Planning Commission Change Regarding Citizen Commissioners

In hopes of improving the exchange of information between the >Planning Commission and other boards and commissions, the Planning Commission has changed its procedure for testimony.

Now official testimony from City bodies, including boards and commissions, will occur directly after staff report presentations near the beginning of proceedings. In a letter from David Hill, the chair of the Planning Commission to fellow commissioners, he explains:

The rationale is that when City bodies are presenting an officially adopted position (e.g. the recommendations of a board or commission,) this content is a supplement to official City presentation and as such, it should occur in that context in our meetings. Therefore, it makes sense to us for staff to present their general report on a matter and then hear other detailed official City recommendations before moving on to applicant and general public testimony.

The Planning Commission notes that testimony will be easier to give since it will be at a predictable time during the meetings and therefore they hope to have other boards and commissions provide more input. The letter explains:

We note with regret that our boards and commissions are compartmentalized too frequently, and we miss opportunities to obtain citizen commissioner expertise in matters where our purviews overlap.

This testimonial order if for officially adopted content only, commissioners giving individual testimony must do so during the general public portion of the meeting.

Any change which brings our volunteers together to serve the City better are most welcome. Our citizen commissioners have a wealth of expertise to share.

What's Up From Our Boards and Commissions

Monday night I had the opportunity to join with representatives from the >City of Rockville Boards and Commissions for a work session with the Mayor and Council. Tables were arranged during the regularly scheduled Mayor and Council meeting so we could sit facing each other, review our accomplishments, and propose our work plans for the next Fiscal Year 2010.

This work session grew out of the recommendations from last year’s work group on boards and commissions. The work group recommended regular meetings and more interaction with the mayor and council.

Taken as a whole, the accomplishments for Fiscal Year 2009 were quite extensive. For a broad overview, you can read all the reports from the Boards and Commissions in this one document on the City’s website. Take a glance. You might be surprised by all that goes on!

I was struck by how many volunteers dedicate their time to all the different areas of our public life. The Boards and Commissions are quite diverse and you could tell the work ebbs and flows. Some described themselves as opinionated. Others seemed to be dedicated to specific tasks for the City. The Personnel Appeals Board didn’t send a representative because they hadn’t met in the last year, while the Board of Appeals recently met for nine hours on a Saturday. The Cultural Arts Commission has many subcommittees. Landlord-Tenant Affairs Commission has alternates.

You can listen to all the reports On Demand from Channel 11. Just click on the September 21, 2009 meeting. You’ll also hear the responses from our elected officials on such topics as the historic designation of private properties and citizen input during the development process. My report on the Human Services Advisory Commission is about half way through, as we went in alphabetical order.

I enjoyed putting faces to all the names you often see referenced around the City. Thanks to all of the Boards and Commissions for their efforts.

Volunteer And Join the Party

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This past Friday, September 4, 2009, Rockville’s Annual Volunteer Appreciation Party festively filled the grounds of the Glenview Mansion. The weather cooperated for a perfect evening of music, hors d’Oeuvres, and thanks.

Over 1300 individuals volunteer with the City of Rockville to improve our community.

Mayor Susan Hoffmann thanked everyone for the hours given to our City. She explained the services were invaluable and the City would otherwise have difficulty staffing and funding all the programs offered without the volunteers. She also spoke about how volunteering builds relationships, shares talents, and reaches out to those needing special support. “Again, thank you, thank you, thank you!” concluded Mayor Hoffmann.

As I looked around, it was obvious that the majority of those at the party were seniors. Everyone was having a lovely time. I wasn’t quick enough to grab any of the tasty finger foods but enjoyed meeting other volunteers serving on commissions and at the senior center.

Volunteer

If you would like to join next year’s party, here are the current openings for boards and commissions. These aren’t the only way to volunteer for the City, but here are some real needs from the City’s website:

Animal Matters (one)
The Board mediates petitions; provides written recommendations to the Chief of Police and animal review official as requested; provides education and counseling on responsible ownership, maintenance and treatment of animals; and provides advice and recommendations to the Mayor and Council on matters related to the care, training, maintenance and regulation of animals within the City.

Board of Appeals (two)
This board is comprised of three members and one alternate, who are charged with the responsibility of hearing and deciding all appeals and applications for variances and special exceptions, as provided for in the Zoning Ordinance or other ordinances of the City of Rockville.

Compensation Commission (one)
The Compensation Commission determines the annual compensation for the five elected officials of the City.

Cultural Arts Commission (five)
This eleven-member commission encourages the arts and culture in the city. It recommends to the Mayor and Council appropriate programs, activities, and utilization policies of the City facilities, which will add to the further development of Rockville as a cultural center.

Environment Commission (one)
The purpose of this commission is to recommend policies and programs to the Mayor & Council relating to the environment; core to this mission is promoting a sustainable community through initiatives relating to natural resource management and development, energy efficiency, watershed stewardship and protection, pollution prevention, and public education.

Historic District Commission (one)
The Historic District Commission was created by the Mayor and Council in 1966 for the purpose of recommending the boundaries of districts that are deemed to be of historic or architectural value to the city of Rockville and with reviewing applications for construction or alterations in the historic districts.

Human Services Advisory Commission (three)
This Commission provides advice and guidance to the Mayor and Council on human service needs in Rockville and how best to address them.

Planning Commission (one)
This commission is charged with formulating a Master Plan for the City of Rockville and revising the plan when necessary. The commission also reviews and makes recommendations to the Mayor and Council on all applications for map and text amendments; reviews and makes recommendations to the Board of Appeals on all variance and special exception applications; reviews and decides applications for use permits; reviews and approves all subdivision plans; and initiates and conducts such other planning studies and functions as are necessary in the overall planning operation of the City.

Personnel Appeals Board (one)
The Board is charged, in accordance with the requirements of the Personnel Regulations, with hearing appeals filed by employees of the City of Rockville in cases of dismissal action taken by the City Manager for disciplinary reasons.

Recreation and Parks Board (one, youth applicant encouraged)
The Board is charged with encouraging the development of desirable recreation and park facilities in the City and recommending those programs for young people and adults that suitably reflect the needs of the citizens.

Rockville Seniors Inc. (one)

Sign Review Board (one)
This Board is comprised of three members and one alternate appointed by the Mayor subject to confirmation of the Council for three-year terms. The Board reviews applications for sign permits and may grant modifications from sign regulations where applicable.

Traffic and Transportation (three)
The purpose of the body is to advise the Council and the Planning Commission on all traffic matters in the City and to make appropriate recommendations.

Rockville Scholarship Foundation Board of Directors (one)
The Rockville Scholarship Foundation provides scholarship assistance to students from the Rockville community with funding from the Rockville Chamber of Commerce, corporations, individuals, civic organizations, and Montgomery College.

Open Seats On City Commissions Include Planning Commission, Appeals Board

A good way to step forward and be involved in public life in our community is to volunteer for one of the many boards and commissions that advise (and, in some cases, make decisions) on important city issues. There are a number of current vacancies.This from the City of Rockville:>

The City of Rockville is now accepting applications for openings with several of its boards and commissions, including the Planning Commission and Board of Appeals.

The Planning Commission is a seven-member board made up of community members who are interested in the long-range vision for the City. The commission has an important role in the future development and redevelopment of the City. It also makes decisions about land use, master plans and the components of the master plan that make up the City.

Commission members serve staggered five-year terms. They also elect their own chairperson. The commission usually meets the second and fourth Wednesday of the month.

The Board of Appeals has openings for two seats, one of which is an alternate position on the board. The Board of Appeals is a three-member group, with one alternate, charged with hearing and deciding all appeals and applications for variances and special exceptions, as provided for in the Zoning Ordinance or other ordinances for the City of Rockville.

Board of Appeals members serve three-year staggered terms. The board usually meets the first Saturday of the month with the exception of August.

Other boards and commissions with positions available are:

• Animal Matters Board
• Compensation Commission
• Human Rights Commission
• Human Services Advisory Commission
• Personnel Appeals Board
• Recreation and Parks Board
• Rockville Housing Enterprises
• Rockville Seniors Inc.
• Senior Citizens Commission
• Sign Review Board
• Traffic and Transportation

Residents interested in applying for any of the board or commission openings can call the City Clerks’ Office at 240-314-8280. You will need to submit an Expression of Interest form, which can be found here (pdf). A resume is also appreciated.

Commission and Board Recommendations Adopted

Last night the >Mayor and Council unanimously voted to adopt the the recommendations of the Boards and Commissions Workgroup.

The Work Group, under the leadership of Councilmember Phyllis Marcuccio and comprised of members and chairs of boards & commissions, former elected officials, and interested citizens, met on December 10, 2008, and January 21 and February 25, 2009. At the last meeting, the group endorsed these recommendations, but I was unable to attend.

Here’s the rundown on the recommendations:

Recruitment of members

#1 Recommend placing persons seeking reappointment to a City Board or Commission into the same pool as people seeking appointment for the first time to begin on September 1, 2009, which should negate the need for term limits.

#2 Recommend that persons seeking reappointment respond to some questions in writing about why they are seeking reappointment

Appointment Process

#1 Recommend interviewing candidates for the Commissions dictated by State Article 66-B (Planning Commission, Historic District Commission, and the Board of Appeals)

NOTE: If desired, a quorum of the Mayor and Council can meet in Executive Session as a group to interview candidates for any Board or Commission (per the City Attorney’s Office).

Since the meeting, Joe Jordan has asked me whether the Mayor and Council discussed the justification for Executive Session interviews under the Open Meeting Act last night. They did not. The Work Group did discuss a volunteer coming forward and having to be interviewed by the mayor and council with an audience and televised. We suggested the Mayor and Council explore the option of a special session for interviews to avoid this scenario if more two councilmembers wanted to interview at the same time.

#2 Recommend providing for some period of time (minimum of three weeks) between notification by the Mayor as to plans to make an appointment so that the other members of the Mayor and Council can have some time to contact applicants (Example: In the beginning of January, the Mayor would notify the other members of the Mayor and Council about the appointments and reappointments planned for February)

Length of terms

Recommend a three-year term for all of the Boards and Commissions with the exception of the following:
• The Planning Commission (5 years as dictated by State Article 66-B)
• Board of Supervisors of Elections (recommend 4 years to correspond with at least two City elections – the term is currently four years)
• Compensation Commission (recommend 4 years to correspond with at least two City elections – the term is currently six years)

Interaction with the Mayor and Council

#1 Recommend reinstituting the Mayor and Council liaison system

My personal opinion: In some instances the liaison system did not work because the councilmember did not report back to the Mayor and other councilmembers. We are all aware of time limitations, so at least one liason is better than none. Occasionally inviting the mayor and councilmembers to attend a meeting, individually or in pairs, for a briefing has worked well for my Human Service Advisory Commission. As a chair, I would choose to write to them all directly with concerns or requests rather than approaching one. I’m not sure a liason will improve communication if information is not shared among the Mayor and Council.

#2 Recommend reinstituting regular meetings with each Board or Commission or, at a minimum, with the chairs

Other

#1 Recommend broadening and or strengthening advertising opportunities to serve on Boards and Commissions to include the Rockville Gazette, Rockville Reports, TRC 11, and the City’s website.

#2 Recommend that, when a person is being appointed to fill an unexpired term within six months of the term’s expiration, the appointment should be made for the full term.

The briefing document given to the Mayor and Council from Claire Funkhouser, City Clerk, explains:

… some changes to the City Code may need to be enacted if there are changes to the length of membership terms. The “Policies and Procedures Handbook” given to every new member of a City board or commission would have to be revised to take into account any changes. A training session for both members and staff liaisons would also need to be scheduled to apprise everyone of any changes.

So there is still work to be done to iron out the process.

Presentation From The Work Group on Commissions

Some time has elapsed since the Work Group on Boards and Commissions finished meeting. The Mayor and Council have been busy with other matters, especailly the FY2010 City Budget, but they will now be turning their attention to >improving this appointment process.

Councilmember Phyllis Marcuccio and former Councilmember John Hall will make a presentation to the Mayor and Council about the recommendations which came out of the meetings of the Work Group group during the Mayor and Council meeting on Monday, May 18, 2009. The meeting will begin at 7 PM and will also include the adoption of the FY2010 Budget, so don’t miss this very busy session.

Most likely the Work Group’s findings will be discussed around 9 PM. You can always watch the Mayor and Council meetings live or on demand. The public agenda for the meeting will be posted on the City’s website later this week.

Boards and Commissions Openings April 2009

Here’s this month’s list of vacancies to the City of Rockville’s >Boards and Commissions . If you’re interested in serving, the first step is to fill out a form and send it to the City Clerk’s office. Then you’ll be invited to attend a meeting.

The number in parenthesis is how many spots are open:

Animal Matters (1)
Board of Appeals (1)
Human Services Advisory Commission (2 )
Landlord Tenant Affairs Commission (3)
Rockville Housing Authority (1)
Rockville Seniors, Inc. (1)
Senior Citizens Commission (1)
Sign Review Board (1)

Visit the City’s website to find out more about these opportunities to volunteer.

My experience on the Human Service Advisory Commission has been fulfilling. We have two openings, so please feel free to contact me if you would like more information. Cindy Cotte Griffiths

Boards and Commissions Openings March 2009

Since we’d like to encourage participation in our City government, we are posting the >Boards and Commissions vacancies each month. If you’re interested in serving, the first step is to fill out a form and send it to the City Clerk’s office.

Animal Matters (one)
Board of Appeals (one)
Cultural Arts Commission (one)
Human Services Advisory Commission (one)
Landlord Tenant Affairs Commission (three)
Personnel Appeals Board (one)
Retirement Board (one)
Rockville Seniors, Inc. (one)
Senior Citizens Commission (one)
Sign Review Board (one)

Update from the Workgroup on Boards and Commissions

Because it was Ash Wednesday and I wanted to go to Church, I didn’t make last week’s meeting of the Workgroup, but here’s an update from City Clerk Claire Funkhouser. Councilmember Phyllis Marcuccio will be sending a memo outlining the Workgroup’s recommendations to the Mayor, Council, and board/commission chairpersons. After individual discussions, the plan is to have the recommendations sent to the Mayor and Council for a decision in April. If approved, the necessary changes would be made to the City’s Code. Boards and Commission’s will then also need to update their policies and procedures.

Most likely, the Workgroup is done meeting!

Boards and Commission Vacancies February 2009

Even as the Workgroup continues to >discuss improvements to the system, vacancies exist on City of Rockville Boards and Commissions. I’d like to post these opportunities for service in the community.

Here’s the list for February with the number of vacancies:

Animal Matters Board (one)
Board of Appeals (one)
Cultural Arts Commission (one)
Landlord Tenant Affairs (four)
Personnel Appeals Board (one)
Retirement Board ( one)
Rockville Seniors, Inc. (one)
Rockville Sister City Corporation (one)
Senior Citizens Commission (one)
Sign Review Board (one)

If you are interested in serving, print out a Expression of Interest Form. For more information you can also call the City Clerk’s office at 240-314-8280.

Update on the Boards and Commissions Workgroup

As I >wrote, last Wednesday, January 21, 2009, the Boards and Commissions Workgroup met to identify recommendations to the Mayor and Council. Contessa Crisostomo covered the meeting for the Gazette and her article today provides a fine summary (and even includes a quote from me).

Cindy Cotte Griffiths, who serves on the Human Services Advisory Commission, said the process needs to be more systematic and, in turn, would attract more people to serve.

But a focus on recruitment and advertisement of vacancies is also important, she said.

“There are always vacancies and sometimes for long periods of time,” Griffiths said.

The Workgroup would like to receive as many comments as possible to make sure we get this right. In particular, John Hall and I have proposed a three-week period between the time the Mayor announces an applicant for appointment and the vote by the Mayor and Council. This period would provide time for interviews of the applicants to groups with legal decision-making responsibilities: the Planning Commission, the Board of Appeals, and the Historic District Commission. Our goal is the streamline the process as much as possible so that the three-week waiting period would apply to all appointments even if no interview was required. Our belief is that this would not unduly delay the process.

If you have thoughts and concerns on any aspect of the process, term limits, or reappointments, you can send them to the City Clerk or Councilmember Phyllis Marcuccio, who is chairing the Workgroup.

Serving On Boards And Commissions

As we answer the call to service on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and are caught up in the excitement of Inauguration week, my hope is that all the enthusiasm for our great democracy will inspire people to be involved locally. Rockville’s form of “open government” already includes a high level of citizen participation. More than 150 residents serve on over 20 >boards, committees, commissions and special task forces but there’s plenty of opportunity for more participation. Right now there are 18 vacancies! If you are looking for a way to volunteer, consider using your expertise or experience to help the City. Your observations as a “regular citizen” could guide City policies.

Last year, appointments for Rockville’s boards and commissions were not being approved. Although the mayor has authority to place appointments on the agenda, the consent of the council was needed and they refused to vote. In an attempt to quickly solve the situation they imposed term limits for all boards and commission, then they voted to rescind the term limits and form a Task Force to look at all of the issues.

Council member Phyllis Marcuccio is leading the Task Force, and she has invited anyone concerned with the process to attend the next meeting on Wednesday, January 21, 2009 at 7:30 PM in the Black-eyed Susan Conference Room. The Task Force will make recommendations to the Mayor and Council on the appointment/reappointment process, length of terms, and term limits.

The City Clerk’s Office provided the Task Force with an in-depth look at the entire structure of our boards and commissions for the first meeting last year. What became apparent is that our system is not efficient for staff or residents. Boards and commissions have different lengths of term from two to six years. People cannot apply online and must print an Expression of Interest form and return it in person or through the mail. If members state that they want to continue to serve at the end of their term, they generally continue. The commissions and boards do not have a uniform process involving the service of chairpersons, the monitoring of rules, and the recommendations for appointments.

Here’s some of the issues from my perspective:

Terms and Limits: The two-year terms are probably just too short and don’t provide enough time for a “learning curve”, so three-years might be best as a minimum term. Unless there is a reserve of volunteers ready and willing to serve, it would be difficult to impose term limits.

Reappointments: Routinely reappointing existing volunteers may limit the opportunities for new volunteers to become involved, but at the same time some long-time volunteers are invaluable because of their history and contributions. Requiring members to re-apply with a different application asking about their accomplishments during service and goals for the future, may be helpful.

Quasi-judicial: Applicants to groups with legal decision-making responsibilities such as the Planning Commission, the Board of Appeals, and the Historic District Commission should probably be interviewed by the Mayor and Council before appointment and re-appointment.

There was also discussion about the possibility of alternating appointments so that groups would be assigned a scheduled month to fill regular vacancies. City Clerk Claire Funkhouser said that this practice is used in the County and may help with the logistics of keeping up with the appointment process. If you want to be involved, you would know when to apply for a specific group.

If you have read this far you should probably stop by the Task Force meeting, because you are interested!