[bouldercouncilhotline] Hotline: Boards and Commissions

[cmosupport at bouldercolorado.gov]

Sender: Burton, Jan

Council:

I know we’re looking for ways to improve public feedback mechanisms and improve our governance ratings from the recent survey.  I believe the Boards and Commissions can play a greater role in helping us solve both of these challenges.  Matt and I visited all the Boards and Commissions last year, and I noted that many of their meetings have no public in attendance. Yet, they are taking deep dives into the issues important to this community, and in many ways they have more expertise than the Council on a particular subject. I believe if we would work with them more closely, they could take a greater part in gathering public feedback and in vetting the issues.

We are all assigned to multiple internal and external organizations. Many of them don’t have the importance that our own designated Boards and Commissions do. As we finish our conversation tonight about our assignments, I’d like us to consider a greater role in Council working with our Boards and Commissions. Each of us could be the designated Council member responsible for one “large” board and one “small” board. Our role would not to be to influence content, but to ensure they are being heard by Council and by other Boards, to ensure staff and the Board are working well together, and to ensure they are aligned with the strategy of the Council.

Benefits would be greater access to the decision process by the public, better vetting of the issues, greater delegation, and better governance. I have discussed this idea with Jane, and she is supportive of considering this idea. If we agree to look into this further, Matt and I could flush out the details of methodology and expectations.

At the same time, we should review all current assignments to ensure they are having a real impact on our own city and that we’re spending our time in the most effective way possible.

Thanks for your consideration.

Jan Burton
Member of City Council