121.11 CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEES, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.

   (a)    General. The establishment of all Council committees, boards and commissions, and any changes in configuration of the same are subject to the approval of the City Council.

   (b)   Rules of Committees.

      (1)    The City Council committees that contain in their membership a majority of the City Council members, or if the committee has a membership greater than seven (7), other than the Committee of the Whole, then only four (4) City Council members need be in said membership. Boards and commissions are not normally considered City Council committees, as all members (in some cases except one (1) City Council member, who is chosen by the City Council) are appointed for definitive terms by the Mayor.

      (2)    The Committee of the Whole shall be composed of all nine (9) members of the City Council. A Chairman and Vice Chairman will be elected at the Organizational meeting and will serve for two (2) years. The Committee of the Whole shall be the only committee of the City Council, except for ad-hoc committees as determined and created from time-to-time by a majority of the members of the City Council. The Committee of the Whole shall act in a deliberative capacity rather than legislative capacity for informal debate, discussion, and preliminary consideration of matters awaiting legislative action. The Committee of the Whole may recommend legislation to the City Council for its consideration.

      (3)   The City Council may remove any citizen representative from any Standing Committee upon a finding that the citizen representative has failed to abide by the rules of the Committee or of is otherwise found to be disruptive to the Committee either by his action or inaction. The chairman of the Committee shall request, in writing, that the City Council consider the removal of the offending citizen representative.

      (4)   Any City Council representative serving on committees shall be appointed by the City Council.

      (5)   All non-councilmanic appointments to the Planning Commission, the Board of Zoning Appeals, the Civil Service Commission, the Tree Commission, the Landmark Commission, the Master Plan Review Commission, the Audit Committee, the Architectural Board of Review, the Building Board of Appeals, and the Charter Review Commission shall be made by the Mayor and confirmed by the City Council via resolution.

      (6)   No City Council member shall be elected or selected to chair more than one (1) committee, commission or board of the City. Only under the most extraordinary condition may a City Council member chair two committees, boards or commissions.

      (7)   The City Council members needed for approval of an action for any committee, commission, or board, not otherwise governed by the Charter, ordinance, or its own rules, shall be the majority of the total number of the City Council committee members at the meeting, providing a quorum is present.

      (8)   Each committee, board, or commission not governed by its own rules shall allow for citizens' comments, the length of which can be determined by the committee, board or commission, which shall be no less than two (2) minutes per citizen.

      (9)   Such committees, when appointed, shall exercise supervisory and advisory jurisdiction over subjects normally included within the scope of each such committee, and shall perform such additional duties and possess such additional authority as may from time to time be designated or delegated by the Mayor or the City Council.

      (10)   Additional committees may from time to time be appointed by the Mayor subject to confirmation of the City Council for the exercise of such authority and performance of such duties as may be determined to be necessary or advisable for proper operation of the City.

      (11)   In the event that the Mayor fails to appoint anyone to a committee vacancy for a period of time exceeding forty-five (45) days from the date of official notification of the vacancy by the committee chairman to the Mayor, the City Council shall make the appointment. The City Council shall be informed of all vacancies and appointments to committees as they occur.

   (c)    Meetings.

       (1)    The Committee of the Whole meetings shall be in the Council Chambers at City Hall prior to the Regular City Council meetings, or as otherwise scheduled, and shall operate as a City Council work session.

      (2)    All other Standing Committees shall meet only as needed to consider matters directed to them by the Committee of the Whole.

      (3)    All other Boards and Commissions shall meet on the designated dates established and approved by the City Council on the meeting calendar.

         (Ord. 2024-028. Passed 2-26-24.)