Committee approves forwarding ordinance to change Downtown Parking Advisory Committee chair to counselor liaison

The Business & Economic Development Committee voted to forward an amended ordinance to City Council that replaces the committee’s current practice of having the council chair serve as committee chair with a counselor liaison appointment.

Committee members debated how to set the liaison’s term: staff suggested annual appointment by the council chair; Counselor Beck recommended explicitly adding an annual term to the ordinance. Several councilors said making committee rules more consistent across committees would help public understanding of committee operations.

The committee agreed the change would bring the downtown parking committee in line with other advisory bodies. A motion to send the amended ordinance to the City Council was moved, seconded and advanced.

The amendment will go to the full council for consideration; staff suggested any broader changes to committee structure might be considered by the Government Operations committee in the future.