DEPARTMENT: Office of the City Clerk
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Leticia M. Vacek
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City-wide
SUBJECT:
Amending Chapter 2 of the City Code entitled “Administration” by amending Article IX, entitled “Boards and Commissions”
SUMMARY:
Amending Chapter 2 of the City Code entitled "Administration" By Amending Article IX Entitled "Boards and Commissions" which governs the creation and operation of boards and commissions created by City Council, and amending any related Ordinances, as requested by Councilmember Ana E. Sandoval, District 7; Councilmember Rebecca J. Viagran, District 3, and Councilmember Rey Saldaña, District 4.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The Governance Subcommittee on City Boards and Commissions was created to assess policy matters pertaining to Boards and Commissions under review by the City Attorney’s Office.
The Subcommittee reviewed rules that were intended to apply to most of the Boards and Commissions created by the City Council at its discretion and independent of other statutory authority. These rules were codified in the City Code, in Chapter 2 of the City of San Antonio City Code entitled "Administration" by adding Article IX entitled "Boards and Commissions".
Beginning on March 13, 2019, Councilmember Ana E. Sandoval, District 7; Councilmember Rebecca J. Viagran, District 3, and Councilmember Rey Saldaña, District 4, met to discuss the current rules for boards and commissions, and on June 13, 2019, directed staff to forward for the Governance Committee's consideration amendments to the rules which would:
a) Allow coordination regarding deadlines for applications for At-Large Boards and Commissions with the respective department
b) Verbiage for the District appointments process to add requirement for Office of the City Clerk to notify the applicant if not selected to serve
c) Add that appointments made during an existing term are for the remainder of the unexpired term
d) Provide Boards and Commissions the flexibility to use Robert’s Rules of Order or basic parliamentary procedures
e) Add that Non-voting members do not count when determining a quorum
f) Allow Councilmember or Mayoral discretion for District or At-Large appointments respectively, to remove board members who have missed three board meetings vs. automatic removal
g) Board members shall not be eligible to serve if they did not attend either the new board member orientation or the Municipal Leadership Institute without further action by City Council
h) Allows replacement of appointees to be achieved by appointment of a new appointee and eliminates the need for an ordinance, unless required by other law
i) Board and Commission reports shall be provided upon request
ISSUE:
In order for the amendments to the City Code to be effective; City Council approval is required.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Governance Council Committee could choose not to approve recommended Code changes and the current Code would remain in place.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommendation is to present proposed Code changes to be approved by full City Council.