El Paso council directs city manager, city attorney to review boards and commissions

Mayor Pro Tem Chavez asked the El Paso City Council on Jan. 22 to direct the city manager and city attorney to review all city boards and commissions to determine whether some should be combined, revised or formally designated as dormant.

The council voted unanimously to send the review request to staff. "All we're asking is for the city attorney and the city manager to review these boards," Mayor Pro Tem Chavez said, adding that some panels had not been revised for at least 10 years and several have struggled to meet quorum.

The request, made by Chavez and placed on the agenda by representatives Chavez, Rocha and Trejo, sought a structural review to ensure boards use city resources efficiently and meet their intended goals. Representative Rocha said the review was meant to "ensure that our boards and commissions are functioning effectively and meeting their internal goals, as well as using the city resources wisely." Representative Veil Limon described her own experience serving on a board that met only twice in two years because members failed to produce a quorum.

Council members discussed practical follow-ups they want staff to consider: identifying boards that are effectively dormant and labeling them clearly on the city's web pages; establishing a notification system when appointees repeatedly miss meetings; and exploring whether some commissions should meet "as needed" rather than on a regular calendar. Representative Acevedo urged the council to activate the youth advisory committee and consider appointing a high-school freshman who could serve multiple years.

During public comment, longtime commission member Lisa Turner told council members that appointees must want to serve and urged better rules for excused absences, hybrid meeting options, and substitute members. "We need something like that for our boards," Turner said, describing a recent meeting where only two of five members appeared, preventing work from proceeding.

The motion to authorize the review passed unanimously. Council members said they expect the city attorney and city manager to return with recommendations on consolidation, quorum rules, notification procedures and any ordinance changes needed to implement the improvements.

The review is intended as an administrative direction; the council did not adopt changes to any board or commission on Jan. 22.