(A) There is hereby created a Citizens Advisory Review Committee. The Mayor shall appoint seven registered voters of the city to the Committee, subject to approval by the City Council. At least one member of the Committee shall have expertise or experience in the field of business finance or accounting. The Mayor shall appoint an ex officio member of the committee with responsibility for assisting the committee and providing it with necessary information and advice on the economic development plan. The County Development Corporation shall have the responsibility for the administration of the economic development program.
(B) No member of the Citizens Advisory Review Committee shall be an elected or appointed city official, an employee of the city, a participant in a decision-making position regarding the expenditure of program funds, or an official or employee of any qualifying business receiving financial assistance under the economic development program or of any financial institution participating directly in the economic development program. The term for each citizen shall be three years commencing on July 1 for each term, except that three members of the first Citizens Advisory Review Committee shall serve for a term of one year and three members of the first Citizens Advisory Review Committee shall serve a term of two years. All citizen members shall hold office until their successors are appointed. All citizen members’ vacancies occurring otherwise than through the expiration of their term shall be filled for the unexpired portion of their term by the Mayor, by and with the approval and majority vote of the City Council.
(C) The members of the Citizens Advisory Review Committee shall serve without compensation. The Committee shall organize at its first meeting and elect from its membership a Chairperson and Secretary. It shall be the duty of the Secretary to keep complete and accurate minutes of all meetings, showing the vote of each member upon each question, or, if absent or failed to vote, indicating such fact, and shall keep records of its examinations and other official actions, all of which shall be public record. A majority of the Committee shall constitute a quorum for purpose of doing business and the Committee shall adopt rules in accordance with the direction of the governing body.
(D) The Citizens Advisory Review Committee shall conduct regular meetings to review the functioning and progress of the economic development program and to advise the governing body of the city with regard to the program. At least once in every six-month period after the effective date of this section, the Committee shall report to the governing body on its findings and provide suggestions at a public hearing called for that purpose.
(E) The members of the Citizens Advisory Review Committee, in their capacity as members and consistent with their responsibilities as members, may be permitted access to business information received by the city in the course of its administration of the economic development program, which information would otherwise be confidential:
(1) Neb. RS 84-712.05, as amended;
(2) By agreement with a qualifying business participating in the economic development program; or
(3) Under any ordinance of the city providing access to such records to members of the Committee and guaranteeing the confidentiality of the business information received by reason of its administration of the economic development program.
(Ord. 2224, passed 4-2-2002)