Groves council debates appointments, oversight and bylaws for EDC, P&Z and ZBA

Groves city council members discussed procedures and governance for three advisory bodies — the Planning and Zoning Commission, the Zoning Board of Adjustments and the Groves Economic Development Corporation — during their Feb. 5 work session, directing staff to draft application and ordinance language for future appointments.

Council considered a standard application and whether filling the form should be mandatory for all applicants, including current members seeking reappointment. “I would say it needs to be mandatory. Anybody that wants on needs to fill 1 of these out,” one council member said during the discussion of the sample application form.

PNC and ZBA: vacancies and process

Staff explained the Planning and Zoning Commission (PNC) has five regular members and two alternates, two‑year terms, and currently has two vacancies (one regular member and one alternate). The Zoning Board of Adjustments (ZBA) has five regular members and alternates; staff asked council whether they wanted a standard application and suggested setting an application deadline so the council could make appointments together.

EDC governance questions: council membership, oversight and executive director

Discussion of the Groves Economic Development Corporation (EDC) took up the bulk of the item. Staff recounted that the EDC was originally formed to fund the wastewater plant; its bylaws and financial role evolved, and the council must decide whether council members should continue to serve on the EDC or be represented instead by an ex‑officio liaison.

“The EDC has 7 members, that serve 2 year terms. We're resident of the city, and each board has to have at least 1, director representative of the ward,” staff said. Council members raised concerns that when council members also serve as EDC directors, the council’s oversight function can be blurred. One participant put it succinctly: if a majority of council members sit on the EDC, “you've lost that oversight function.”

Council and staff discussed several near‑term changes staff should draft for council consideration:

- Make the application form standard (council indicated support for requiring the form for future applicants and possibly for incumbents seeking reappointment). - Amend the city ordinance and EDC bylaws to clarify whether council members may serve as voting EDC directors, and to create an ex‑officio council liaison role if council wants a regular liaison without a voting seat. - Move appointment of the EDC executive director from the EDC board to the city council (council asked staff and the city attorney to draft ordinance language to accomplish that change). - Define financial thresholds or criteria for when EDC grant or abatement decisions need council approval; staff noted the EDC has a separate bank account and issues checks but that large projects or budget amendments historically come to council.

Budget and controls

Staff explained the EDC operates with its own bank account, separate check stock and monthly reporting; the city performs administration and is reimbursed for city staff time and overhead. The council discussed setting a threshold above which EDC expenditures or grants would be required to come to council for approval. Councilmembers also asked staff to prepare suggested ordinance language and possible bylaw changes addressing the appointment process and lines of authority.

Next steps

Council asked staff to return a revised application form and recommended ordinance and bylaw amendments for consideration at a future meeting (council members suggested placing the application on the next council agenda for adoption and setting a deadline for submissions). No formal votes were taken Feb. 5; staff will draft and circulate language for council consideration.