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Erica Bridal presents draft Volunteer Committee Policy; members ask for clearer conflict and recusal rules
Summary
Parks staffer Erica Bridal presented a draft Volunteer Committee Policy documenting how volunteer event committees should operate, prompting members to request added intra‑committee conflict‑resolution steps, clearer conflict‑of‑interest recusal language and softer wording around required subcommittees.
Erica Bridal, a parks/events staff member, presented a draft Volunteer Committee Policy that she said documents expectations and standard operating procedures for volunteer committees that assist with cultural events.
"In front of you, you have our draft policy for cultural events, and event committee responsibilities," Bridal said, adding the draft covers "procurement of services, identification of sponsors, selection of food vendors, proper communication channels." She said staff will take committee feedback and forward a revised document to council.
Committee members raised several specific edits. One member asked for a formal path to resolve conflicts between two committee members (not just staff‑committee disputes); Bridal said that path was not yet in the draft and agreed to consider adding it and to consult legal. The chair also urged a requirement that volunteers disclose family or friend relationships with potential vendors so the city can evaluate recusal where appropriate: "the volunteers point out if they are family or friends with 1 of the vendors that is being presented," the chair said.
Members also asked staff to soften language that could be read as making particular subcommittees mandatory for every event, noting smaller events such as a literary fair may not need all the listed subgroups. Bridal said she would "wordsmith" sections to clarify that subcommittees are recommended but not always required.
The committee also asked staff to capture both feedback on subcommittee assignments and feedback on the event itself after each event. Bridal said staff would incorporate the requested edits, seek legal review where appropriate, and bring the revised policy forward to the mayor and council for consideration.
