Newport narrows committee interview process; planning and budget to remain full-council reviews

City staff asked the Newport City Council to clarify and standardize how it handles interviews and appointments to the city's committees. Allie Anderson, the city recorder, opened the item as a staff report seeking Council direction on whether to formalize current informal practices.

"The purpose of this item is to have a discussion about how the city conducts interviews for the committee for committee appointments," Allie Anderson said. She described current practice, which ranges from mayor-and-manager interviews to full-council interviews for some committees.

Councilors said the planning commission and the budget committee should continue to be treated differently because those bodies carry quasi-legislative authority. Several councilors favored a streamlined approach for other committees, with the committee chair and the council liaison conducting interviews and making recommendations to the mayor.

One councilor recommended inviting nominated appointees to the council meeting at which the appointment would be considered so council members can meet them in person. Council members also suggested revising the committee application to ask more substantive questions that better reveal applicants' motivation and experience.

Council direction recorded at the meeting: planning commission and budget committee positions will continue to be reviewed by the full council; for all other committees the committee chair and the council liaison will conduct interviews and forward recommendations to the mayor for placement on the consent calendar; appointees will be invited to the council meeting when their appointment is placed on the agenda. Council asked staff to draft proposed council-rule language and return it for adoption.

No formal ordinance or final rule change was adopted at the meeting; council gave staff direction to draft rule language and to return the proposal for future adoption.