Proposed ordinance would shrink Metro Arts Commission from 15 to 11 members; bylaws and quorum on notice

A bill filed on first reading would reduce the Metro Arts Commission’s membership from 15 to 11, a change Metro Arts leaders said would become effective only after the legislation passes and the mayor notifies the clerk.

The proposal (identified in meeting materials as BL 2025-811) was discussed at the Metro Arts Executive Committee meeting. Interim Executive Director Ashley Batchelder told the committee the mayor would send notice to the clerk to formalize the reduction if the ordinance passes. Batchelder also said she submitted a personal letter of support for the legislation after consulting with commissioners and staff.

The change would alter quorum calculations used by the commission. Commissioners noted that, until the ordinance is adopted, existing bylaws and code language still govern meeting quorums. Metro Legal advised the committee that, under the current language in the Metro Code and the commission bylaws, quorum remains eight members until statutory language changes and until the commission adopts any bylaw amendments that would set a different quorum.

Committee members discussed timing: if the ordinance passed on a fast track with no deferrals, Batchelder said it could take effect as early as May 20, which would affect the membership count at the commission’s next full meeting. Committee members and Metro Legal emphasized that any bylaws changes would still require the commission’s internal amendment process — including a two-thirds vote when the commission takes up bylaw amendments.

The committee agreed to fold a bylaw review into upcoming executive-committee work, noting the review is already recommended by the department’s audit process. Batchelder said staff will circulate existing bylaws and notes from earlier reviews, and that a more substantive bylaws revision would follow the outcome of the pending legislation.

The discussion also referenced a broader Metro-wide package of changes affecting multiple boards and commissions; the reported draft touches a range of boards as part of a standardization effort across Metro departments. Committee members asked Metro Legal to provide the memo on quorum interpretation and noted that the commission could, if it chose, incorporate an appointment‑based quorum rule into future bylaws changes.

If the ordinance is deferred, commissioners said the commission will continue to operate under the current 15‑member structure and the existing quorum rules until the legislation is adopted and bylaws are amended.

Ending: The committee did not take a final vote on the ordinance itself; the item was discussed so commissioners could plan committee rosters, meeting cadence, and the scheduled bylaws review in light of the proposed changes.