Staff proposes cutting 14-day notice for mayoral appointments; council favors shorter notice for reappointments

City staff presented a proposed change to a 1999 ordinance that currently requires the mayor to provide written notice 14 days before council consideration of nominations to boards and commissions.

Sherry, a city department head, told the council staff wants to remove the 14-day written-notice requirement to streamline appointments and reappointments. “Staff would like to eliminate this requirement to help streamline the process and speed up how quickly appointments and reappointments can be approved,” Sherry said.

Why it matters: The 1999 ordinance established the 14-day notification window so council members would have time to review nominations and raise questions about appointees. Staff said the notice in the council packet would remain but that the formal 14-day advance written notice is causing delays that sometimes prevent timely approvals.

Council discussion and direction: Several council members said they valued advance notice but would be willing to shorten it. One councilmember suggested keeping 14 days for brand-new appointments but allowing reappointments to proceed with packet notice only. Other councilmembers proposed a seven-day notice period as a compromise. “If it's a reappointment to one of those boards, then I don't need 14 days notice; in my opinion the packet is sufficient,” one councilmember said.

Next steps: Staff said it will return with a revised ordinance at the next available meeting reflecting the council's preferences, including options for a seven-day notice and updating obsolete entries such as the Two Rivers Cable Commission listing.

Ending: No ordinance was adopted at the meeting; staff will draft changes and bring an ordinance back for consideration.