Oak Harbor advisory board recommends council adopt updated bylaws and code changes
May 07, 2026 | Oak Harbor, Island County, Washington
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The Oak Harbor Police Community Advisory Board voted May 6 to recommend that City Council adopt a set of bylaws and municipal-code changes intended to clarify board operations and volunteer selection.
The executive services director told the board the changes appear in Resolution 2606 and Ordinance 20042 and include instituting an interview process for volunteer applicants, adding rules for when members may attend remotely, changing the board schedule from monthly to every other month, clarifying agenda-notice timelines and adding a membership-removal clause and a "no-surprises" communications rule. "The city council requested that when we are looking for volunteers that we institute an interview process," the executive services director said while reviewing the tracked changes included in the packet.
Board members immediately moved and seconded a recommendation of approval; the motion carried by voice vote. Staff said both documents will be placed on a future council agenda for final approval.
The recommendation follows the mayor's broader presentation earlier in the meeting on the advisory board's role in the city's strong-mayor system, and a staff reminder that notes, emails and other materials held by board members may be subject to public-records requests. The executive services director advised creating a shared mailbox for constituent communications received on private accounts so records can be retrieved if requested.
The board's action is advisory: final adoption of the proposed changes resides with the City Council. The board also scheduled a separate CAP update to council, agreeing to present at the July 14 workshop to report on the CAB's work over the prior 18 months.
Next steps: staff will add the recommended resolution and ordinance to a council agenda for consideration.
The executive services director told the board the changes appear in Resolution 2606 and Ordinance 20042 and include instituting an interview process for volunteer applicants, adding rules for when members may attend remotely, changing the board schedule from monthly to every other month, clarifying agenda-notice timelines and adding a membership-removal clause and a "no-surprises" communications rule. "The city council requested that when we are looking for volunteers that we institute an interview process," the executive services director said while reviewing the tracked changes included in the packet.
Board members immediately moved and seconded a recommendation of approval; the motion carried by voice vote. Staff said both documents will be placed on a future council agenda for final approval.
The recommendation follows the mayor's broader presentation earlier in the meeting on the advisory board's role in the city's strong-mayor system, and a staff reminder that notes, emails and other materials held by board members may be subject to public-records requests. The executive services director advised creating a shared mailbox for constituent communications received on private accounts so records can be retrieved if requested.
The board's action is advisory: final adoption of the proposed changes resides with the City Council. The board also scheduled a separate CAP update to council, agreeing to present at the July 14 workshop to report on the CAB's work over the prior 18 months.
Next steps: staff will add the recommended resolution and ordinance to a council agenda for consideration.
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