Madison staff propose merging Economic Development and Vending committees into new Business and Economic Resources Committee

Deputy Mayor Christy Baumel and City economic development staff on Sept. 16 presented a plan to reorganize several city boards, commissions and committees and proposed merging the Economic Development Committee and the Vending Oversight Committee into a single Business and Economic Resources Committee (BERC).

The proposal, which was presented for discussion to the Common Council Executive Committee, includes a draft ordinance to combine the two committees, guidance that staff will draft the ordinance in the coming months, and a preliminary schedule that would seek Common Council approval in November or December, mayoral appointments in January and the first meeting of the new committee in February. "We were trying to make sure we had effective and efficient operations, strong accountable committees, clarity for residents who were working and engaging in the legislative process, and accessible community oriented engagement," Deputy Mayor Christy Baumel said.

Why it matters: the changes would consolidate oversight for business policy, street vending and sidewalk cafes into a single body, alter how some vending approvals are handled, and change committee membership and staffing needs — affecting small businesses, food-cart vendors, neighborhood commercial districts and city staff workload.

Details of the BERC proposal

Matt McClojewski, the city’s economic development director, said staff propose a new Business and Economic Resources Committee with 11 voting members: a mayoral designee, one downtown alder, two other alder members and seven resident members with experience in business, real estate or workforce development. The committee would also include up to three nonvoting technical advisors who hold active street vending or sidewalk-café licenses and who would provide on-the-ground perspective. "The proposed name for the new committee … is the Business and Economic Resources Committee, or the BERC," McClojewski said.

Terms and duties described by staff include three-year staggered terms for members, annual election of a chair and vice chair, monthly meetings (staff proposed polling members on a preferred Wednesday), and responsibilities to advise the mayor and Common Council on economic development programs, business supports and vending and sidewalk-café regulations. Staff said at least one committee member would participate in an annual food-cart review and that the committee would prepare an economic development plan at least once every 10 years.

Changes to vending approvals

McClojewski told the committee staff are also considering ordinance changes to move some decisions now requiring committee approval to administrative staff review. Under the proposal the committee would retain authority to approve the geographic boundaries where special vending rules apply (examples cited by staff included the State Street Mall Concourse and Southeast Campus), but staff would be authorized to set the specific individual vendor locations within that boundary. McClojewski said appeals to staff decisions could be heard by the committee: "we authorize staff administratively to approve the individual locations of individual vendors. Obviously there could be an appeal process to the committee if someone disagrees with staff."

Onboardings, training and other committees

Baumel described additional work already under way to standardize onboarding and training for BCC staff and members. She said the Human Resources and City Attorney’s offices have led efforts to create a "train-the-trainer" approach so committee staff can better orient new chairs and members, and staff plan to repackage an earlier large training into shorter, on-demand videos covering Robert’s Rules, the legislative process, ethics and public records.

Baumel also reviewed other BCC items discussed since March, saying the Joint Campus Area Committee will remain a city committee because it has an official role in making recommendations to the university design review board. The City–County–Schools Liaison Committee has recommended dissolving unless one of the three partner bodies (city, county or school district) asks it to continue; Baumel said staff would return with ordinance language in the coming months if dissolution is requested. Staff are still exploring combining several awards committees but had no final recommendation at the meeting.

Public comment and alder questions

One registered public speaker, Travis Austin, told the committee he supported the restructuring and suggested BCCs be required by ordinance to meet at least once a year so they do not go long periods without convening. "I also just wanted to come and also suggest that as far as this restructuring, either in ordinance or in policy, we also have a requirement that BCCs meet at minimum at least once a year," Austin said.

Alders raised questions about public participation, committee workload, meeting frequency, and how the new committee would support businesses navigating city processes. Several alders requested clearer definitions (for example, how "downtown alder" would be defined for the mayoral appointment) and urged staff to coordinate training and outreach so community members and newer alders can understand committee subject matter such as licensing and zoning. McClojewski noted some services (for example liquor licensing) are handled by other offices and said his office refers applicants to the City Clerk’s Office and the Office of Business Resources for one-on-one assistance.

Status and next steps

The presentation was for discussion only; no ordinance was adopted at the Sept. 16 meeting. McClojewski said staff would work with the City Attorney’s Office to draft a combining ordinance over the next two months and planned to bring the draft to the Common Council for approval in November or December, with new appointments in January and the first meeting of the BERC in February.

Ending

Committee members indicated general receptivity but asked staff to return with draft ordinance language and clearer definitions of membership and duties. Staff said they would continue refining membership language, the proposed geographic boundaries tied to vending rules, and the training materials for committee members.