Georgetown council adopts new transparency steps for board appointments; one reappointment tabled

Georgetown’s City Council on Nov. 24 approved a set of procedural changes intended to increase transparency around board appointments and reappointments. After extended discussion about the breadth of upcoming appointments and the availability of candidate information, the council voted to require that future appointment recommendations include updated resumes or biographies, prior appointment history, and clearer website posting of open positions.

The meeting recorded a lengthy exchange over whether councilmembers had adequate background information for the many reappointments on the agenda. Councilmember Frank Allen and others requested time to review candidate materials before voting. The mayor said most items were reappointments but agreed staff would provide background going forward. Devin, a staff member, briefed the council on outstanding vacancies and application deadlines.

One reappointment drew extra scrutiny: Jeff Clark’s reappointment to the Georgetown Municipal Water and Sewer Service Board was tabled so staff could supply how many terms Clark previously had served and bring the item back Dec. 8 with additional documentation. The mayor stated he would add Clark to the next set of appointees and return the materials to council.

Council also passed a motion to review and update the appointment process and the city website to make application deadlines and board vacancies clearer to the public. The council recorded the motion as passed by voice vote.