On October 19, 2021, the City Council reviewed 10 recommendations made by a Council Ad-Hoc Committee to streamline the structure of the City’s boards, commissions, and committees (BCCs).  Prior to this review, the City had 23 citizen-led BCCs represented by over 145 residents; 11 City Council BCCs; and 7 Ad-Hoc BCCs.  Some groups had overlapping responsibilities, met infrequently, or required review to ensure the most efficient use of City resources, while still maintaining strong civic engagement in City affairs. 

The Ad-Hoc Committee reviewed each BCC and recommend several modifications.  The Committee also recommended administrative cleanup items, including the requirement that all BCCs adhere to one overarching set of guidelines, which are listed in Municipal Code 2.100 – Operating Policies for Boards and Commissions.  The modifications are listed below: 

• Combine the Downtown Economic Development Committee and the Economic Development Committee, which have similar goals and can discuss all relevant items in one meeting. 
• Convert the Smart Cities Ad-hoc Committee into a standing Smart Cities and Technology Committee to provide long-term direction on its smart cities policies. 
• Dissolve the Strategic Planning Ad-hoc Committee, which has been replaced with an annual strategic planning session with the Council.   

• Dissolve the Children’s Needs Task Force, relying on the City’s Youth Board and local non-profits to address the needs of our youths. 
• Rename the Human Relations Task Force as a Committee and update its bylaws. 
• Combine the Citizen Infrastructure Advisory Board, Public Works Commission, and Beautification, Landscape, and Trees Committee into one body, due to the similarity of their scopes of work. 
• Combine the Community Services Commission and Library Board of Trustees due to their respective departments having combined last year. 
• Re-establish the Environmental Board as the Environmental and Sustainability Board to help develop and monitor progress on the City’s upcoming Sustainability Master Plan. 

• Amend the Finance Commission’s scope of work to match the ongoing tasks that are completed on an annual basis by the Finance Department. 

These changes will take effect in early January 2022, and the City believes these changes will continue to encourage civic participation and an efficient use of City resources.