Meeting Date: June 13, 2017 COUNCIL COMMUNICATION Agenda Item: Agenda Location: Action Items Work Plan # Legal Review: 1 st Reading 2 nd Reading Subject: A resolution establishing three Council Ad Hoc Committees related to Education, Housing, and Council Training. Recommended by: Robb Kolstad Approved by: Jeffrey B. Coder Ordinance previously Presenter(s): Robb Kolstad, Assistant City Manager introduced by: SYNOPSIS: This resolution establishes three Council Ad Hoc Committees related to Education, Housing, and Council Training. At the 2017 Advance, City Council expressed a desire to form three ad hoc committees to research and discuss the proposed topics and generate policy considerations to be presented to the balance of City Council for inclusion in the Work Plan. It is proposed that the work of the Council Ad Hoc Committees will end with the reporting of recommendations to the City Council in 2017 or when City Council determines that no further committee review or recommendations are necessary. Membership on each of the Council Ad Hoc Committees is listed in the Council Communication Background. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends Alternative No. 1, approval of the resolution establishing three Council Ad Hoc Committees. BUDGET/STAFF IMPLICATIONS: None. ALTERNATIVES: 1. Approve the resolution as recommended. 2. Do not approve the resolution. BACKGROUND (ANALYSIS/NEXT STEPS/HISTORY): (includes previous City Council action) Council Ad Hoc Committees Overview Section 2-87 of the City Code allows City Council to establish, by resolution, ad hoc committees and requires that City Council assign duties to the ad hoc committee. The ad hoc committees serve until such time the City Council determines that the assigned duties are complete or that no further review or recommendations are needed. Included below are charges for each of the three proposed ad hoc committees. Within each charge, there are three to four key policy areas outlining the focus of the ad hoc committee. Staff will provide minimal support to the ad hoc committees, as the purpose is for the Councilmembers to discuss
COUNCIL COMMUNICATION PAGE 2 these policy issues. Councilmembers serving on the ad hoc committees will present any recommendations to the balance of City Council. If City Council determines that the ad hoc committee recommendations should be included in the Work Plan, staff will prepare an amendment to the Work Plan for City Council consideration, including any impacts on programs or projects included in the adopted Work Plan. Education Ad Hoc Committee Charge The City Council recognizes the importance of having a strong relationship between the City and the schools and organizations providing educational services to students in Thornton. The City Council is interested in becoming more informed about certain issues facing the schools and organizations that provide educational services so that the City Council can determine if there are potential initiatives that should or could be undertaken. The City Council desires to establish an ad hoc committee on Education to investigate these four key areas and provide information and recommend potential Work Plan initiatives for consideration by the entire Council. Research the supply and demand for preschool services in Thornton and explore alternative models, such as the Denver program, that are utilized to provide opportunities for low- and moderate-income families to access preschool services. Obtain information about school overcrowding in each of the Districts and their plans to address any overcrowding issues. Obtain information about how the Districts and other organizations are addressing providing after-school and summer programs and/or facilities for youth in low-income areas of the community. Obtain information on middle school sports programs currently offered by the Districts including any costs, along with what programming has been offered in the past by the Districts and/or other organizations. The Education Ad Hoc Committee will include Councilmember Jan Kulmann, Councilmember Josh Zygielbaum, Councilmember Val Vigil, and Councilmember Jacque Phillips. Housing Ad Hoc Committee Charge The City Council recognizes the lack of affordable and/or attainable housing in Thornton and the greater Denver Metro. The shortage of housing options for working families and seniors have an impact on the local economy and quality of life for the people who live in Thornton. The City Council is interested in exploring options to increase access to affordable and/or attainable housing, both in Thornton and the North Metro region. The City Council desires to establish an ad hoc committee on Housing to investigate these three key areas and provide information and recommend potential Work Plan initiatives for consideration by the entire Council. Research policies to promote development of affordable/attainable housing, including alternatives to encourage housing geographically dispersed throughout the City and integrated within planned residential developments. Explore options to assist in funding affordable/attainable housing development.
COUNCIL COMMUNICATION PAGE 3 Discuss regional approaches and opportunities for advocacy to increase access to affordable/attainable housing in the North Metro region. The Housing Ad Hoc Committee will include Mayor Heidi Williams, Mayor Pro Tem Eric Montoya, Councilmember Sam Nizam, Councilmember Val Vigil, and Councilmember Mack Goodman. Council Training Ad Hoc Committee Charge The City Council recognizes the large amount of information that a newly elected Councilmember is expected to take in when beginning their term in office. That information includes not only how the City government works to provide services, but also how the City Council works to set policy. The City Council is interested in providing training to newly elected Councilmembers to assist in developing an understanding of how the City government and City Council function. The City Council desires to establish an ad hoc committee on Council Training to investigate these three key areas and provide information and recommend potential Work Plan initiatives for consideration by the entire Council. Develop a training curriculum that provides an overview of City Council roles and responsibilities, including Council meetings and planning sessions, external board and committee assignments, internal boards and commissions, and other authorities, boards, and commissions. Develop a training curriculum that provides an overview of the City government, including the work plan goals/objectives, levels of service and organizational structure, and capital improvement plan. Develop an ongoing training curriculum that provides an overview of legislative and legal issues, including meeting procedures, quasi-judicial functions, zoning, metro district, and land use law, City Code review, home rule authority, open records, pending litigation, and Robert s Rules of Order. The Council Training Ad Hoc Committee will include Mayor Heidi Williams, Councilmember Josh Zygielbaum, Councilmember Jacque Phillips, and Councilmember Adam Matkowsky.
R E S O L U T I O N A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING THREE COUNCIL AD HOC COMMITTEES RELATED TO EDUCATION, HOUSING, AND COUNCIL TRAINING. WHEREAS, Section 2-87 of the City Code allows City Council to establish, by resolution, ad hoc committees and requires that City Council assign duties to the ad hoc committee; and WHEREAS, Section 2-87 of the City Code requires that ad hoc committees serve until such time the City Council determines that the assigned duties are complete or that no further review or recommendations are needed; and WHEREAS, City Council desires to establish three Council ad-hoc committees to review issues related to Education, Housing, and Council Training; and WHEREAS, the Education Ad Hoc Committee is tasked with reviewing issues facing the schools and organizations that provide educational services, the Housing Ad Hoc Committee is tasked with exploring options to increase access to affordable and/or attainable housing, and the Council Training Ad Hoc Committee is tasked with providing training to newly elected Councilmembers to assist in developing an understanding of how the City government and City Council function; and WHEREAS, the purpose of the ad hoc committees is to research and discuss the proposed topics and generate policy considerations to be presented to the balance of City Council for inclusion in the Work Plan; and WHEREAS, the work of the Council Ad Hoc Committees will end with the reporting of recommendations to the City Council in 2017 or when City Council determines that no further committee review or recommendations are necessary. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF THORNTON, COLORADO, AS FOLLOWS: The Education, Housing, and Council Training Council Ad Hoc Committees are hereby established. The work of each Committee shall end upon presenting its recommendations in 2017 or when Council determines that no further review or recommendations are necessary. PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Thornton, Colorado, on, 2017.
CITY OF THORNTON, COLORADO Heidi K. Williams, Mayor ATTEST: Kristen N. Rosenbaum, City Clerk 2