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Council asks staff to draft bylaws for Small Business Advisory Committee
Summary
At a March 3 workshop, council members agreed staff would draft bylaws for a proposed Small Business Advisory Committee to meet quarterly, with seven members (one resident seat), a suggested quorum of four, and a path to route land-development recommendations through the Planning & Zoning board.
City Clerk Zlatnick said the city will draft bylaws and a resolution to create a Small Business Advisory Committee after council discussion at a March 3 workshop.
The proposed advisory group would have seven members, meet at least quarterly and be composed largely of small-business owners, with at least one seat reserved for a city resident. City staff and council debated eligibility rules: small businesses were described during the meeting as those with fewer than 100 employees, and members would be required to have been owners for a period (council discussed one year for general qualification and six months of Edgewater residency for at least one member). "I'll put together the bylaws and the resolution creating the committee," City Clerk Zlatnick said.
Council members discussed quorum size and workload. One member suggested mirroring the Planning & Zoning board with seven members and a quorum of five to ensure diverse perspectives; others warned that a five-person quorum could make volunteer participation difficult and recommended a quorum of four to keep the committee functional. Council members also proposed a one-year probationary period to assess volunteer turnout.
Council and staff emphasized that any land development code changes originating with the new committee should follow the established process: recommendations would be transmitted to the Planning & Zoning board and then to city council, rather than bypassing the Planning & Zoning board. "You really don't want to have the small business committee making recommendations to city council on land development code changes when the planning and zoning board has been tasked with that," City Clerk Zlatnick said.
Staff described administrative support: development services will take agenda requests, prepare agendas under the economic development umbrella, and post meeting notices in accordance with sunshine-law requirements. Staff told council that agendas should be posted a minimum of five days in advance, and that meetings are typically recorded though only minutes are legally required.
The council voiced goals for the committee to help small businesses navigate city processes, produce an accessible resource or 'landing page' for entrepreneurs, and consider a rebranding that highlights that Edgewater is small-business friendly. Concerns about duplicating existing boards' roles were raised, but council members agreed the committee could serve as a liaison to staff and a public-facing resource for business owners. City Clerk Zlatnick confirmed she will present bylaws and the creating resolution to council for consideration.
Next steps: staff will prepare the draft bylaws and resolution reflecting the agreed parameters (seven members, quarterly meetings, residency and business-ownership criteria, quorum guidance) and return the item to council for formal action.
