Council reviews draft ordinance to shift commissions into committees

The council conducted a first review of proposed ordinance changes to chapter 2 that would align volunteer advisory bodies with the current city-manager structure by shifting from decision-making commissions to advisory committees. "To align the work of our volunteers, we are considering shifting from a commission to a committee structure," the Chair said, adding the change mirrors practices in other cities.

Under the draft language, the Parks and Commons body would become the Community Spaces Committee with broader responsibility for advising on open spaces and emphasizing implementation of the greater commons master plan. The Chair said this was an initial review and that public hearings will be scheduled as the council finalizes ordinance text.