Committee on Council Processes Meeting - November 11, 2025

Note: The transcript begins by stating the meeting was held on Monday, November 10th, but the provided date is 2025-11-11 (Tuesday). This summary uses the date as instructed.

The Committee on Council Processes met to discuss the city residency requirement for boards and commissions, a proposed code cleanup, and staff efficiency recommendations. Council Members Daly, Courtney, Sydney, and Chair Pete Hossman were present, along with council staff, a member of the public, and the city tech.

Public Comments & Testimony

• First Speaker (name not given): Supported the exploration of county resident membership on boards and commissions, calling it a "frontier" for more effective local government. Noted limitations of the Novak report and suggested linking membership changes to broader questions about board roles and citizen participation.
• Angie Isabel: Emphasized making boards and commissions manageable as a privilege of city residency. Supported allowing county residents on certain boards, especially when coordinated with county government, to foster genuine community engagement. Advised using a "scalpel" rather than a broad approach.
• Christopher (third speaker): Raised concerns about transparency and public access: described difficulty finding the council office after relocation, urging better signage. Asked about the impact of Novak report recommendations on board-committee relationships. Also mentioned the Monroe County Health Equity Council and a spring capstone project seeking input from council members.
• Final speaker (name not given): Endorsed a consent agenda for administrative items to streamline council meetings, citing the county's example.

Discussion Items

• City Residency Requirement for Boards and Commissions:
  • Chair Hossman presented a document listing 11 boards/commissions not controlling city funds, not currently allowing non-city residents, and not limited by state code. He identified six as potentially appropriate for county resident membership: Arts Commission, Environmental Commission, Tree Commission, Commission on the Status of Women, Commission on Hispanic and Latino Affairs, and Farmers Market Advisory Council.
  • Staff Christina Chang and Julius reported survey results from liaisons of four identified commissions. Responses were predominantly "no" or "maybe" on adding county advisory seats; one commission (Environmental) suggested merging with the Board of Commissioners on Sustainability (BCOS).
  • Council Member Courtney proposed taking the question directly to commission members for their individual input. The committee agreed to visit the six commissions in person to gather feedback, with staff to create a spreadsheet of meeting times.
  • Administration (Julius) expressed hesitation due to administrative burden and city-funding concerns, particularly for the Arts Commission. Deputy Clerk Jennifer clarified that tracking residency is already part of routine work and not a significant burden, especially with planned IT integration.
  • Council Member Sydney supported opening the Arts Commission to county residents, arguing that art has no borders and that county residents should be eligible for grants. She advocated for including the Commission on the Status of Women and the Commission on Hispanic and Latino Affairs.
• Proposed Code Cleanup (Item 2B):
  • Chair Hossman proposed moving residency and other general provisions from section 2.08.020 (executive branch) to section 2.12.01 (boards and commissions) for clarity. Committee members expressed no objections. Next step: contact the mayor's office and legal department for feedback.
• Staff Efficiency Updates:
  • Lisa (council staff) outlined challenges from new state and federal laws, including increased staff time for meeting support. She suggested a consent agenda, merging the Fiscal Committee and Budget Task Force, reconsidering meeting order, and establishing deadlines for council member submissions. Council members gave feedback:
    • Sydney opposed moving council reports to the end of meetings.
    • Courtney supported a consent agenda and offered to draft an ordinance.
    • Pete favored merging the two committees.
    • Discussion included submitting questions in advance to reduce meeting time, with proposals to make Q&A exchanges public or include them in packets.

Key Outcomes

• Next Steps on Residency Requirement: Committee members will individually visit the identified boards/commissions (excluding CAPS) to gather direct input from commissioners. Staff will provide a schedule.
• Code Cleanup: Chair Hossman will confer with the deputy mayor, and legal counsel will review the proposed move of residency provisions. No formal vote taken.
• Consent Agenda: Council Member Courtney will work with staff to research options and present a draft ordinance at a future meeting.
• Committee Merger: There was consensus to merge the Fiscal Committee and Budget Task Force; details to be refined.
• Meeting Scheduling: The December meeting will be moved to after 5 p.m. to accommodate members' schedules; a Doodle poll will be circulated.
• Staff Efficiency: No formal decisions were made, but staff will explore deadlines for council materials and methods to pre-submit questions.