Council creates permanent homelessness committee, adds veteran-service representative

The Auburn City Council on June 16 advanced an ordinance to create a permanent Homelessness Committee and amended the proposed membership to include a representative from a veterans service organization.

The ordinance, brought forward from the Mayor’s Ad Hoc Committee on Homelessness, was presented for first reading and drew questions about member selection. “There's no carryover, it's a newly created committee,” a staff member explained; appointments will follow the city’s standard posting and selection process.

Councilor Adam Platt asked whether members of the ad hoc committee would carry over to the permanent committee; staff replied there would be a fresh appointment process administered by the clerk. Councilor Ben Weisner moved to amend the ordinance to add an additional member representing a Veterans Service Organization. The council voted to adopt the amendment and then, by roll call, approved the ordinance as amended.

What the ordinance will do: it creates a standing committee with ex officio staff members and nine appointed seats (as structured in the draft ordinance), plus the one added seat representing veterans’ services. Appointments will be posted and made through the clerk’s usual process, with the mayor to nominate the council’s representative.

Action taken: the council adopted the amendment to add the veterans representative by unanimous show of hands; the main motion as amended passed by roll call with five votes in the affirmative and none in the negative.

Ending: the item was approved on first reading; the clerk will post openings and the council will make appointments through the established process.