(A) Appointment of members to Sunset Valley Arts Commission.
(1) Commission members shall be appointed by the City Council.
(2) Commission members will be appointed at the last meeting in September in alignment with the fiscal year so that the Commission may be seated at the commencement of the fiscal year.
(3) Commission member appointments will be for a term of one year.
(B) Structure of Commission.
(1) The City Council Liaison is the City Council member assigned to the Arts Commission as a non-voting member. The City Council Liaison provides communication between the City Council and the committee. The City Council Liaison cannot be an officer of the committee. The City Council liaison shall have the following roles:
(a) Serves as the primary two-way communications channel between Council and standing committees, and the Arts Commission.
(b) Advises the City Council of any activities conducted by the committee or commission through quarterly reports at Council meetings or work sessions.
(c) Helps resolve questions the committee or commission may have about the role of Council or municipal government.
(d) Advises the committee or commission on most recent Council action or activities related to the committee or commission.
(e) Establishes formal or informal contact with the chairperson of the committee or commission and effectively communicates the role of the City Council Liaison.
(f) Provides procedural direction and relays Council's position to the committee or commission.
(g) Assists the committee or commission in staying on track and focused on council outcomes/goals assigned to them.
(h) Encouraged to attend all meetings of the assigned committee or commission.
(2) The Commission shall be composed of at least five regular members who shall be residents of the city.
(3) Alternates may be appointed who shall also be residents of the city.
(4) One honorary member may be appointed who has experience in a field relating to the standing Commission and may or may not be a resident of the city.
(5) The Commission shall select a Chairperson and a Vice-Chairperson who will serve as Chairperson in the Chairperson's absence.
(6) The Commission shall select a secretary who is responsible for preparing the minutes of each Commission meeting. The secretary may be the city staff assigned to the Commission.
(7) The Staff Liaison is the member of city staff that is assigned to the Arts Commission. The Staff Liaison serves as a key representative, advocating for the city's interests while ensuring Commission initiatives align with the overall vision and goals of the municipality and City Council. The Staff Liaison shall have the following roles:
(a) Serves as the primary point of contact for Commission members, addressing inquiries, concerns, and requests for information.
(b) Attends Commission meetings to actively participate and stay informed about their activities.
(c) Facilitates two-way communication between the Commission and city departments, ensuring accurate and timely dissemination of information.
(d) Collaborates with Commission chair and members to gather feedback, input, and recommendations on relevant city projects, policies, and initiatives.
(e) Prepares and distributes official correspondence, reports, and updates to both internal stakeholders and committee representatives.
(f) Represents the city's broader interests within Commission discussions, ensuring that decisions made consider the broader municipal context.
(g) Collects feedback and suggestions from the Commission and relays them to the appropriate city departments for consideration.
(C) Purpose of Sunset Valley Arts Commission. The purpose of the Commission is to serve in an advisory capacity to assist and make recommendations to Council and department heads to research, develop, implement, and evaluate policies, programs, and projects related to the arts, and in particular encourage and promote tourism in the city.
(D) Rules of Sunset Valley Arts Commission.
(1) The Chairperson or Vice-Chairperson of the Commission shall be in attendance at all Commission meetings.
(2) A majority of regular Commission members shall constitute a quorum.
(3) The Commission shall not be required to conduct their meetings in accordance with the Texas Open Meetings Act; however, the Commission shall adhere to the following, whether the meeting is held in-person, virtually, or in a hybrid in-person and virtual format:
(a) All meetings shall be open to the public; if held virtually or hybrid, a link shall be
published on the posted agenda;
(b) All meetings shall require a quorum of the regular Commission members;
(c) All meetings shall allow members of the public to comment during the appropriate comment period;
(d) Agendas shall be posted at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting, and if the meeting is virtual shall include the virtual link and shall be recorded through the platform that they are held within with the recording link available upon request; and
(e) Minutes shall be taken at each meeting and shall be filed with the City Secretary within 24 hours of being approved.
(4) Members will hold a meeting as soon as possible after appointment by the Council, to review Commission actions of the previous year and plan for the current year.
(5) At the first meeting after appointment by the Council, the Commission may approve a regular Commission meeting schedule.
(6) Upon request by any member, the Chairperson shall call a meeting within 30 days or other time period that is reasonable under the circumstances.
(7) Members do not possess legislative powers and are vested only with the authority to fulfill the purposes of the Commission as set forth in division (C) above.
(8) Commissions shall meet a minimum of once each three months.
(E) Reporting to Council.
(1) Commission reports will be made quarterly at City Council meetings.
(2) Subjects and any supporting material must be given to the City Secretary no later than noon Thursday preceding the regular Council meetings.
(F) Hotel Occupancy Tax Funds. In addition to complying with the requirements of Tex. Tax Code Ch. 351, and any other applicable law, with respect to any expenditures of funds collected by the city pursuant to Tex. Tax Code Ch. 351, the Commission must present any and all proposed expenditures to the City Council for approval.
(Ord. 070717, passed 7-17-2007; Ord. 100622-A, passed 7-22-2010; Ord. 200204, passed 2-4-2020; Ord. 211005, passed 10-5-2021; Ord. 220419-A, passed 4-19-2022; Ord. 240116-C, passed 1-16-2024)