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Staff outline broad changes to Madison boards, commissions and committees; public input and timing remain unresolved
Summary
Staff presented a proposal to combine, dissolve and reassign duties across multiple city boards and commissions; items include combining community services-related committees, moving urban-forestry duties to Public Works, and adjusting CDBG committee membership rules. The presentation was informational and no votes were required.
City staff on Jan. 28 presented an informational update to the Common Council Executive Committee on a proposed reorganization of Madison’s boards, commissions and committees, including recommendations to combine some bodies, dissolve others, and reassign duties to better match current work and staffing.
Deputy Mayor Christy (presenting) said staff have met with the affected committees and are preparing a legislative package that may be introduced in February, subject to further input and timing adjustments. The presentation outlined two tracks: changes that appear straightforward for ordinance language and other items that require more time or partner coordination.
Key proposals discussed included combining the Community Services Committee, the Committee on Aging and the Early Childhood Care and Education Committee into a single Community Services committee; dissolving the CDD conference committee and the Ho-Chunk Nation–City of Madison Coordinating Committee (the latter has not met in 12 years and representatives preferred other coordination venues); and considering dissolution or reallocation of parts of the Downtown Coordinating Committee (with suggestions that finance or economic-development committees might take downtown budget-review duties).
Isaac (staff) and Deputy Mayor Bob Mehl discussed urban-forestry responsibilities. Isaac said he had consulted the Board of Park Commissioners and the Board of Public Works; both bodies indicated support for transferring urban-forestry ("tree board") responsibilities from the parks habitat stewardship subcommittee to the Board of Public Works, aligning with urban forestry’s move into the streets division in recent years.
Staff also proposed adding flexibility to Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) committee membership rules (to avoid persistent vacancies tied to narrowly defined seats) and combining economic development and vending oversight work — though staff said the vending oversight committee’s quasi-judicial duties make that change complicated and in need of more time. The vending permits season was noted as a busy window, and staff suggested a phased approach or staff-directed rewrite with a later ordinance return to council.
Deputy Mayor Christy said staff will continue outreach, collect committee input, and consider a Feb. 11 introduction date for the tidy subset of changes; other items may be submitted later or as staff-directed work with subsequent ordinance language. The presentation was informational only; no committee votes were taken. Staff said they would reach back to CCEC members about sponsorships and follow-up.
