Planning Commission Meeting Date: March 20, 2025
To: Planning Commission
From: Mikayla Schmidt, City Planner
Title
Election of Planning Commission Chair and Vice-Chair.
Body
Action Requested:
The Planning Commission makes a motion to nominate the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Planning Commission.
Summary Report:
Betsey Buckheit is currently serving as Chair and Tracy Davis Heisler was the previous serving Vice-Chair, who’s term has ended.
Below are excerpts from City Code related to the role of Chair and Vice-Chair.
Sec. 2-286. Officers.
(a) Chairperson and vice-chairperson. Each board or commission annually shall elect from its members a chairperson and vice-chairperson to serve a term of one year. Serving in such capacity shall conform to the member's term on the board or commission. A chairperson elected to fill a vacancy shall be eligible to serve three full terms in addition to the remainder of the vacated term. There are no term limits for the position of vice-chairperson, except that serving in such capacity shall conform to the member's term on the board or commission.
(b) The vice chairperson performs the duties of the chairperson in the chairperson's absence. If both the chairperson and the vice chairperson are absent, an acting chairperson may be assigned in advance by either officer or at the meeting by a majority vote of the members.
(Ord. No. 1061, § 5, 6-4-2024)
Staff will give a summary introduction to the topic as outlined in the memo. Staff recommends a nomination process which is a formal proposal to the voting body in an election to fill an office or position, suggesting a particular person as the one who should be elected. It is recommended to use the following process of taking nominations from the floor (per Roberts Rules of Order option):
1. Vice-Chair (or the Chair if the Vice-Chair is no longer serving) announces that “we will take nominations for the position of Chair from members of the floor for the office of “Chair.”
a. Any member may then call out, for example, “I nominate fill in name,” without needing to be recognized by the chair. No seconds are necessary. The chair then announces, “”Fill in name” is nominated.”
b. When it appears that everyone who wishes to make a nomination has done so, the Chair says, “Are there any further nominations? [Pause.] If not, [pause] nominations are closed.”
c. Individuals who were nominated could choose to remove themselves from consideration of appointment. They should state “I respectfully decline my nomination.”
d. If only one candidate has been nominated for an office, the vice-chair simply declares the nominee elected.
e. If there is more than one candidate a written ballot process will be conducted with the one receiving majority approval. Staff will have paper and pencils available at the meeting for the ballot vote. The election becomes final when the chair announces the result of the ballot and the candidate is present and does not decline or is absent but has previously consented to serve. Otherwise, it becomes final when an absent candidate is notified and does not immediately decline.
2. If applicable, repeat the process above with the new Chair to lead for “Vice-Chair” office should Vice-Chair office become vacant due to a new appointment.
3. If applicable, repeat the process above for “Secretary” office should the Secretary office become vacant due to a new appointment.
The board does not currently have any formal process of rotation of officers. However, as noted earlier the Chair position is limited to three terms total.
The officers would take office immediately after the election of all officers is completed as there are no special provisions for a later date to take office.
Only voting members of the board/commission may hold office as Chair and Vice Chair. No member of the City Council on the board/commission in a voting or non-voting role may hold the role of chair or vice-chair.
Alternative Options:
None recommended.
Financial Impacts:
NA
Tentative Timelines:
NA