpose in assessment and engagement If some Boards & Commissions could be combined, there could be greater efficacy and renewed strength of purpose Potential Drawbacks: Existing members may feel as if their current contribution doesn’t matter if they are told that they must be combined with another Board Underlying issues of a given Board may persist even if Boards are combined Workloads of Boards may increase, or members may feel they are misaligned if the process of combining them is not done with care and intention - Page 58 - Section D, Item 2.