Committee keeps two-year alder terms for board and commission appointments after rejecting alternate

MADISON — On March 11 the Madison Common Council Executive Committee approved an amendment to section 33.016 of the Madison General Ordinances governing appointments to boards, commissions and committees, and rejected a proposed alternate that would have created one-year alder appointments in some cases. The main motion passed by a 5–1 roll-call vote after debate over administrative complexity and continuity for alders and appointees.

Alder Tishler, the sponsor, described the proposal as a compromise to allow one-year terms where only a single alder serves on a committee while preserving two-year terms where two or more alders serve. "Basically, this is a a revision of an alternate of the, alternate, that that takes into consideration, 1 year appointments... If there are 2 or more alders serving on a committee, then there'd be, it'd match our our existing, aldermatic terms, 2 years," he said, adding that consolidation of some committees would reduce the number requiring single-alder assignments.

The committee first voted on the second alternate, which failed on a 2–4 roll call (Aye: Alder Govindarajan, Alder Harrington McKinney; No: Vice President Duncan, Alder Conklin, Alder Martinez Rutherford, Alder Ugar). After that failure the committee considered and approved the original amendment to section 33.016.

Members discussed staff workload and administrative complexity. Sam, staff in the mayor’s office, said the mayor’s appointments manager had been consulted and that the most recent proposed alternate "would create the least additional administrative hassle of the various of the versions," adding that the office and staff were generally agnostic about whether the council preferred the original or the alternate because each approach trades off frequency of appointment tasks against added scheduling complexity.

City Attorney Haas told the committee he had contacted colleagues in Fitchburg and Middleton; he said officials there reported no widespread problems using one-year terms on committees. He noted, however, that Fitchburg and Middleton have fewer committees than Madison, which affects administrative burden.

Supporters of the original language argued two-year terms provide continuity for alders and for public members serving on boards. Opponents said shorter terms or a staggered system could allow more flexibility. After debate the roll call on the main motion recorded Vice President Duncan: Aye; Alder Govinda Rajan: Aye; Alder Conklin: Aye; Alder Martinez Rutherford: Aye; Alder Ugar: Aye; Alder Harrington McKinney: No.

The committee disposition leaves the existing two-year appointment cycle in place for most alder assignments while allowing staff and council leadership to proceed with consolidation of some committees as discussed during the meeting.