(A) There is hereby created a citizens advisory review committee. The Mayor shall appoint 5 registered voters of the city to the Committee, subject to approval by the City Council. At least 1 member of the Committee shall have expertise or experience in the field of business finance or accounting. 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 shall be appointed by the Mayor. The Development Corporation of North Platte (DEVCO) shall have the responsibility for the administration of the economic development program.
(B) The Citizens Advisory Review Committee shall review the function and progress of the economic development program and advise the City Council in relation to the program. 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 expenditures 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. All citizen members shall hold office until their successors are appointed, or until removed by the Mayor, by and with the approval and majority vote of the City Council.
(C) Members of the Citizens Advisory Review Committee shall include:
(1) A representative from the North Platte Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors;
(2) A representative from the Development Corporation of North Platte Board of Directors;
(3) A representative from the banking/financial services industry; and
(4) Two citizens at large with an interest in the continued growth and success of the North Platte/Lincoln County region.
(D) The members of the Citizens Advisory Review Committee shall serve without compensation. It shall be the duty of the Secretary to keep complete and accurate minutes of all Board 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 immediately filed in the office of the City Clerk and shall be public record. The Committee shall organize at its first meeting and elect from its membership a chairperson and secretary. A majority of the Committee shall constitute a quorum for purposes of doing business and the Committee shall adopt rules in accordance with the direction of the governing body.
(E) The Citizens Advisory Review Committee shall conduct regular meetings to review the functioning and progress of the economic development program and to advise the City Council with regard to the program. At least once in every 6-month period after the effective date of the ordinance from which this section derives, the Committee shall report to the governing body on its findings and suggestions at a public hearing called for that purpose.
(F) (1) 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:
(a) Under Neb. RS 84-712.05, as amended;
(b) By agreement with a qualifying business participating in the economic development program; or
(c) Under any ordinance of the city providing access to the 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.
(2) Any unauthorized disclosure of any business information which is confidential under Neb. RS 84-712.05 as amended, shall be punishable as provided by law.
(Prior Code, § 17-1) (Ord. 3350, § 1, 3-20-2001)