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Home My WebLink About2011-05-10 Council Minutes - Work SessionKENAI CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION POSSIBLE AMENDMENTS TO COMMISSION /COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS AND PUBLIC NOTIFICATION OF VACANCIES ON COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2011 6:00 P.M. CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS AGENDA ITEM 1: REVIEW OF INFORMATION PROVIDED AND DISCUSSION a. Ordinance No. 2527 -2011 -- Amending the Kenai Municipal Code, Chapter 14.05, Planning & Zoning Commission, to Add a New Section 14.05.015 Entitled, "Appointment to Planning & Zoning Commission" Requiring Public Advertisement and Notice of Vacancies on the Commission, Permitting Any Member of the Council to Nominate a Person for Appointment to the Commission, and Defining the Term of Office. (Clerk's Note: Ordinance No. 2527 -2011 failed to be introduced at the January 19, 2011 Council meeting. At the February 2, 2011 Council Meeting, the May 10, 2011 work session was scheduled and it was suggested Ordinance No. 2527 -2011 be included in the work session discussion related to possible amendments to Commission and Committee Appointments and Public Notification of Vacancies on commissions and Committees.) b. Memoranda -- Submitted by City Clerk Freas, City Attorney Stearns, and City Manager Koch at the Request of City Council ITEM 2: PROVIDE DIRECTION FOR PREPARATION OF AMENDMENTS TO CODE, ETC. ITEM ADJOURNMENT KENAI CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION POSSIBLE AMENDMENTS TO COMMISSION /COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS AND PUBLIC NOTIFICATION OF VACANCIES ON COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2011 6:00 P.M. CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS MAYOR PAT PORTER, PRESIDING NOTES Council present: R. Molloy, B. Gabriel, P. Porter, J. Moore, T. Bookey, R. Marquis Council absent: M. Boyle Staff present: C. Freas, R. Koch, K. Stearns, M. Joiner Mayor Porter called the work session to order at 6:00 p.m. and requested comments from commission /committee members in the audience. Bob Peters, Harbor and Library Commissions -- Spoke about difficulties getting people to serve and how some perceptions that the effort was not appreciated. Eileen Bryson, Library Commission -- Stated she felt seven - member commissions would be better than five - member commissions and would represent more voices from the community and variety of opinions and thoughts; felt quarterly meetings was not a good idea; suggested having meetings either every other month or do not have summer meetings. Lisa Gabriel, Beautification Committee -- Stated she would not have considered volunteering if her appointment was going to be voted on by Council in a meeting. Jessica *- Bookey, Library Commission -- Agreed with Bryson; liked meetings as they are; and, asking members if they were planning to be absent for the next meeting has helped. Tim Navarre, Planning & Zoning Commission. -- Stated he felt it was acceptable to be voted on to be appointed to the Planning & Zoning Commission but others may find it problematic. Barry Eldridge, Harbor Commission -- Spoke about commissions having had problems making quorums; suggested Parks & Recreation needed to have more meetings; and, felt the Mayor should make the appointments and councils should not be recruiting candidates. Bob Peters, Library and Harbor Commission --- Felt seven members was a good number for memberships and did not think the Library Commission should meet quarterly. ITEM 1: REVIEW OF INFORMATION PROVIDED AND DISCUSSION COUNCIL WORK SESSION MAY 10, 2011 PAGE 2 1 -b. Memoranda -- Submitted by City Clerk Freas, City Attorney Stearns, and City Manager Koch at the Request of City Council Council discussed and agreed on the following items: Memberships: Commission memberships to remain at seven (7). Council on Aging would continue with nine. Concern was expressed for the number of meetings that would require the monthly meetings the Parks & Recreation Director would be required to attend. Stipend: Not for other commissions /committees except for the Planning & Zoning Commission. Absences: If 50% of meetings are missed in a six -month period, the member forfeits he seat (absent Commission action, requiring a majority vote) and if a meeting is cancelled by the City Clerk, it will not count toward absences. An ordinance to amend the Code would be needed related to the "missed meetings" issue. Monthly meetings could begin immediately. Combining Commissions/Committees: No combination of commissions and /or committees. KMC 14.05.010(b)(3): Remove from ordinance. KMC 1.90: Suggestion to "eliminate KMC 1.90 and create a stand -alone chapter for each Commission." Decision was to not remove KMC 1.90 as it is more user friendly, accessible, etc. as it is. Amendments would be made to the absences portion of KMC 1.90. KMC 11.10.010(a)(1): Amend to refer to "goals and objectives" instead of "master plan." KMC 11.10.010(a)(4): Suggestion to remove "...not less than ninety (90) days prior to the beginning of the budget year and replace with "...prior to December 31st of each year." No objections to making this amendment. KMC 11.10.010(a)(8): Suggestion to remove in entirety. No objections to making this amendment. Beautification Committee: Amend Code to add reference to Beautification Commission and include preparation of goals and objectives, capital projects plan, etc. COUNCIL WORK SESSION MAY 10, 2011 PAGE 3 Council on Aging: No changes. Alternate Members to Commissions: No alternate members. BREAK TAKEN: WORK SESSION RECONVENED: 7:40 P.M. 7:45 P.M. Council discussed suggested amendments that were presented in Ordinance No. 2527 -2011. 1 -a. Ordinance No. 2527 -2011 -- Amending the Kenai Municipal Code, Chapter 14.05, Planning & Zoning Commission, to Add a New Section 14.05.015 Entitled, "Appointment to Planning & Zoning Commission" Requiring Public Advertisement and Notice of Vacancies on the Commission, Permitting Any Member of the Council to Nominate a Person for Appointment to the Commission, and Defining the Term of Office. (Clerk's Note: Ordinance No. 2527 -201.1 failed to be introduced at the January 19, 2011 Council meeting. At the February 2, 2011 Council Meeting, the May 10, 2011 work session was scheduled and it was suggested Ordinance No. 2527 -2011 be included in . the work session discussion related to possible amendments to Commission and Committee Appointments and Public Notification of Vacancies on commissions and Committees.) Comments included: • Concern the process would, be too cumbersome if two or three people have submitted applications for appointment to one commission and Council would vote on the nominations. • Currently, an applicant could be blackballed from being appointed to a commission / committee. • Criteria for deciding whose name would be forwarded for confirmation by Council was not known; these concerns were brought forward when reappointments were being made in January and no one was aware one of the applicants would not be re- nominated or for what reasons; and, there was no application included in the packet for the person nominated. • Suggestion more information be made available to Council Members to make educated or informed decisions was needed. • Better communication was needed between mayor and council members. • Suggestion to periodically publish an advertisement noting commission /committee vacancies. Applications received may also be filed for when vacancies are available. • City Clerk include a memorandum in packets to identify new vacancies and a memo with applications received identifying if there is a vacancy and if not, file the application for when a vacancy opens. COUNCIL WORK SESSION MAY 10, 2011 PAGE 4 • Suggestion to include a vacancy /nomination for any commission or committee on a council meeting agenda as a discussion item. • Suggestion to use the language suggested in Ordinance No. 2527 -2011 related to Term of Office, i.e. "...shall continue until successor is named." Agreement on the following items: • City Clerk advertises quarterly in the newspaper what commissions and committees are active in the City of Kenai and encourage citizens to apply for appointment consideration. Applications received would be included in Council packets as information items as is done currently. • When there is a vacancy and application(s) are available, include on the Council meeting agenda a discussion /approval item for appointment consideration. Clerk to include a memorandum with application(s) identifying vacancies on what commissions /committees. Mayor /Council to provide the Clerk with other relevant information related to the vacancy to be included in the meeting packet with the application. • Some of the items discussed will need to be brought forward in an ordinance and some include in the agenda preparation policy. ITEM 2: PROVIDE DIRECTION FOR PREPARATION OF AMENDMENTS TO CODE, ETC. Review discussion held at Item 1 -b. ITEM 3: ADJOURNMENT The work session ended at approximately 8:30 p.m. Notes prepared by: Carol L. Freas, City Clerk OV BY COUNCIL 4L'' -�