Good evening, everyone.

Uh, we are here for the workshop.

Uh, on the oversight uh committee for boards of commissions.

Um, we'll start off with Council Smith if you want to this is your resolution or if you want to start to discuss.

Um, do you want me to go?

Should I read some of the the resolution or um I would just go I would just jump in and what the basically just the the gist of it of what what the oversight committee is what your thoughts are supposed to be doing.

So um, after some feedback that I received from council and from the public, uh, the word oversight, I think was a big hang up for a lot of people.

Um, they looked at that as just another level of bureaucracy and interfering with council authority.

So I'm going to revise that resolution to take that word out of there because I think that it's very confusing to people.

That's not the intent of this committee.

It's more of sort of an advisory place.

Um, I guess for council, for the boards and commissions, and also for the public.

Um, so a lot of what I have found being on the commissions myself.

So a lot of what I have found being on the commissions myself, but also, you know, in the past few years, talking to other members, other chairs of the commissions, that there's some struggle with there not being a sort of a set process in how the um commissions are appointed per se.

There's a lot of confusion around that.

I've I've received numerous um communications that you know, people have applied, they didn't hear anything.

It was also my experience that when I was appointed to some of the commissions, I wasn't notified ahead of time.

I wasn't notified that the appointment was going to be on the docket.

So I I think that there's just some, I don't want to say miscommunication, but I think just some areas that that really need to be sort of tied together.

Just to make it a little bit clearer, uh, it was my understanding that as of right now, there are 50 people that have applied to the various boards and commissions that either haven't received any communication as to what has happened with their application.

Um that, you know, they they've been waiting for for some up to to three to four years to be appointed to anything.

So I think that there is a concern there.

I I did meet with one of the executive assistants just to get a better idea of what the process is.

Um and again, it wasn't it wasn't really a clear process.

And so I went back to rules of council, the charter, just to see, you know, where there was some governing information as to what the process is.

And the charter is relatively vague as to what that is.

The rules of council did have a couple of paragraphs in there.

But to me, even reading it, I I feel as though the chair appointing um the commission members that that in some way that alone does take some of the, I don't want to say authority, but some of the the kind of voting process of of the council as to who is appointed.

Um I've also heard from other members that have said that you know they they wouldn't have applied to the commission had it not been for um a chair.

Um I didn't ask which one uh that specifically went to them and said, hey, can you please apply?

We you know, I'd like you to be on this commission.

And that person sort of kind of kind of jumped ahead of the other applicants to get appointed, which which to me there's there's a little bit of of some bias there that I think that we need to to maybe work on sort of avoiding.

Um but then I went back to the information that that I received from the chair's office on on the boards and commissions, and I found some interesting information that um and and bear with me, I forgot my glasses, so um I'm trying hard to be able to read my own handwriting.

But um a couple of things that I noticed that that there were some commissions that um either had members listed, but those members didn't know that they were part of that commission.

Um so there were some commissions that were meeting with members that were less than a quorum and yet they were still having regular meetings.

There have been some commissions that, you know, they're they're not up to date on um posting the minutes of their meetings.

There's also, you know, there were a few that that their terms had expired and they didn't even know that their terms had expired.

Um so they were still acting within the membership with without actually being members.

And there were a few that recently that that happened too that I know that when I when I posed those questions that it was in process, I guess there were some negotiations as to whether or not they were going to do one or two or three-year terms.

So there was kind of a lapse there, but and and there's a couple of uh members that they haven't been sworn in yet.

They're going to meetings, um, but also noticing that out of I think it was 11, 11 out of the 26 boards and commissions that we have.

Um there are individuals that are serving up to even five terms.

Um, some that have been on the boards and commissions from 10 to 26 years, and and eight of those have consistently been the chairs.

been sworn in yet they're going to meetings um but also noticing that out of i think it was 11 11 out of the 26 boards and commissions that we have um there are individuals that are serving up to even five terms um some that have been on the boards and commissions from 10 to to 26 years and and eight of those have consistently been the chairs um not not that that's that's that's a huge concern but i i just feel as though not having not having a better process a more robust process in place that is easy for the public to understand but that also encourages um you know membership that that is reflective of our diverse community um that that there's a little bit more more fairness and equitability in how the members are being appointed but um you know also just I I feel as though our our boards and commissions that there is a a really great opportunity for them to be utilized more to have more of a robust place in being able to help advise council on issues within the community um but to also provide more community support community engagement um what I'm hearing from from some of the commissions is that they would like to do more workshops but they they either aren't sure how to or there are some concerns with facilitating the workshops um and and then there's also some commissions that that have stated you know what what exactly is our our purpose how how can we help council city administration and and the community um so I feel as though there's there's a little bit of a uh a lapse there and an opportunity to really be able to utilize the the subject matter experts that are on our boards and commissions um and also maybe a way of supplementing some of that community engagement for areas that we would typically hire a consultant for I know recently one of the consultants that that we um were gonna hire that there was a an 85,000 dollar line item specific to community engagement that that I feel that there's some some ways that we can even save some money um by utilizing boards and commissions a little bit more so with that um you know I was thinking and and counselor pennick and I have have spoken about it that maybe having a committee that is in place that can sort of help us come up with a better process um that is a little bit more equitable among council and appointing members and that can also meet with the different boards and commissions to help them come up with sort of a standard operating procedure into how they're functioning because I I also know that a lot of a lot of the chairs don't necessarily meet with their new commission members so some people are showing up to the meeting and that and that was also my experience showing up to the first meeting and and you're just diving in and you don't really have uh much of a footing as to okay well what is this commission really working on and and how can my experience and and my knowledge be able to help them so there really isn't that that sort of introductory piece that kind of one-on-one of hey this is what we're working on that I feel as though um the commission's having sort of a standard operating procedure that also includes hey these are the heavier items that we are currently working on this will help get you up to speed as a new member so I I just think that this committee that there's an opportunity for it to sort of uh engage council as to to what council thinks the boards and commissions purposes should be but also to meet with the various boards and commissions and and kind of find out from them you know where are you struggling where are you struggling with membership where are you struggling with the issues that you would like to handle um you know how how can we come up with ways to sort of fine-tune that for you so initially I I had thought that that maybe this could be a committee that would be in place um as as council sees fit sort of sort of an ad hoc committee that it wouldn't be something that that would be permanent just something that would be able to help us to to kind of pull together the process and make it work for us and the community a little bit better.

Do you have any thank you, Counselor Smythe.

Yeah, I I as someone who was new to serving on a commission it would have I didn't really know like what it was about when I as a resident but I was also lucky enough to serve on a commission of engineers who took their time to like explain everything to me and just help me with like the language and walk me through the process but I know that has not been the experience of other folks.

So I think of this as sort of like a commission council liaison like someone who can help us better utilize our boards and commissions because they are a civic asset.

And I do think that they're a help to us and I also think that there is opportunity for more residents to be involved if they know a little bit more about what's going on.

I'll leave it there.

Any other discussion before I open up the public comments.

Yeah.

You had articulated a lot of uh different things.

Yeah.

And I personally would appreciate had you shared it with the rest of the council.

Um certainly boards and commissions become pretty fluid but I think to establish a border commission to oversight it's kind of bureaucratic.

I think perhaps we could take some of those issues if you can list them out for us and work on them.

Uh not you but uh perhaps the step work on them and have some of them assigned to certain because that's the way it works anyway to certain step for information things like that.

It's always difficult to get people to volunteer their time.

And I understand it, you know, some are raising families some are have travel they have job um commitments.

So you know it's not the easiest thing to always fill our boards and commissions but some of the issues that you brought up I've never heard of them before and I I'm just wondering why.

And I'm just guessing um you know I'm I'm coming off of just serving on three different boards and commissions.

So I think that that I probably have a a little bit more in-depth knowledge as to to what some of the members are thinking um but I I've also tried to really go to um the various different commission meetings and to meet with different members just to sort of get kind of their feedback as to to where they might see that there are some struggles.

So I think that's that's probably why I've heard a a lot more about what where the issues are um but also my history with process improvement um you know I think that that kind of came into play too doing some of this research and some of the analysis and and I can appreciate the the part about you know splitting up it up among staff to to see where staff can help.

And and I had thought of that too um because the executive assistant that I that I did speak to you know it it it seems like there's there's a just a lot of pieces going into it and and even you know looking at the the chair's responsibilities and and to me you know the thought process was these people are already very busy.

We have a lot of issues that lie within our city that really need more focus on and that was one of the reasons why I I had thought of maybe you know a committee that could help out because again it's it would be a volunteer position whereas paid employees would be able to focus more on the responsibilities of their job and the different areas that they can actually help with the city issues and and also the the chair position I you know I I can only imagine that that just having to add that extra layer of of having to you know uh appoint uh new members and and just the process related to it that that's that's just one extra thing that takes them away from a lot of the heavier issues within the city.

So my thought process was if we had a volunteer committee that could help us do that initially to help get a process into place, then it's not impacting um the individuals that that we need focused on the the major issues within our city.

having to you know uh appoint uh new members and and just the process related to it that that's that's just one extra thing that takes them away from a lot of the heavier issues within the city so my thought process was if we had a volunteer committee that could help us do that initially to help get a process into place then it's not impacting um the individuals that that we need focused on the the major issues within our city so and and also you know like you mentioned uh people who are on the boards and commissions you're volunteering your time so we want to make sure that their their time is being really valued by us and appreciated for for all their hard work and all the input they you know are are are putting towards the commission and towards wanting to help with the community issues that I just felt as though if they if they had a little bit more direction and a little bit more um of a firmed up process that that would help them to achieve their goals but to have their precious time that that we are utilizing put to good use so Mr Chair for I I have to agree with counselor Napolitano I have not heard these complaints and I am pretty um tied in with several of the chairs of the commissions um I think that what you're talking about is a council responsibility and staff responsibility matter of fact I think we have too many boards and commissions and to add another board and commission is just I mean we now we have to have how many more people seven more people I I just I think I don't see why we can't combine some of the boards and commissions even I mean I think that we need you know we certainly can look at uh improvements but I was on boards and commissions and I never had a problem with what it is that I needed to know I just went to the chair or I went to the staff member and I got the information.

I didn't need someone telling me what to do and I feel as though that's exactly how it's coming across so I I would not support this I'm sorry.

Okay no I appreciate that thank you for your uh sharing your experience um and and I think that that some of that comes from that council is really just hearing mostly from the chairs of the commissions and with any leadership position you know when asked you know what are the issues what are the challenges you're gonna receive an answer that everything is fine because that leader wants whatever body that they're leading to look good in the eyes of those that appoint them so to really hear what is happening amongst the boards and commissions is it's really important to also talk to the members because you you're more boots on the ground people are are gonna give you a more robust tale of their lived experience of of being on that commission and and the difficulties that they are experiencing.

So yeah that I I just may maybe encourage maybe talking to more of the commission members themselves to to sort of get their feedback but thank you for your input Mr.

Chair this council um I also yeah I I do know that there are some that are struggling I have text messages from some that I am miliaison for that are asking for direction.

So that's the reason why I do think that this is good.

I also don't think that this is like another level of bureaucracy I think it's just helping to put in a little bit more structure so that our boards and commissions um feel like they're being more effective and useful to the city.

Can you give an example of what you mean by struggling and why wouldn't they go to the chair or to the staff member that is the um that is to to help them with this commission and I I don't understand what do you mean by struggling?

I mean they they they I mean they they applied for a commission for something that they're interested in so you would think that they're would have an inherent knowledge about the subject so what is the struggle necessarily their struggle is the structure and it is the chair.

What do you mean the so I mean like it's they're trying to figure out like what they should be doing what they should be working on who they should be talking to to get things moving along but we have the staff we have staff for that and we have the and the council we for that I mean we're we're actually taking away our own responsibility by putting in some other layer here.

I mean the the the the commissions are to report to the council and to give advice to the council so I don't I don't see why we would uh create another layer to do that and how would these people who are new to a commission even know how to do that anyway so uh how it it doesn't make sense to me well you know it maybe not because it's not your experience but different people have different experiences I've been on this council for almost 12 years.

Well, you know, it maybe not because it's not your experience, but different people have different experiences.

I've been on this council for almost 12 years.

I I have the experience to know what it is that boards and commissions need.

And I have been in touch with many people on boards and commissions, and I have never heard this before.

So yeah, and I'm just um Councillor Pinnock.

Did you share that experience with anybody on staff or any other counselor?

No, I just got it.

So we are just kind of communicating back and forth um with one another.

And then I'm also very new, so I did plan on having a conversation with Colin prior to this, but I'm bringing it up now.

Because usually when there's um issues come up, I had I have always gone to staff because I think it's important to share that information, particularly if they're talking about certain issues or the way things are going.

You know, I I just you know, there's an intermediary that can go to them, and sometimes I I've never had a problem with a manager getting back to me and saying, hey, look, why don't you say this and it's done this way, or we can do this and we can do that.

But if we don't know, yeah, I don't disagree with you, Counselor Napolitano, but we're having the conversation right now, and this is not a conversation I've had an opportunity to share with our city who's been very responsive when I've asked multiple questions about things.

Thank you.

Thank you.

So we have a uh few people from boards of commissions in the crowd tonight.

The crowd.

Does anybody would anybody like to come up and uh give their thoughts?

Good evening.

I'm Jack Grant.

I live at Vaughan Avenue, and I'm on the uh Henderson Home Commission.

And I just want to share my experience um, because it addresses several of the things that you've talked about.

I was advised by a another commissioner that there was an opening.

And did I have any interest in given my background in uh running Siemens Church Institute for eight years?

They thought with the Henderson Home there might be a match there.

When I did what counsel Saglia said is first, before I said anything, I went and did some research, you know, read up you can find information out.

There are folks you can talk to in the community um within city government who have been very responsive to our commission, um, but found out what it's all about.

Um and it's well documented, at least for the Henderson Home Commission and the city ordinance.

Here's what you do.

You don't have to go far to find out here's what you do, and here's the process.

It's laid out in the ordinance.

You might want to tweak the ordinance because to bring the language up to 2025, that type of thing, but the process is there.

Um so I would I don't see any change in that.

And when it came to when I finally decided that yeah, I'd like to be on the commission.

Um, I was told, okay, submit submit a letter resume, if you will, my term um to the mayor's office.

And I had a 20-minute telephone conversation with Sai.

And he asked me a lot of questions, and there was a lot of back and forth, etc., etc.

Um with it.

And um, and then I was I received um a notice from the mayor's office that I was going to be appointed at I was on the docket for such a council meeting.

I attended um I was voted in, and then within a week I had another letter and a phone call, you know, you have been appointed, um, get a hold of the city clerk, etc.

to be sworn in, etc.

But I was I wasn't left in the dock at all on the whole process, and I thought it worked well.

Um so from that perspective, my experience was it worked fine, and I know where I was going.

Um, as far as needing outside assistance, we get all our commission gets all the assistance we need from Colin and the staff here at City Hall.

We call, we get meetings, we get responses.

Um, we have a facility that we're responsible, responsible for as well as a program for the residents and all.

Um but again, it hasn't it hasn't been a problem.

So from our perspective, at least from the Henderson Home as one member, and I am not the chair.

I'm not looking for us to look good and everything.

Um, but it's fine.

And then the last I would say is the meetings that the uh commission chairs or their appointee have with the mayor on a monthly basis.

That is one talented group of people that sit around that table, and they're not all the chairs, they're substitutes, if you will, because the chairs can't make it, but I don't hear anybody complaining.

What I hear is them saying, okay, here's what we're working on.

Here's what the challenges are we're addressing.

And then the feedback between that group.

Have you tried this?

You know, I'm willing to work with you on that.

Um the pieces are all there in my opinion, and that they will work.

Does everything work 100%?

No, but for the small percentage that you might be talking about to add a layer of hierarchy over all the rest of the commissions and have them uh in between working with the administration and working with the council, I just think is going to slow down the process as opposed to make it more effective.

Thank you.

Mr.

Chair, um Jack, I just have a couple of questions for you.

Yep.

So thank you.

Oh, sure.

Um, thank you for for sharing your experience.

It's nice to hear that.

Um, I have to say it's rare to hear that, but but I can appreciate it.

Uh you were appointed, was it last year?

Yes, I just was reappointed for my second year.

Okay, all right.

Thank you.

I appreciate it.

Yeah, Andy or Ellen has one of you guys and both come up in house.

I'm Andy Bjork.

I live on Appleby Street.

Um currently on the Energy Environment Commission with Emily.

Um I would say uh I have deep experience with committees and commissions in the military.

I run a National Trade Association.

I've been on three commissions here in the city.

Um Cemetery Commission, Historic, and now energy and environment.

Um I'm passionate about it.

I I think uh, you know, leveraging volunteers in the city for their expertise, uh volunteers want to dive into content.

That's what they're good at, that's what we want the commissions to do.

Um some of my observations, though, I think are in line with Steph's.

Um I've had just observations in my experience.

I've had times here in the city where as a commission chair, I had to be a recruiter to get to fill spots.

So I think that's an interesting, you know, that's them put some challenges in there because the the commission that doesn't have a full uh you know cohort of members, you know, doesn't operate as effectively.

And you've got a couple of commissions, HDC and zoning that really need, you know, benefit citizens when there's a full you know, cadre of of of commission members and even alternates to serve and step in when somebody's traveling or not.

So that that's a cool thing is to just you know think about the city elevating the volunteer aspects and you know asking people more frequently rather so rather than have polls have have people lined up who want to serve and I don't know if we can get there, but I it's good it's a dream.

Um in terms of structure, and I Alan, you talked about structure.

I think a lot about structure.

I'm a structure and process guy.

I have personally written policies and procedures for two commissions.

So when we got there, there weren't any.

Doesn't mean that the commission wasn't operating, it just wasn't.

It was there were times without structure and policy, and then we can speak to this, you know, we would the meetings would spend time trying to figure out how to operate rather than get to content.

Um, and I think that's where the city could give some guidance.

It may not be an oversight commission, it could be more of a handbook, but it somehow, if there's commissions operating without basic policies and procedures, that puts a challenge on just getting to content and doing good work.

It also that structure gives the opportunity for continuity.

So as leadership changes, you know, there's a way for the next leader to know how to run the meeting or you know, and how for people in the meeting to operate.

And many times the uh policies and procedures help the commission uh stay on track and not get distracted by public comment.

You you have to handle that here at City Council lot, and that's bring that into a commission meeting it and sometimes it can get off course pretty fast.

So maybe there's a handbook concept um that speaks to you know that helps uh guide committees.

Maybe we go through each committee and see if if they have enough structure to operate, uh each committee, each commission.

Um so those are some ideas.

I'm kind of passionate about it.

Um I'll volunteer to help if I can.

I'm good at it.

Um those are some thoughts.

Thank you, Anne.

Um, Andy, when um you were on these commissions, though, wasn't there a staff person to help you and to guide you through some of these issues?

Well, think of HDC.

We had fairly junior people um who were um you know who probably didn't know how it operated either.

So I mean you know, and I would say they have they have bosses too.

I mean, I I I don't I I don't I mean, we we have we struggled to get defined people to be on some of these um, you know, very um important boards and commissions.

I mean, I don't want to say that some are not important, but certainly HDC, zoning, uh planning, waterfront, uh trust and investment are our biggest ones that we do interview for.

We don't interview for other umes.

So um I just I just feel that there's our staff members who are educated in the fields.

I mean, whether they're young or not, they're still educated in the field.

I don't understand.

I mean I haven't heard a problem before.

I honestly.

And I I just it sort of it surprises me that after all these years of being here that that this seems to be an issue.

Um if there's an issue with staff not giving uh enough guidelines, then we have their manager and then we have their manager.

So it's just I mean, to create a whole other level of this, I'm not I think is is not necessary.

I'm just saying inside each commission, there should be some structural documents that the people on the commission can follow and then can be passed along to um that I that that was missing in two commissions that I've been on.

Well, that's probably that's that's probably a council responsibility.

Mr.

Chair.

Yeah.

Thank you.

Um first I just want to say thank you for um all the work that you've put in on these various commissions for the city.

Um and secondly, people only know what they know, right?

So something can exist for a multitude of years, and someone coming in may not know someone leave like historic information and data and things like that will exit with people if there isn't something in place um that other people can utilize when they're coming in.

And I've gone into orgs who have that have existed for more than 20 years and needed to produce things like finder binders and just different things.

Um so it it can happen and it does happen.

Um just because like people exist to answer questions doesn't mean that people coming in will know that if there isn't somebody there to give directions.

So I do really like your idea of like um a handbook or a playbook or any of those things.

So I appreciate that suggestion very much.

Thank you.

Mr.

Sherr.

Yeah, Andy, can I ask you a couple of questions?

And and I'd like to echo what counselor Penick said.

Thank you for for all that you've done for the community being on these commissions.

Um when you started on any of the commissions, did you receive any kind of information as to here are the staff POCs that you would need to go to if you had any questions, or here are the council POCs that that you would need to go to if you had any questions or concerns?

I think um, you know, for both uh I think for each commission it was there was a uh identified council member.

Um so I I was aware of that.

And um just in memory uh first cemetery commission, it was uh our tree commissioner, I'm you know, um can't think of his name right now.

Um Scott Wheeler.

Scott Wheeler.

And Lynn, I think you were the liaison for HDC and uh and Stephia the liaison now for uh for EC.

So I that was known.

Um yeah, I saw that that piece I understood.

I I just know that when I started on HDC, for example, I looking because I looked for the process and the structure.

There was an old uh zero mimeograph, you know, uh you know, the kind of paper we smell in high school, that kind of stuff.

That was the document we had it was ancient.

It was probably written in the 70s.

Um it was there, uh, but it badly needed updating and and uh and then with the EEC we had really didn't have anything.

So you know, I just think those things have been helpful, and then just to keep them updated because as the digital world, you know, the world changes and how we operate, what the expectations are changed.

So and how active have the council liaisons on the commissions that that you've served on have they been or or how accessible?

We don't necessarily have all been accessible.

That's not a problem.

I I just that was that's never been a problem.

I think um, you know, the uh cemetery commission, I think from that was my first one of memory as Scott would come to them all.

This it was sort of staff, you know, there was a lot of staff work that was me.

Um thank you.

Well, I think that the HDC and the zoning board in particular are very different.

I mean, they have to follow uh uh newport ordinances and this and state ordinances.

So that is it's predescribed as to you know what the the goal what the role is, right?

So I um I mean I I really liked what you did with creating the policy for um raising homes in um um you know in in flood zones and and and that and certainly what you're working on with the uh energy and environment commission.

I think we've expanded that.

Um, but you know, I I just I I think that if if there's it needs to be some improvement, it needs to come from the council as a whole.

So yeah, I just want to clarify what I'm talking about for structure.

It's not it's not the HDC policies we created for design guidelines and so forth.

It's basic how to run the meeting inside the commission, what responsibilities the chair has for setting the agenda, what uh how that we're gonna follow some Robert's rules of order as to sequence of the agenda that members of the public have a place to, it's an open meeting, we follow the meeting rules, but the members of the public have a chance to talk when they're recognized.

I mean, I would say the energy environment commission, we've struggled the first, you know, for a bit because it's a very there's a lot of passion comes into the meeting, and the meeting the commission couldn't really, without the structure, couldn't operate to get to real content.

It was instead individuals' own, you know, thoughts and and so it's more about those structural that those structural documents that I think about.

Well, I became vice chair of the the zoning board and I got everything through my education through the the chair and it came through to me through experience.

I I I mean that's how I learned to run the meeting.

Same thing with the mayor.

I mean, same thing with you know, anybody who runs a meeting, it all comes through experience.

Um I I still have to learn I I like experience.

I also like it written down so there's a document that gets passed along.

I think it's just maybe my that's why we keep you around.

Sure.

Thanks, Annie.

Thank you.

I just wanted to point out at the end of the year, um, all boards and commissions are required to uh send in a yearly report.

And certainly that could be a uh document that we could use to develop some of these ideas and bring more information to them.

Um I think it's important and we have those documents.

I think that started maybe about five years ago.

I'm not sure, but it's been very helpful for those that have gone through the documentation.

Uh anyone else, Phil, you want to say anything?

No, there you go.

Emily Conklin, I'm the vice chair of the Energy Environment Commission.

I live at Seven Gwyn Court.

Um, I appreciate this time tonight.

And thank you, Councilor Snipe and Councillor Pinnock and on all of you who are here tonight.

And thank you to Andy, um, who really has made a huge difference on our commission and and whose experience and expertise is really valuable.

Um I can only speak about my experience, obviously, and I know that you know everybody has a different experience in their role in in the city and and what interests them.

Um I applied to be on the energy environment commission in 2021 after I lived here for a year, and it was um I didn't hear anything, you know.

So it is a little bit of a black box, I think, in submitting um online.

Um and then I, as you all know, come to almost every council meeting.

So I saw myself on the on the agenda, and that's how I learned I was being confirmed um to or being called up for a vote.

Um, and at that point I was um confirmed, and then I did get a letter, you know, that process I went through that process and I went, I got a call from the chair at the time was um Evan Ridley, and he gave me access to the information and he kind of said, you know, this is how we do it.

This is how we've been doing it, and this is what our meetings are.

And if you're interested in something and you want to work on it, bring it to us, we'll we'll figure out if it fits.

Um in my time on the commission.

I we're now in my third chair since being in the commission.

I'm in my second term.

Um, Avery and I, Avery Robertson, who is the chair, we took sort of our leadership positions at the same time.

So it's I don't, I don't think I think it's important for us to say for me to say that this is not a blame situation.

I think you know, all of us are volunteers.

I've had a lot of great information from city manager for pre-previous city manager.

I've met with the city solicitor.

I now meet with you know, director of sustainability, Teresa Crean.

I we've had um Angela Lima was our liaison before now, Steph is our liaison.

There's a lot of really great expertise.

Um, and if you you get out, I think what you can put in, which is great because I obviously have a lot of time to be here.

Um, but I think we all have different um perspectives and what we think is important and things that that are kind of the way we do things.

And so what you know, we've been working on um, I'm a process person, Avery's a process person, obviously Andy has spoken to that.

And so we really want to leave a legacy in this commission of this is these are the rules of a meeting, these are the things that you have to do so that if somebody comes in as a chair and it's their first municipal um role, it's their first time serving in any type of organization like that, they are not spending their first three months kind of figuring it out.

Obviously, there's gonna be a gap in experience, and experience teaches you so much.

Um, I think the best thing for any organization is to have like an ingoing outgoing situation.

So, you know, if Avery's the chair for a year, then she's still on the commission at the end of her term while the new chair is there, you know, so that we can build that.

And I think everyone has been so helpful and responsive, but it's only the amount that they know.

So even with the annual reports, it's a great example.

I love the annual report.

Avery and I have written it for the last two years.

We have done it the way that Sean O'Connor did it before us.

There's no template for it, and so I think there is a lot of opportunity.

I don't know if it's a commission or if it's just like a you know a review um retreat for of the council.

I don't know.

There, I think there's a lot of ways that you could do this.

I think there's a lot of opportunity to have when people come into a commission, they get a workbook or handbook, they take a training in Roberts rules, they they know when the open meetings trainings are because there are a lot of um it is different for every commission.

I think it's a really good point that some of them have these legal obligations.

We don't have legal obligations, we're not making binding decisions, even if people in our meetings maybe think we are.

Um, you know, there's there's different levels, and I totally appreciate that.

But just because I submit an application and I'm interested in something, doesn't mean I know a lot about that, or I know how the city operates on that.

You know, I think I was a great pick for this commission, but you might have reviewed my application and thought I was you know not qualified or had deficits, and I think you know I had no um review period to ask questions and and things like that.

And so if we get a commissioner who is not aligned or who is problematic or um, you know had needs further assistance, what is the procedure for that?

Um, and so I think it's great that we have the ability to ask these questions, and we are obviously dedicated to improving that system, but I think there is a way that the city could help people start off on the right butt with with an understanding of these things that that are operational in nature, so that we can get right into the meat of of the work that we want to be doing, which is why um, you know, we signed up.

And I also think, you know, to I believe Steph's earlier point um of the diversity of talent in our city, you know, I think no offense to anyone on a commission, but I think this is thought of as like maybe a little bit of an older person's game.

And I would like to see, you know, it is a time investment, but I would I would like to see a more diversity, you know, like we talked about the youth commission, and you know, there's different ways that different of all different types of people can serve in the city, and I think that this is a way that we can we can improve that process and really leverage that.

So thank you.

Thanks.

Um, I'll I'll just say theoretically, yeah, it's great to have as much diversity and equity as you can and any board commission council, whatever you have it, any any business or job, but but we're where we have guidelines as far as who's applying.

So if we have 10 women applying, then we're probably gonna have seven women on a board or commission, you know, just to use that as an example.

But you know, so it's we try to go out and get like for anything else any board and commission, I shouldn't say we when I'm looking at you know, certain positions and and when we do interviews for regardless of which board of commission is, I want the best qualified person.

Don't care what anything else as far as ethnicity finance background, whatever.

Where you went to school, where you live, I want the best person for that, you know, for that position.

And each board of commission has, you know, they all everybody has a different little um set of uh circumstances that they they might, you know.

Obviously, the somebody we're looking for on HDC is gonna be somebody different than we're looking for on trust and investment.

Um and on and on and on.

So, you know, I think we we do a pretty good job of of getting good people and not all the same for every board and commission because you definitely want some good discussion and and good good thought and feedback.

And I think we've done a very good job at that.

There are still um a handful of boards and commissions that still have vacancies, and we and we even though we have 50 people applying, they don't want to apply for certain boards and commissions.

So that's another issue that we we deal with as well.

So um, I think overall, yeah, could can we do things?

Can we tighten some things up?

Apparently.

So when we'll look at doing that, we know I know it's been mentioned on Jack mentioned it.

We meet once a month, uh with the exception of the two summer months um with all the uh with a representative from every board and commission if they can make it.

Um and those those meetings have been going very well.

We get really good feedback, and that's a it's a good opportunity for people to talk to each other and try to figure out how they deal with such certain situations.

Um we as counselors, you know, we obviously we can't have a quorum, but um, I know at the beginning of my tenure as a chair, I I said it to all the counselors and even had uh Lisa email hey, we're having a meeting.

If you want to go, you can make it, you can see what's going on.

And so far, no one's been there.

So do you um sense a struggle with commission members?

No, it's it's this is um again, it's more of a a uh uh kind of a brainstorming meeting, I guess if you will.

You know, everyone has their, you know, and correct me if I'm wrong, because I know you guys have all been to them, but everybody gets to go around and say, you know, tells them what they're working on, what they're having struggle uh having trouble with, what they need.

Uh we do try to have a topic of of some discussion to to try to pinpoint it so it's not the same thing every week.

Um, you know, they seem to be going going pretty well.

I know Colin's been uh been to a handful.

Um Deputy Commissioner Crulo's been to has been to a handful, so we we're getting good good feedback, you know.

And if we find out that there's a um a drastic issue, then we have an opportunity to fix it.

Uh but the bottom line is the council appoints the board and the commissions, the council oversees the boards and commissions, and you know, that's the way it is.

Having another layer is not gonna be productive because that's gonna uh for current boards and commissions, whether it's the the chair of those boards and commissions, there's gonna be confusion as to okay, where do I go?

Do am I allowed to go to a council person or do I have to go to this you know this committee that's in between?

Um maybe all those things that council Smythe mentioned, though those are all council counselor issues.

You know, so if we're not communicating with boards of commissions, that's on us.

Um it's been from day one of this council.

It's been said, if you have any questions, you know, you want information, go to a board and commission that that you need it.

And it's been vice versa.

I said at the meetings that we have with the chairs, I was like, if you have any questions, come you know, go to your council liaison, come, you know, reach out to myself.

So I don't think there's any uh communication issues.

I I think there's been several good recommendations that have come out of this, and one was to have some sort of booklet, and it can be pretty um it could be used across the board practically uh for all boards and commissions.

I think it would be very helpful.

And um like I said, the annual reports I read through all of them and it I was so impressed and so impressed with the time and the energy that people that offer to serve uh have given us.

I would point out that over the last few years there's been some uh changes uh obviously um in leadership in the council in the um uh city.

Um and it has created a vacuum at times.

We had a very long-term person before uh in the city manager's office who had gone to a different position, and then we had a new person.

So a lot of this information is new.

I think it's important uh to get the letter and and um I used to when I was mayor, I used to say, make sure you tell them we're sorry you were not uh chosen.

However, we're keeping your application in our folders.

Uh, should you um like to contact us periodically?

We certainly will avail you of any and all opportunities with boards and commissions, and I think that's important because I think people need to be reminded that we do have these boards and commissions that are working for the benefit of the rest of the uh city.

And I know personally I appreciate all boards and commissions um because they really do a lot of work as evidence from their annual reports.

You have a favorite.

Do I have a favorite chair?

But somebody's trying to get rid of it.

Uh Steph, can you I have a quick question for for you, Mr.

Chair.

Um where are the qualifications listed for each board and commission so that people know um what qualifications that council looks for in appointing new members.

I don't think there are listed qualifications because it's it's it's it's all different.

They say you're not looking for you know, you're looking for again that word diversity, we're looking for diversity, but with some sort of background in whatever board commission that they're applying for.

I would be I wouldn't, I mean, I wouldn't apply for a zoning board position because I have zero background in in zoning.

So if I apply for it and I got I'd be afraid I'd be surprised where that decision is.

A little concerned.

Um I I just I just want to kind of reiterate um and be clear that that this committee would not be forget the word oversight.

That that was a bad word to put in there.

It is not going to be adding another layer of of overseeing and and dictating or authority between council and the boards and commissions.

The purpose is strictly just to help come up with a process, help come up with a handbook, help come up with different formats and and ways that the boards and commissions tools that they have to utilize to help them to be as effective as they feel is necessary.

So I just want to be clear on that piece because I I don't think that that is is still understood that this is not going to be uh another layer of supervising anything or taking anything away from council.

Um it's it's to help assist council.

I mean, counselors are are very busy addressing the issues in the community.

And for some of us, we're also working full-time jobs.

So we're essentially working two full-time jobs, which that's what we signed on for, but I think that it's it's important or should be important to counselors to be focusing on the real quality of life issues instead of some some uh and for lack of a better term, administrative um items that can help with the boards and commissions.

So councilman.

Thank you.

Um I just wanted to say um to the like millions of people that I'm sure are watching um to not let the language deter you from applying because we really do need everyone.

And had that been me, I would have never applied to that Hawk Bridge Realignment Commission.

Um I did that because I have been an advocate for a long time in the North End where a lot of that work was taking place.

And I remember coming into the meeting um the first time, and every single solitary person around the room introduced themselves and said they were an engineer.

And I know everybody was kind of like okay, but at the end of the day, I also um facilitate conversations around equity, and I um facilitate conversations around what our residents want and don't want based on the stories that they've shared with me.

And I thought that that was a helpful um you know tool to have under my belt when it came to conversations about north end redevelopment.

So um that's why we put you on there.

Yeah.

So whether or not you're an expert um in certain things, you may have some other skill or tool that could be useful to our city.

So we need people on our boards and commissions.

We need all the voices.

So I just want to encourage people to apply.

Um, but then once you get on, please show up.

Um that's it.

Thank you.

Uh any other discussion?

Great.

Thank you so much.

Meeting adjourned.