Palaca updates volunteer boards, applies new application and proposes smaller planning board

City staff presented a multi-document package on April 23 designed to standardize volunteer-board recruitment, onboarding and removal across Palaca’s 17 boards and committees. The package included a revised application that prompts applicants to confirm any statutory or ordinance-based eligibility criteria, a recruitment policy (posting vacancies at least 30 days where practicable), an orientation guide (sunshine law, conflicts, quasi-judicial guidance), and an internal staff checklist for consistent administration.

Staff stressed that some boards (for example those established by ordinance) require ordinance changes to alter membership rules and that a matrix in the packet identifies which boards have such constraints. Commissioners asked for an online, fillable form to minimize application errors and to conduct an administrative review of existing members to align them with the new process. Public commenter Miss Kitchens noted a minor correction to the public-art committee membership count and offered state-law reminders about board requirements.

On a related item, the commission approved on first reading Ordinance 2026-27 to reduce the planning-board membership from nine to five plus one alternate and to add attendance requirements. Commissioners emphasized that orientation and clear expectations should accompany any board-size change.

Next steps: staff will post updated application materials in a fillable format, confirm residency and membership criteria where necessary, and prepare any ordinance drafts required to implement changes to boards established by ordinance.