- April 28, 2024
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The city’s new Citizens Advisory Committee focused on the ongoing infill lot drainage issues will have up to nine members and is open to the public to apply.
As part of another update on the city’s infill-lo drainage issues, the City Council outlined some of the framework of the committee: term limits, the number of members to form a quorum and the duration of the committee. The council will vote on a resolution to formally create the Citizens Advisory Committee as soon as the Feb. 20 business meeting, Assistant City Manager Lauren Johnston said.
Vice Mayor Ed Danko, who initially suggested the creation of the committee, said the committee members should be from every side of the drainage issue.
"I think we're looking for people that really care about helping our community and solving the problem," Danko said. "If we don't have representation from every side, I think people will say, well, they didn't care about people that were affected or they only care about the builders ... I think a broad range is going to be [best]."
Danko suggested the committee at the Jan. 16 meeting to help involve the members of the public who have been affected by drainage problems in finding potential solutions for impacted residents. The city so far is in the process of investigating 174 cases where residents say new construction homes have caused flooding on their neighboring lots.
The council decided the committee will have a minimum of five members to have quorum —or the minimum number required for proceedings to be valid — and, "ideally," Danko said, a maximum of nine members, with two additional alternates.
Terms were tentatively set to mimic the city’s Planning Board: four-year terms, with a two-term limit.
The committee will have access to all of staff’s reports made from the ongoing investigative task force that has been gathering data, as well, but will not have spending power.
As far as how long the committee lasts, Danko said the committee should ideally be around so long as the drainage problem continues to be an issue. A “sunset” date is not required at the onset of the committee, city attorney Jennifer Barrington Nix said, but can be added later on if necessary.
Because the committee will ideally have people who are personally invested in the issue — from the building committee to residents who have drainage issues on their own properties — Mayor David Alfin asked the lawyer if that will present a legal conflict of interest.
Committee members will just need to be cautious in how they are making their decisions, she said.
"Their decisions can't be made based upon their personal circumstances," Nix said.
Just like elected officials, citizen committees and boards are subject to the same public records and sunshine laws as the City Council. Those interested in a position on the committee are subject to a background check and must also file a financial disclosure form.
