HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-005 Confirming City Manager's Recommendation and Direction Concernng Citizens Advisory Bodies' Meetings Resolution 12-005
Citizen Advisory Bodies
RESOLUTION NO. 12-005
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PORT
TOWNSEND, WASHINGTON CONFIRMING THE CITY MANAGER'S
RECOMMENDATION AND DIRECTION CONCERNING CITIZEN ADVISORY
BODIES' MEETINGS
RECITALS:
A. The City Manager, in consultation with the City Council, recommends that staff support
for citizen advisory bodies would be limited to quarterly advisory body meetings (with
certain exceptions set forth below). While nothing prevents the City Manager on his own
initiative from assigning staff to advisory bodies as he determines appropriate, the City
Council determines it appropriate to endorse the City Manager's recommendation in
recognition of the reasons that led to the recommendation.
B. The basis of the City Manager's recommendation is the combination of challenges
currently facing the City and the need to address those challenges with the most efficient
utilization of staff resources, including, as proposed here, to reduce the number of citizen
advisory board meetings that staff would attend.
C. Challenges facing the City include:
1. Major capital project initiatives, including, Taylor Street Tunnel Lids, City Lake
Outfall, Library Seismic Retrofit; and
2. Major initiative to assist the Fort Worden Life Long Learning Center Public
Development Authority in its effort to manage, promote, develop, secure funding, and
enhance the Park, including undertaking, assisting with, and otherwise facilitating the
implementation of a Lifelong Learning Center as generally envisioned in the Fort
Worden Long-range Plan (2008), including the rehabilitation of Building 202; and
3. Budget constraints from the continued downside in the real estate market and
corresponding diminished real estate excise tax revenue. Among other actions to
address budget constraints, there have been staff layoffs and attrition in vacant
positions. In addition, the City Manager has separately proposed a re-organization of
City Departments to better address challenges facing the City.
D. By reducing the number of citizen advisory board meetings that staff would attend, staff
is freed up to better address the challenges listed above and other challenges.
E. Based on the above, the City Council endorses the City Manager's recommendation to
reduce the number of citizen advisory board meetings that staff would attend to a
quarterly meeting basis. These advisory bodies include (but are not limited to):
Resolution 12-005
Citizen Advisory Bodies
1. Parks, Rec, and Tree Advisory Board (PR&TAB)
2. Nonmotorized Transportation Advisory Board
3. Historic Preservation Committee
4. Design Review Committee
5. Climate Action Committee
6. Housing Action Plan Network (HAPN)
F. As recommended by the City Manager, exceptions to the above are:
1. Advisory bodies statutorily required, for example, the Planning Commission.
2. Advisory bodies may meet more often than quarterly, without staff attendance or
support, so long as the advisory body works to implement approved work plan items
and does not institute new items, and so long as the advisory body meets all
requirements set by the City Manager(for example, advisory body provides minutes
and notice of meetings to City Clerk, etc.).
G. Nothing prevents the City Manager from directing staff resources to attend advisory body
meeting more frequently than quarterly if the City Manager determines this is necessary
to timely address matters before the advisory body.
H. In approving the City Manager's recommendation to limit staff resources for advisory
bodies, the City Council wishes to make it clear that the Council values the work of the
advisory bodies and relies on their input in not only helping to formulate policy, but
implementing adopted policies. It is hoped that, for the most part, the work of the
advisory bodies can continue without significant disruption even with the reduction of
staff time assigned to help the advisory body in its ongoing work.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Port
Townsend as follows:
The City Council endorses the City Manager's recommendation that staff support for citizen
advisory bodies would be limited to quarterly advisory body meetings for a two year period.
As recommended by the City Manager, exceptions to the above are:
1. Advisory bodies statutorily required, for example, the Planning Commission, and the
Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC).
2. Advisory bodies may meet more often than quarterly, without staff attendance or
support, so long as the advisory body works to implement approved work plan items
and does not institute new items, and so long as the advisory body maintains minutes
as required by the City Clerk.
Nothing prevents the City Manager from directing staff resources to attend advisory body
meeting more frequently than quarterly if the City Manager determines this is necessary to
timely address matters before the advisory body.
Resolution 12-005
Citizen Advisory Bodies
ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Port Townsend at a regular meeting
thereof, held this 6th day of February 2012.
David King, Mayor
Attest: Approved as to form:
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Pamela Kolacy, MMC John P. Watts
City Clerk City Attorney