(a) There is hereby created a technical resource panel to be composed of eight members appointed by the city council to serve as non-voting technical members of the commission.
(1) The technical resource panel is not a board or commission subject to Chapter 8 of this code or Chapter XXIV, Section 13 of the city charter.
(2) The city manager may nominate members of the first technical resource panel, as recommended by the Office of Environmental Quality and Sustainability, through consultation with the Environment and Sustainability Task Force, for approval by the full council.
(3) Following the initial appointments, future technical resource panel members may be nominated by the city manager, as recommended by the Office of Environmental Quality and Sustainability, through consultation with the Environmental Commission, for approval by the full council.
(b) Each member of the technical resource panel must have at least four years of experience in one of the eight sectors of the CECAP, causing each sector to be represented on the panel. Additionally, appointments to the panel must, to the extent possible, be representative of the ethnic diversity of the city.
(c) Members of the technical resource panel are not required to be residents of the city or qualified voters in the city.
(d) Members of the technical resource panel serve two-year terms and are subject to the same conflict of interest and confidentiality restrictions that are applicable to members of the commission. Members of the technical resource panel are subject to forfeiture of membership on the same basis as members of the commission.
(e) Members of the technical resource panel shall attend and fully participate in all meetings and deliberations of the commission, including closed sessions, but shall not be entitled to vote as members of the commission.
(f) The technical resource panel shall use its expertise and experience in environmental matters to assist the commission to the fullest extent possible in the review of all issues coming before the commission.
(g) The technical resource panel does not have any oversight responsibility or oversight authority with respect to the commission.
(h) Nothing in this section prohibits the commission from seeking additional outside technical expertise and advice, as necessary. (Ord. 31847)