City Commission Policy 110 - Appointment of Citizens and Commissioners to Boards and Committees
DEPARTMENT: Treasurer-Clerk
DATE ADOPTED: June 24, 1992
DATE OF LAST REVISION: February 25, 2004
110.01 Authority: City Commission
110.02 Purpose: To institute formal guidelines for the appointments of citizens, City staff or City Commissioners as City representatives to committees.
110.03 Definitions:
Committee: Is herein defined as a joint-governmental, legislated or City created committee, a commission, council, board, agency, bureau, authority, corporation, etc.
110.04 General Statement: Citizen participation in the daily program and policy development of the City of Tallahassee is recognized as an important element in providing quality public services to the Tallahassee community. Citizen participation is encouraged through the appointment of City representatives to committees. Guidelines for the membership, appointment process, and the operation of City committees, and for the appointment process to committees is provided to ensure continuous quality participation by all citizens.
110.05 Scope and Applicability: Unless specifically identified in Attachment A, the appointment of committee members shall hereby be delegated to the Mayor. These guidelines apply to all City Commission authorized committees and the staff assigned to that committee; and to the citizens appointed by the Commission to serve on committees requesting City representation. Parts I and II of this policy do not apply to the appointment of City Commissioners to boards, committees or commissions.
110.06 Part I - Membership for Committees Created by the City Commission
A. Committee Operations:
- Committees shall have established standardized bylaws that are to be reviewed and approved by the City Commission; filed with the staff assigned to that committee and the City Treasurer-Clerk's Office. Bylaws will include, but not be limited to name, authority, purpose, and membership.
- Committees shall have no authority other than to serve in an advisory capacity to the City Commission as defined by the Committee's bylaws.
- The committees shall serve as advisors to the City Commission to encourage citizen participation; present or discuss policies and programs effecting their area of function; study issues; provide input on the values, goals and objectives of a program; develop program plans; contribute to continuous feedback; and make recommendations for quality program/ service deliveries. Additional functions of the committees may be defined by the City Commission.
- Committees will meet routinely based upon an adopted meeting schedule.
- Committees will have all meetings noticed by being posted on the Citizen Information Board in the Public Information Office, open to the public and will ensure agendas and minutes are available to the public according to State "sunshine" laws.
- A majority of the advisory committee members shall constitute a quorum to hold a meeting. Any action of the committee shall be by simple majority of the membership in attendance.
- A member's position shall become vacant when:
- a member is absent from 33% of the regularly scheduled meetings in a given calendar year, regardless if such absence is excused or unexcused. All absences will be duly recorded in the meeting summary. Absences from emergency or special called meetings will not be recorded against a member in calculating the percent of absences, or
- when the committee is notified by staff that a member no longer meets the membership requirements, or
- when a member's term expires, or
- when a member resigns.
- Special exceptions on the removal of members for absences may be made by the Chairperson of the Committee when the absences are due to health or time-limited extenuating circumstances and the absences do not affect the ability of the committee to maintain a quorum.
- The committee chairperson shall immediately, upon receipt of a resignation or when advised of a vacancy, notify the Mayor. It will be the responsibility of the Mayor to insure an appointment will occur within thirty (30) days of notification. If an appointment is not made within thirty (30) days by the Mayor, the committee shall have the authority to request an appointment be agendaed for the next available commission meeting.
- The responsible staff department will provide committee members with training that will address the bylaws, stress the legal obligations and responsibilities and will provided responses to any concerns the new members may have with the responsibilities dictated by the committee.
- The Chairperson and the staff department will be responsible for compliance with the bylaws. The Chairperson will notify members of removal from the committee for noncompliance. Specific questions of conflict of interest will be addressed by the City Attorney, or his designee.
- The staff department will inform the City Attorney, or his designee, of noncompliance of the Chairperson of the statutes or bylaws. The City Attorney, or his designee, will be responsible for resolution of these noncompliance issues.
B. Committee Membership:
- Unless otherwise specified by the City Commission, all citizens appointed to a committee must be City residents, City property owners, or City utility customers who do not have direct financial interest in the committee that they are to be appointed.
- Committees will be made up of an odd number of members. The City Commission will establish the number of members of the committee.
- When possible, City committees should be made up of an equitable representation based on race and sex, determined by the demographic ratio of the City. In cases of committees representing the interest of a specific neighborhood, representation based on race and sex will be determined by the demographic ratio of the neighborhood. Such demographic information shall be the most current available data in the Tallahassee-Leon County Planning Department by census tract. In consideration of the Americans with Disability Act, City committees should include citizens with disabilities.
- The length of the term for appointments to a committee should, unless otherwise specified, initially be for a three year staggered term, with permanent three year terms thereafter. For example: a five-member committee could have three people serving a two-year term, and two people serving a three-year term. The staggered term concept will not include any one year term appointments. The staggered term arrangement for appointees shall be established by the City Commission.
- An appointee to a committee shall not serve more than two full consecutive terms.
C. Committee Appointments:
- Qualified applicants for vacancies on committees can be solicited or obtained through advertising by the City Treasurer-Clerk's Office, from members currently serving on a committee, through citizens informing the City Commission or the City Treasurer-Clerk's Office of their interest, by the appropriate staff agency submitting recommendations to the City Commission and by City Commissioners recommending specific individuals. The staff department will consider the demographic makeup of the committee in making its recommendation.
- The City Treasurer-Clerk's Office will be responsible for biannually advertising, receiving applications and resumes, and presenting applications together with the staff or committees recommendation to the Mayor.
- The Mayor will make an appointment to all committees not identified in Attachment A. Committee's identified in Attachment A will be placed on the consent agenda by the Mayor.
- The Mayor will notify in writing each citizen of his/her appointment. A copy of the Mayor's letter will be distributed to each commissioner, the responsible staff department and the City Treasurer-Clerk's Office. The appointment letter will include the purpose, function and term of office for the committee as outlined in the respective bylaws or statutes, and will ask that the appointment be accepted in writing by the citizen in a letter to the Mayor. The Mayor's Office will forward a copy of the letter to the City Treasurer-Clerk's Office and the staff department.
D. City Treasurer-Clerk's Office Responsibilities:
- The City Treasurer-Clerk's Office will maintain files on all committees. A separate file for each committee will be established and will include, but not be limited to, a copy of the bylaws or statutes, a current list of members and officers, including names, addresses, dates of appointment, expiration dates of appointment, staff department and contact person within the department.
- Biannually, the City Treasurer-Clerk's Office will advertise a list of committees and maintain a file for all applications or resumes received from citizens expressing an interest in consideration for future vacancies. The applications or resumes will be provided to the departments for comment upon request. The committee or department responses and recommendations, along with other applications received, will be provided to the Mayor for consideration. A copy of the transmittal letter will be provided to the Commissioners.
E. City Staff Responsibilities for a Committee:
- Staff to a committee will have the responsibility of informing the committee of events, activities, policies, programs, etc. occurring within the scope of its functions and to make members aware of all City Commission requests for information. The staff department will maintain the original copy of the minutes of the committee's meeting and reports associated with the purpose of the committee.
- Staff will inform the City Treasurer-Clerk's Office of all vacancies, changes in officers, and any other changes to the committee. At least sixty days prior to the expiration of any term, the staff department will request a copy of all applications from the City Treasurer-Clerk's Office for the committee. The staff department or committee will use these applications to make a recommendation to the Mayor. The staff department will consider the demographic makeup of the committee in making its recommendation.
- The staff department will be responsible for the continuous flow of information to the appropriate appointed official and the City Treasurer-Clerk's Office. Such information shall include, but not limited to, a provision of bylaws, membership, recommendations of the committee, actions and noncompliance by the board or chairperson with the bylaws or statutes.
- The staff department will coordinate with the City Attorney, or his designee, on noncompliance issues by the Chairperson of the statutes or bylaws. The City Attorney or his designee will be responsible for resolution of noncompliance issues.
- The staff department will provide to all new committee members a copy of the committee's bylaws, and when applicable, the City Code, Charter and statutory authorization. The staff department will brief each new appointee on the committee's bylaws, legal obligations and responsibilities, and will provide responses to any concerns the new members may have with the responsibilities dictated by the committee.
110.07 Part II - Membership for Charter, Regulatory and Quasi-Judicial Committees
- Unless otherwise specified by the City Commission, all citizens appointed to a committee must be City residents, City property owners or City utility customers who do not have direct financial interest in the committee that he/she is to be appointed.
- Staff to charter, regulatory and quasi-judicial committees are asked to notify the City Treasurer-Clerk's Office of any vacancies of City appointees or expiration of terms sixty days prior to expiration. The City Treasurer-Clerk's Office will provide appointment information consisting of a list of applicants and copies of applications to the Mayor. A list of applicants will be provided by the City Treasurer-Clerk's Office to the City Commissioners. The Mayor will notify City Commissioners in writing of his/her intent to appoint and his/her recommended appointee(s) at least 10 days prior to formally presenting the recommendation at a City Commission meeting. The Mayor will recommend an appointment to the Commissioners and will prepare a consent agenda item requesting City Commission confirmation of the appointment(s). Upon approval of an appointment by the City Commission, the Mayor will notify in writing each citizen of his/her appointment. A copy of the Mayor's letter will be distributed to the committee and the City Treasurer-Clerk's Office.
- All City appointed citizens serving on committees may be removed from their committee by the City Commission if it is believed it would be in the best interest of the City of Tallahassee.
110.08 Part III Appointment of City Commissioners to Boards, Committees, and Authorities:
The Mayor shall be responsible for notifying City Commissioners of vacancies on boards, committees and authorities seeking City Commission representation either as a voting member or as an ex officio/liaison, and seeking Commission input. In the event that only one Commissioner wishes to serve, the Mayor may make the appointment, noticing the Commission and staff of such appointment by memorandum. If more than one Commissioner expresses an interest in serving, then the item will be agendaed for Commission action without a recommendation.
110.09 Sunset Provisions:
The City Commission will review the activities and accomplishments of each City Commission authorized committee every four years. This review will be based on a formal review by the staff department to decide if the committee has completed the original objectives and to determine if the committee should continue, modify its activities, or terminate activities. However, if the committee becomes inactive it may be abolished.
110.10 Effective Date:
This policy guideline becomes effective on May 10, 1995, after City Commission review and approval.
110.11 Responsible Agency:
The City Treasurer-Clerk shall make amendments as required for the purpose of keeping this policy complete and up to date.
City Commission Policy 110 Attachment A
List of Boards and Committees Created By Charter or Regulatory Authority
| Board Name | Board Type | Appointment Made By |
| Adjustment and Appeals, Board of | Joint TLC | Commission |
| Architectural Review Board | Joint TLC | Commission |
| Audit Committee | Charter | Commission |
| Construction Industry Review Committee | City | Commission |
| Downtown Improvement Authority | Statutory | Commission |
| Environmental Code Enforcement Board | Quasi-Judicial | Commission |
| Environmental Appeal Board | City | Commission |
| International Affairs Council | City | Commission |
| Municipal Code Enforcement Board | Quasi-Judicial | Commission |
| Planning Commission/Local Planning Agency | Joint TLC | Commission |
| Sinking Fund Commission | Charter | Commission |
| Tallahassee Housing Authority | Statutory | Commission |
REVISIONS:
November 13, 1996
February 24, 2005