Committee backs expanding sustainability advisory board from seven to nine members

The Rules and Procedure Committee voted to advance ordinance 26-0083, which would increase the membership cap of the mayor’s sustainability advisory board from seven to nine members.

Staff said the change aligns the sustainability board with other advisory bodies (most of which have nine members) and responds to workload and quorum challenges that hamper subcommittee work. "When you have 7 members, reaching quorum is harder. With 9, it'll be easier, and you'll also have more personnel to work and to lead some of these committees," staff said.

Alice Lindbergh, the city’s director of sustainability, told the committee the board has taken on more responsibilities under the new administration and that the expansion was requested internally to allow subcommittees to function and to add expertise. Lindbergh also noted that the city did not receive applicants from several wards that currently lack representation and invited aldermen to recommend candidates. "If you know of anybody in those districts that would like to apply, that would be great," Lindbergh said.

Committee members voiced support for the expansion and a desire to prioritize applicants from underrepresented wards when possible. The ordinance moved forward on a recorded voice vote of 5-0 and will be included in the Council of the Whole packet for additional review and final action.

What’s next: Staff will include the ordinance and supporting materials in the next Council of the Whole agenda; aldermen were asked to suggest applicants from underrepresented wards to improve geographic representation on the board.