Glendale council reappoints standing committees; members urge more use of committees for ordinance and budget review

The Common Council of the City of Glendale approved reappointments to its standing committees and to city committees, commissions and boards and directed staff to place a discussion on the next agenda about increased committee use for ordinance and budget review.

Council members voted unanimously to approve the standing committee appointments and the slate of committee, commission and board reappointments after the mayor said she had reached out to appointees and they were willing to serve another term. Several aldermen said committees historically handled only licensing and permits but could be used more broadly.

Alder Audra Shaw and others pressed for clearer committee use. The city administrator and mayor cited the city code provision (cited in the meeting as city code 2.4.07) that allows items such as the budget, ordinance updates and personnel matters to be referred to a committee for review prior to coming to the full council. The mayor asked staff to add a specific agenda item at the next meeting so the council could give staff direction on which agenda items to refer to committee.

Council members said the legislative committee — which includes three aldermen — has been used effectively to vet items and suggested identifying other items that would benefit from committee consideration. The motion to approve the standing committee appointments carried by voice vote; the motion to approve the committees, commissions and boards was similarly approved without objection.

The council agreed to return to the topic at the next meeting to detail how committees should be used going forward.