Asheville, North Carolina City Council Meetings, 10 May 2022

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From YouTube: City Council Work Session – May 10 2022

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Boards & Commissions Restructuring Work Session

A

Welcome to the city, council um boards and commissions restructuring work session, um and I'm looking to am I just kicking it off to you, sarah right away. Are we going to the main okay, I'm sorry deborah. Please take it away.

B

All right so um good afternoon, everyone uh we appreciate you giving up some time. It's gonna be a long day. We've got a council meeting right after the work session, but I wanted to kick this off and uh sarah will be doing the bulk of the presentation, but I just wanted to make some opening comments you all may have recalled.

B

I think it was the budget work session. There was a question posed. They asked, I think it was councilmember turner. um Do you all ever stop doing anything related to local government, and then there was a follow-up comment from uh miss kilgore about. Well, do you ever? If you don't stop doing anything? Do you ever look at re-engineering?

B

Look at your processes.

B

I said all of that, because this is exactly what this is. This is an opportunity for us to look at how we structure our boards and commissions, how we support them from a staff perspective, but, most importantly, how we make this relationship between council staff and boards and commissions and the community- um I guess more effective and impactful, and so you will see that um we have not looked at this process since 2006..

B

This is 2022, and so I think that it is uh timely and that we need to look at this not from the perspective of making little bitty tweaks, because I think that our issues are much bigger than tweaks, but that's not to say that everything that you're going to see is ingrained in stone.

B

This is the beginning of a process of a journey with the community and with council on how we truly make this a much more effective process and much more rewarding uh for both staff, council and and uh those who serve on our boards and commissions. So I will stop there and turn it over to sarah.

C

Hey thanks debra. This is we're good here, hello, city, council, mayor vice mayor um super excited to be here. um Okay for the first, this presentation is broken down into three parts. The first part we'll start with a little bit of the background. How we got here and why, with this initiative- um and then, secondly, where the today's focus is going to be, is on council committees and realignment, um we're not asking for any kind of council decision today, we're just asking for some feedback to see.

C

If we are heading in the right direction and then the third part um will be an update on the boards and commissions restructure, stating some of our goals of this restructure and where we are and where we hope to go, as well as the community input that we've received to this point.

C

So some background in history. Why here and why now, as you know, we've been experienced some operational issues or challenges and, as a result, staff did conduct an internal assessment of the full structure. Some of our current boards have been around since the 60s, and we thought we haven't ever taken a thoughtful look or an assessment at the full program as a whole.

C

So, as a result, yes, staff did create a proposal. This proposal is a holistic systems approach to re-evaluate through and restructure our boards and commission's workflow, rather than just addressing those individual issues. um As deborah mentioned, um like kind of patchwork, we thought it was important to look at the full system. So all these these 20 advisory boards in an effort to create some consistency, but also some longevity.

C

So how we got here today at the council retreat in march, the council named their sixth fiscal year or 2023 fiscal year priorities, but there was also a request to look at some alignment with council committees and how we can align with the with boards and commissions and council committees. So that's why we're here today um and then moving forward? We do hope to do this in a more incremental path, moving forward so again we're just asking for some council discussion today, some feedback again to see if we're going in the right direction.

C

We know that this is or could be, a very large change, and we know how important it is to get it right. So this first step with council committees, we want to be very thoughtful and lay the foundation for any restructuring moving forward. So first part one or actually this is part. Two council committee realignment again taking a step back to look at our council committees.

C

Today is an overview we'll be asking for some feedback. This proposal is to align our council committees with the comprehensive plan as well as council's vision. This is an important first step to lay that foundation to align our resources as we consider changes moving forward, but it should be noted that any changes to council committees would not affect or would require any changes to boards and commissions. So this process can be looked at independently um and then towards the end.

C

Well, we'll we'll go through each, what is being proposed and how they align and then we'll ask for your feedback.

C

Alright, so just some history on our current council committees. As you know, we have six council committees and the mayor appoints three council members to each of these committees. Following each election, a majority of these council committees were created in 2006 under mayor bellamy. um You can see them listed here: finance, public safety planning and economic development and housing. Community development all were born out of a work session by council in 2006..

C

um Just want to note that boards and commissions I couldn't find any kind of establishing ordinance or anything, but it is noted in previous minutes be prior to 1997.. So it's fair to say that's one of our first council committees and then more recently, finance added human resources to the title, and that was in 2018..

C

So that's just a little history of where we're at right now.

C

And here is what is being proposed so um on the left. Is our current structure what we just talked through and then what is being proposed. um So what is.

A

Different and just to be clear for those that aren't familiar with the lingo, I mean we're we're only talking about what I call subcommittees of council. These are only made up of council members, not um the public at large.

C

A

That's a great point.

C

um So what what's? What would be different housing and community development, as well as planning economic development development, would look and feel mostly the same, but there would be two new council committees, healthy environment and safe community and connected and equitable community, both of which this council has expressed as very high values, and we think it would be important to add that to the council committee structure.

C

Additionally, we propose that governance would absorb the finance committee and the reason being there that both are currently meeting as needed, based on a lack of agenda items at this time. So for the next couple of slides, they may say that last part again. Sarah, um both governance and finance, are meeting as needed.

C

Do you know which absorbs which oh I'm sorry, governance would have absorbs finance so.

A

Do you should we re-title it somehow or.

D

That would be my suggestion and since we're since we're waiting since we're making comments into between, I would say that governance doesn't have a lack of agenda items. We just have a lack of scheduled agendas.

A

Let me ask you a question so where so finance right now has that um has the um hr component to it? Where would that go also? Also, okay, so entirely merge the two merge. The two is a good.

C

E

C

Safety, um public safety would be absorbed and work with healthy environment and safe community.

D

Additionally, I would say that, while this is about the council subcommittees, we are talking about um the restructure of the advisory boards being underneath these, so it will impact the future of advisory boards. If we go forward with the restructure correct, it could.

C

Yes, so, and to this point, we're going to go through each one of these just to see how it does align with the comprehensive plan as well as council's vision, but we also want to show how the the fiscal year 23 council priorities would fall into each of these. um So again.

C

Connected and equitable community would be a proposed new council committee, and you can see here how it aligns with the comprehensive plan, as well as the vision and would get regular reports from from staff work plans regarding resilient, resilient neighborhoods and reparations as council's priorities.

C

Did I do yep and the next one being healthy environment and safe community again how it aligns and the council priority being reimagining public safety governance, which we touched on what again so you kind of see here how it would absorb the human resources piece, as well as the finance piece.

C

And then boards and commissions would look mostly the same.

C

So here is where we can pause for um more of that feedback. We do want to know, does do these committees align in a way that captures and reflects the spirit of living nashville our comprehensive plan, as well as the 2036 vision and or other policy areas that are important. So we would love to hear your feedback or, if there's any other issues or concerns, and again this, because this is such a foundational piece.

C

We know that it's important to get this right, and so we need to hear if this is aligned with what the direction council wants to move. So I will stop there.

A

You go back to um connected and equitable community. The deaf.

A

I was trying to think where um these topics might currently be housed. Maybe ped somewhat. Maybe governance, I'm not really sure.

F

Well, yeah, I mean I think this is you know. One of the things that um that uh that this attempt is trying to do is um is connect these up more directly with our comprehensive plan, and I think I think the workflow that staff does is pretty connected. That way I mean, I think you know every time we get a staff report. We know you know they what they connected up with with council priorities and comp plan, and so I think this is um just trying to make that connection more clear.

F

A

On youtube- and you can see how the council subcommittees would be more directly related to a bunch of our appointed committees right now, there's not a direct connection between council subcommittees and the current appointed committees.

F

A

And this that's a.

F

A

Point because yeah that's why.

F

G

As the chair as the liaison to stacy, the environmental kind of it, doesn't then go to yeah. This is an interesting. I.

C

Appreciate that.

H

It's something that's not.

G

Yeah, there's not a council committee that discusses these things.

C

And we know that is one of our priorities, so I think it's important to have a place for these discussions.

B

And those possible topics cover is not definitely not inclusive. These were just kind of examples of things that could go in alignment with these committees.

A

But the idea is that every council subcommittee has some threat of connection to an appointed board or commission.

D

So when I was presented this uh a draft of this restructure in january of 2021, so some time ago, I asked for a run through of two matters that happened in our community and I gave pickleball as an example. I've seen a group come to parks and rec and then come to council, and where would those kinds of engagements flow through and one of the reasons for asking for sort of a mock-up run through of how engagement would work?

D

Is that right now our boards and commissions and our subcommittees are able to handle issues from the community before they come to council for recommendations. So we have those layers of professional and lived experience in this situation.

D

There's more engagement opportunity, and so the subcommittees can get into like the nitty gritty details and maybe the way that the full council isn't always able to get into our meetings.

D

um So have we had an opportunity to do some run-throughs of what a matter would look like going through these new groups existing existing, not like out of thin air, but something that's currently happening in our community and work it through the process.

C

Yes, internally, that we've been having a lot of those discussions just to get a feel for ourselves, and then we hope and we'll talk more about the restructure working group to also troubleshoot. Some of these. You know real life matters and walk through that with the restructure working group to again see feel talk about how how this could really play out. um So we hope to get more examples working with the restructure working group.

C

um But yes, it's also an engagement piece that we are working through to one get a visual, but also an audio of. Where does an idea start and how? What are the options and how does it move through the system.

D

I also appreciate that it is tied to the comprehensive plan and I have curiosity about the council priorities, so we're doing a lot of work restructuring based on a temporary metric. So um if our council priorities change with future councils, does that mean we completely look at this and say: oh, should this be structured this way? um So I do have curiosity around that part.

D

Additionally, have we had a chance to look through all the services that the city currently provides and make sure that departments that staff liaisons are a priority in this process, because I don't see that yet.

C

I think that will fall, we'll we'll see more of that um really an assessment of workflow and who, like staffing, is that am I kidding yeah, I'm looking at you deborah.

B

C

B

Thank thank you. Sarah, for the cue, um I guess maybe the first question that you asked about the council priorities. This is simply showing an example of, and we said, other policies and priorities, how we can link these actual council committees up with uh things that you all are doing, initiatives that you all have your. We also have your council vision connection uh that may change in two or three years. I do not think necessarily that the committee structure has to be etched in stone.

B

I know in charlotte, depending upon every four or five years, we we look at it to see if that structure really is in alignment with the direction that the community has taken. That's what we've got to do. We cannot just hold on to this existing structure and think that over time, it's not going to evolve and possibly need to change. I.

D

Appreciate that I also, um I think, if the staff liaisons were somehow identified in this proposal, I would have a better understanding of just making sure our departments aren't getting left out and also, if someone has a concern around water or a sidewalk that that's another way to for me to visualize. Where is this going to land and that folks don't get shut.

B

Out, I think I think that's an important misroni. We will try to to add that. But again we didn't want to layer so many things on this process, because I think the community already feels as though it's already baked, and so we we're really trying to be as fluid and open and and and let this process evolve over time.

E

And- and I do think, that's a good idea dad because you're right, it's a lot for us to even you know, consume here and the more difficult we make it for them, uh the more likely you know we'll develop issues that may not be an issue, so I think, by doing it like a step, step, introduction and then adding on the layers eventually once they get used to, it would be more useful for the community.

F

I think um uh councilwoman rony brings up a good point and it may be one of those things that you know at the retreats that um you know when we are when council is identifying, you know, priorities, etc, that you know just right, then, once it's decided, you know we say: okay, what council committee is going to kind of take. You know, make sure that they're the ones um you know keeping keeping control or an eye on that particular priority.

F

um I mean it may just be one of those things that we incorporate into the process.

C

And to that point, it's naming a home for for to get these updates on progress and to really have a check-in on how we're moving forward. So, if anything, it's a home for for updates.

C

So that's what's proposed um any any concerns about the actual names or how things would fall.

A

um Are we gonna get into that in the um next few slides.

C

um No, as far as council committees, this was um just really high level. Just seeing if you had any initial concerns with what is being proposed and again just council committees,.

F

I mean, I guess, that's the question. um It seemed as if people had some questions about the name of the governance committee.

B

F

I mean you know: do we want to expand that to governance, finance and hr, or do we want to just say governance and define.

B

You know when we.

F

When we say what the mission statement is, yeah.

A

What feel about what.

B

Are you all feeling well.

A

So so we um I, I would be in favor of changing the name just to make it clear in terms of its functioning. I think the way we're now reading governance is literally just that governance, um whereas uh when originally created, the governance committee was more. The clearing house for the policy government governing policy like uh what what was the legislative agenda going to be um not the function of government. So I think that's what it seems like I'm hearing a desire to transition it more to that.

D

Yeah, I think when I've explained what the governance committee does it's overview of policy and that's why I have made multiple recommendations for policy too, for the governance committee agenda. I would suggest at that point we could take it to policy and finance and just say explicitly what it is.

C

Did I hear policy and finance as a recommendation.

A

Probably better accurately describes where you're trying to what you're trying.

C

A

I would assume.

C

um And so, as a next step as part of this first, we want to see you know: does this make sense as far as the names, but we would define these scopes, and so you can read through if that makes sense, so that will be that will help cement. What we're talking about here and defining those, but also this could be an opportunity to update the council committee's rules or procedures and again to define operations and, what's being heard and how and how things get on the agenda there.

C

So um so what I'm hearing is. We've got some good feedback, we'll define some scopes and come back with a recommendation.

B

It and make some alignment with some departments if we just had a couple of departments without saying this is the actual department that supports the committee it would it would be. You know these departments may have alignment uh a natural.

D

B

Different committees, I.

D

Also, I guess I'm surprised that the um boards and commissions committee didn't have some more of that fleshed out, because I I could imagine some that could be underneath that page. As far as both council priorities and comp plan connections, interwoven equity could be part of it, in which case I would imagine that you know we could just look at what the current is. It doesn't need to change, or is it going to stay exactly the same?

D

If it's gonna stay exactly the same, then we should probably flesh out exactly what it does while we're doing this, so we can um better communicate to the public and educate on our process.

A

Was the concept that it would change in any way.

C

With the boards and commissions committee um no but open to discussion.

B

Yeah we're making sausage y'all.

A

Okay, so I yeah I mean I guess I'm seeing where we just lifted the words and made them they don't really roll off the tongue exactly, but I yeah, I see how you're doing that is. That um is, um you know. I know.

A

Cities vary greatly, whether or not they even have any subcommittees or of council at all, uh or they have more or um did you all um kind of take an inventory and look around sort of benchmark us and come up with this, or did you kind of say, okay, here's what our system is. How can we improve it.

F

um And maybe we're getting a little ahead of this, so you know tell me if I am, but one of the you know we or I believe the way staff approached this, and I have been involved- um is kind of looking at these issues from both ways. Both you know how. How does council make decisions, but how do um our volunteers?

F

How do our community volunteers get their message and their recommendations up to either through committees or directly to council, and um one of the um one of the thinkings about this is to more directly link our volunteer boards and commissions to these council committees, so that that there are not recommendations that are made at the at the board and commission level that aren't heard that aren't actually discussed formally with somebody whether it's through you know whether it's a committee or council.

F

We really felt like there was a disconnect on accountability with those recommendations, and so one of the thinkings about changing the committees up is also to align those more directly so that so that it was very clear to our volunteer boards and commissions to whom they would interact on a you, know, monthly basis, etc and help them to determine what their work plan would be, um and you know just to make sure that their work is being um looked at and you know answered uh and communicated with with with council members and right now that isn't that doesn't always happen.

F

And so that was one of the sort of thinking about how these council committees were developed.

B

And- and I believe correct me from sarah that we we inventoried a lot of communities first and foremost just trying to look at how many committees there are in alignment with with, uh with with council's work uh and advisory boards and and they range from, I think we had a new employee that said there was. There was one advisory board to this particular community to 30 and 40..

B

So we looked at all of those examples to try to then um look at whether we are an outlier where we are in the middle of the pack. You know, essentially, where were we in terms of boards and commissions in in that alignment, and what we found is that you know it's kind of the. What was missing was alignment and and just that direct linkage is what, as ms whistler just said,.

C

um And I'll add um yes looking at other communities, but also why the comprehension, what the comprehensive plan is and the community um interaction that went into that document, so we kind of looked at it as a north star, like the council, adopted it had a lot of community engagement and buy-in and worked with a lot of boards and commissions.

C

It is a holistic approach and a long-lasting document, so we we thought it would be smart to have something that we could continue to point at and be able to evolve with, um which is also similar to the to the vision. Yes, the priorities will continue to change, but we can see how they will fall into the comprehensive um goals and then again have kind of a home where we can place them so again.

C

Looking back at asheville's plans, our our comprehensive plan and our goals for the future and saying that one of the big goals is to create some real longevity. I think, as we create um each individual board, we do it for a specific.

C

You know, then, and for that moment, but thinking big picture, how do we move forward.

C

Any more discussion.

C

All right so we'll take some of what we heard today um and then come back with a final recommendation related to council committees. I do not know when that will be, um but you know something for us to. You know bake into all all the goodness.

C

So now we are going to transition into the boards and commissions restructure and again. This is an update, we're not asking for any votes, but we do want to hear your feedback about moving forward some key takeaways from this part. Three.

C

We have done the some internal assessment, looking at establishing resolutions and ordinances and looking at current agendas and seeing how things lined up and how scopes have evolved over the several years, and we have found and heard often that these committees are not as effective or utilized in the way that they could be. Although some of these operational issues are not new, it's important to know- and we have noted that we have not done this holistic assessment of the full program.

C

To my knowledge, um it is a big program. There is a lot of stakeholders, including council staff, as well as the community, um so we know it's important to get this right into like any program. Look back, see how we're doing and how we're moving forward. We do know that some change is necessary.

C

What exactly that looks like we do not know right now, but we are hoping that the proposed restructure could be something to build on um again. It is very much in a draft form and we hope to keep building on that with the restructure working group, which we'll talk more about.

C

F

Are some sarah before you move on.

F

One of the things that um what I'm hearing back from the community is, um you know they. Some of these folks that are members of these boards and commissions really do feel like they're, that their particular board or commission is very effective, is very clear.

F

It isn't inconsistent, etc, and none of this none of this proposed restructuring is intended to single out individuals or individual boards and commissions, um and you know what and- and so I guess, what what I keep hearing and or you know- maybe people aren't saying it directly, but you know it's almost like. They think that this idea is sort of a personal attack on an individual board or or an individual, and and that's not the case. um I think the idea here is that structurally, it doesn't work.

F

Some some boards and commissions do work some individuals, some staff members, some council members work, but in the aggregate um there there are some significant issues, and I I think the the idea and what I hope the community comes along with- is bringing all the good parts of what what's currently happening and the good work that's happening.

F

Having that continue and leaving behind the things that are not working as well, um you know without without having to go through and pick and choose and point um you know what we're what I hope the end result of this is that the the good work continues and rises to the top and the things that aren't working stay behind without people getting their feelings heard, or um you know feeling personally attacked.

B

And I think miss whistler. That's a really good transition into this particular slide, because I think what we have not had is the benchmark the framework, the baseline standard of you know what is a good committee? How how does that committee function? We don't have any any benchmarks. We don't have a a goal pulse of how we truly want our boards and commissions to do the work of the community and work with council to accomplish that work, and so what we're trying to do is to establish that baseline.

B

This is what we think um if restructured the goals that we are trying to achieve in terms of success. This is what success will look like for all the committees for all the council committees, as well, so again trying to establish that baseline of performance.

D

Also, add that I'm hearing some of those same concerns- and I think I appreciate what you've offered, I think, um by painting a broad brush of this. It doesn't. Work, has excluded and caused feelings to be hurt, because we do have a lot of volunteers who who are bringing their professional and lived experience, and they haven't heard the gratitude. So much as the criticism, and so thank you for bringing that today.

C

Indeed, um yes, as deborah said, these are some benchmarks um as to what a good system could look like in the future. What do we need to be working towards and how do we measure and put an emphasis on the outcomes of these impacts so to have something stated and that we can start to really look back or work towards? I should say.

C

um So those are our goals, um but I will want to talk very high level about what the proposal actually is um again. This is ever changing, so we're going to keep it high level just to talk conceptually about what is being proposed. So starting with the council committees as arms of councils, which we talked about in part two of this work session um created to vet policy and to make recommendations to the full council for recommendations.

C

um The council would would continue to appoint advisory boards, but these advisory boards would be charged with evaluating the community input data and trade-offs to make more comprehensive policy recommendations to that council committee. At this level.

C

The advisory boards would be more action, oriented and expected to vote regularly again to make those comprehensive recommendations, regular reporting between the advisory board and the council committee, because those could be monthly or even bi-monthly- would provide that opportunity for the council to check in with advisory boards to hear updates on progress and initiatives, or even a request for more resources to get the work done.

C

Additionally, these advisory boards would be created. These advisory boards could create and give assignments to working groups. Working groups would look similar to task forces or subcommittees. We utilize. We are utilizing the current system and would be very community driven task forces created and dissolved with a very specific task.

C

This would allow them to be more flexible and led by the community members. I do want to note here that this working group structure is not new. Many of our advisory boards are utilizing the structure and we have seen how successful and and that's where a lot of the work is getting done.

C

However, in this proposal there would be a requirement that the advisory boards do reach out to stakeholders and invite more community members to that table to really inform people that these discussions are happening rather than the community have to navigate how to be a part of these conversations so us reaching out.

C

We know that some of our most impactful initiatives and policy programs are the result of these partnerships with other and outside community groups. Also doing this work so reaching out and using our resources and partnerships to really you know, move forward. A great example of this is the urban forestry commission and their partnership with greenworks.

C

They have created a tree protection task force and this task force as well as other urban forestry commission task forces, have done a model job uh really setting what this task force relationship could look like in being productive.

I

C

D

I

Oh, let me let me ask this question, um so the advisory board will task the work group with an assignment back to our original purpose for restructure. How we guarantee is counsel that the work of the work group has the alignment.

C

Yes, so there we'd have to, and that's one of the things we hope to tackle with this restructure working group, which we'll talk more about, um is establishing how do we we ensure that they're truly accountable and the reporting structure and that things do get to council committee, um so it might look like um a standard template for a report or and but we also want to know who was at the table who was invited to the table. Well, I'm.

I

Speaking about before the work group is decided and formed. Oh yeah, is there a conversation about the um the work of the work group and if it's actually going to be effective to a lasting policy or pro a project.

C

Yes, I think all those discussions would have to happen at that advisory board level and really define the scope and what we're and what the what the task is.

H

C

Clear about that in time, because people need to know what they're committing to and.

B

And sarah, wouldn't the council council's committee- would then ask the advisory board to do some things in an advisory board may say wow. We need to really spend a lot more time on this we'll schedule, a working group that can uh help us bring back a recommendation to the council committee.

C

um Exactly there'd be more space to actually have these discussions and establish where the work needs to be put in from council committee as well as advisory boards.

D

So I would add, before we move on from that, um the urban forestry commission is a great example of this, because a working group might look like a budget working group that doesn't meet every single month. It meets for a very specific purpose and a very specific time. They then bring their working group materials to the full board, um which has staff it has minutes. It has a staff liaison and a council liaison.

D

So that's that works and yet we're using this an example. If, if the urban forestry commission becomes a working group, will they have staff? Will they have minutes? um I have seen working groups used here in asheville, but not with good examples, so one of them is the homestay network work group that was for a very specific purpose and the other one is the stormwater initiative and the stormwater task force um a lot of times we're not hearing those recommendations because it didn't have all the structure in place.

D

So I think this might be one of the ways that folks are concerned that if they get, if the work gets pushed to a working group level- and they don't have staff support, will they have publicly noticed minutes? Will they have publicly noticed meetings? Will the public be able to attend and then what happens? Does the work just evaporate if it doesn't have those support systems in place? That seems to be kind of one bucket of where a lot of the comments that I'm hearing are coming from is the validation of a working group.

D

If it's ongoing work, then it's not temporary. um What happens? Does it just fall into the ether.

B

And and I think, uh miss runner- you raised some of the details that we have got to work out and the consistency of an advisory board, and this is what a work group does, and this is the support level of a working group right now. It's so ad hoc and, as you just pointed out, some do some down. Some have some don't. So that's exactly the kind of refinement that we think is needed as it relates to restructuring um these boards and commissions. Right now,.

F

Yeah and some of the some of these questions uh you know we would like to put to our restructure working group if they are willing to work with work with the city and work with staff on some of these issues.

F

Hopefully we can get a lot of those concerns addressed so that you know so that people you know. The intention here is to get more people involved rather than less.

I

So my question is: is it legitimate for a working group to be publicly noticed and require all of that staff support um is a final report of their work good enough.

G

So, just to offer a counter thing: that's happening to what we're saying right now so right now the affordable housing committee has some kind of ad hoc task force working group, whatever you want to call it that they're doing on their own. um I think the chair and a couple members and some other members of the public have assembled what they call a build team and it's just their own little committee. There are no staff support.

G

There are no staff or council liaison it's just something that members of ahack didn't feel like they could discuss in the meeting enough, so they are meeting on their own time. Sometimes at a restaurant you know, and so that is an example of how they're kind of already doing this and they have a goal to come back to ahack with some ideas. So that is in a sense what it's like a working group right. So I'm not sure that every working group will want that schedule that public that meeting.

G

That liaison you know, I mean just to give another example of what's happening currently, but.

I

I feel some will rise to that occasion just like if there's a work group associated with like reparations, where the community really wants to know, see a trail of the work and discussions. I think the advisory board, or with the council committee would have to decide what level of support is needed, because I don't think it is a one-size-fits-all.

I

That's a great point. Yeah.

G

D

Yeah and that's that that's kind of where I'm seeing too is that if affordable housing advisory committee becomes a working group, then they they're gonna, it's. It seems the way things without a flow chart of how this would work. It seems like they would lose all the support.

D

They would lose the staff liaison they would lose the documents in the public engagement process, and so, if we have affordable housing advisory committee and multimodal and the reparations commission all fall out of support into working groups, that's I think, the third layer, that's missing here or fourth, one, two, three, five fifth layer.

D

um So if it, I think that's the where, if everything's gonna fall in a working group, that's where a lot of the frustration is lying well,.

F

I think, though, um and you know we're kind of getting into the the the gory details which were again we're hoping that this restructuring working group was going to help us with, but you know if it if the task is is has been um determined to be very important. That needs all that structure, then it actually will probably stay at the advisory group level.

F

um You know if, if it is some, if it is something that um you know has has risen to that, then it then it would probably stay at the advisory board level so that it gets the most staff support.

D

So this is a, I think, that's a really great reason to bring up what I heard in the working group conversation was: why not do a bottom-up analysis first and press pause on what we're doing here while we hear from the working group because even scheduling this meeting seemed like they're pushing ahead without listening to us first and that's what always happens right. So my suggestion is still we're tying up a lot of staff time without a majority of council publicly supporting this.

D

While we have other strategic priorities that we do need to get done, um and we could press pause and say, okay, wait and then we finally brought this into the public we're. Finally getting the working group structured, let's press pause, while we wait for recommendations, good show, an effort of good faith.

A

uh Just a point of clarification when we say working group we're not talking about these working groups, we're talking about the working group, that's working on this.

E

D

E

Yeah yeah, okay, right.

A

Okay, that that got really confusing for a second that's right, so why don't you talk a little bit about the status of the working group? That's looking at this proposal.

D

Can we refer to that as the restructure working group, so we can clarify.

C

Yes, okay, so well that's a great transition into.

G

And I'll just share two just in support of this process, so I know I've talked with people that don't even know this is happening yet, so I don't want it to sound like it's out in the community and this is it and we're advancing on it without input, I mean we're just starting.

C

Yeah definitely- and I hope that's one of the takeaways of of today's work session- is um there there is a bit of a pause and we're doing this incrementally and thinking through. um So but yes, I want to go back to where we are or wherever we have been um sorry. We have conducted two focus groups. This has this consisted of our chairs and vice chairs, as well as the separate group being identified, stakeholders cheers.

F

And vice chairs of our boards and commissions, who chose to come correct. Yes, thank.

C

You and then four workshops which was open, which we advertised and was open to anyone to attend. We did have 81 participants attend these four workshops um and then now we are currently working with the restructure working group.

C

The goal um staff did create this restructure working group with the ejected, the objective of soliciting help from the community members to help troubleshoot some of these things that these details, that we're talking about today and to help create guidelines and processes to help ensure that future working groups are inclusive and accountable.

C

Recommendations from this restructure working group will help to inform staff's final recommendation to council, but also these recommendations will come straight to council.

C

We held the first meeting with the restructure working group last thursday that was may 5th, and we had around 50 participants attend with aisha adams as a facilitator. The intent of this meeting was to introduce for the participants and create a shared understanding and further define the scope of the work, with the focus being on working groups.

C

In this meeting we did a lot of listening and a major takeaway that we did here is that we do need to take a step back and get more input on this full structure.

D

While you're moving slides I'll just say um thanks to aisha for her work, keeping the um meeting on task definitely.

I

Y'all hurt her.

D

I

And we all do it because of spelling, but aisha yeah.

E

Thank you. I have a question uh sarah I just wanted to. You were talking about the work group uh that that you met with how many of those members are members of our present commission that actually attended those meetings just to get an idea.

C

E

You know you had the two different groups. I was just wondering how many were are presently on commissions, with the board or or how many were not ideas. Presently,.

C

I don't know, I can say the majority have served or are serving and I don't know I can say a majority. I feel comfortable with that. But I don't know the number okay.

E

I was just okay. Thank you.

B

And and just to clarify sanji, you were talking about the 50 that attended the first meeting or the 80. okay.

E

Yeah, I was just talking about the overall and the reason for that. I was just wondering because a lot of these questions that they're bringing up that the people are concerned about, I was just wondering how many of those people that are concerned actually showed up at the focus groups and the meetings to actually learn the process and, and that would give us an idea of how people you know are. Actually you know the ones that are concerned.

E

Maybe they are attending those restructuring and maybe, though, that's where some of the questions are coming from, I'm just trying to gauge you know.

C

Who was there yeah um again? I I think with also the working workshops, the four of them with 81 participants, um I'm comfortable, saying that a majority have served or are serving okay. Thank you.

G

But- and you said, the 81 chairs and vice chairs attended, or they were just.

C

The focus groups was um smaller and I don't know those numbers, but the 81 was for the four workshops gotcha yep, um but I also want to know if our goal is to make boards and commissions more inclusive, inviting and productive. We also need to hear from more community members than just those who have or are serving so that would be a goal is to hear from people. Why do they know about boards and commissions or why have they are have not?

C

How would we get more people to the table.

I

Did you do a demographic breakdown of people who attend it? I would like to know.

C

We we didn't do a survey, but not everyone filled it out. So I don't think it's complete to really report on.

F

The all these meetings are um on our website. So uh when you, when you log in you, can see people, but you know we, we didn't ask them to necessarily tell us how they identify. So you could kind of look and see but you're, not you know what I'm saying you saw him already didn't you.

C

All right, so I am backing up a little bit uh more of what we have heard, so these themes actually come out of the the working group, so the 81 participants to the four I'm. So I'm so sorry, the workshops there's the workshops. We had 81 participants and these are the major themes that we were able to pull from those facilitated conversations again, noting that there is a consensus that there that change is needed to some degree. So hopefully we can work through what that looks like.

C

Additionally, all the information we use jam boards to facilitate discussion. All of that is on the project page as well.

C

And then, lastly, um here's some of the major concerns that we are hearing um sorry again, some of the major concerns that we have heard thus far, notably that the proposal was created by staff and that there is a need for more community input on the full structure. So, as a result, we are taking that step back to keep listening and to work through some of these identified concerns with that restructure working group.

C

So propose next steps moving forward.

C

We do hope to continue meeting with this restructure working group to develop strategies and really think through some of these details and how a possible way ways forward, and then we hope to begin to think about starting a pilot, so just one tier in a way that we can really see, feel and learn from what this could look like. We have not started planning that, but we do hope that that would be a piece of how we could enroll again to see and learn from.

C

um We will continue to review and adjust the proposal as we get more have more of these conversations and then the end goal would be to bring a final recommendation to the city council for consideration. um I do want to note. There is not a timeline um this. This will be a little bit of a moving target as we continue to have a lot of these conversations and these discussions.

C

But we do hope to regularly check back with the council and make sure um we're on the same page and moving forward in a way that the council sees fit. Noting that these are the council's boards and commissions.

E

Okay, I have a question sarah. I noticed that uh one of the concerns was it limits, voices and that's what I actually heard from the african-american heritage commission, and so how do you have any way that uh what kind of points can you give us where it's not actually limiting their voices? But it's actually going to give them a broader range? Do we have any kind of wording that we could actually give to the public to support that.

C

Can certainly um define some more talking points, but I would say um yes, the when you hear we're taking or it's going from 20 words to four. That sounds like we're, taking something away, but really thinking about what could be added, and I truly think that that's adding more people to the discussion reaching out asking them letting them know these discussions are happening um and in a structured way that what's happening at these boards and commissions or working groups, is going to be heard. There is a venue it will there.

C

There is a mechanism for it to be heard by city council as well as staff.

E

That say, for instance, with the african american commission. uh Basically, what happens is they're able to voices to be heard on different levels and different topics, as opposed to the topics that they are confined to now as far as their uh uh missions right? So that's what you're saying they have a broader range, as opposed to the mission of that they presently have well.

B

I hope that they will somewhat be confined to what their what their mission is. But what we hope to happen is that advisory boards work groups will do more outreach to actually have more broader community input into policy development.

B

So you know it could be that advisory boards or working groups go in out into the community and ask for input on a particular subject matter, rather than the kind of somewhat closed types of of meetings. Sometimes that occurs in boards and commissions now, which.

C

B

Trying to say that I think it goes back to to what um ms whistler was talking about earlier is.

B

We are not saying that everything about this structure is broken. We are simply saying there are opportunities for us to improve and enhance and we're trying to do that. We are not trying to limit we're actually trying to make this more inclusive and have broader community uh participation and input.

F

Yeah, I think that one of the one of the big features about this proposal that I'm really excited about is this idea of bringing a um like a and, and I'm probably using the wrong expression for it. But to ask people what topics are you interested in? What do you if, if a particular topic comes up? What do you you know? Do you want to know about it and instead of right now asking our citizens to um citizens and residents and whole communities to chase around and try to figure out what committee?

F

What board is talking about that that particular issue, or not talking about that particular issue?

F

These working groups and advisory boards will be tasked with actually reaching out to the people who have indicated that they're interested in a particular topic. We're not going to wait on the community member to figure out that it's being discussed we're actually going to be reaching out to to those community members and saying hey: do you know that this is being talked about and here's where it's being talked about in this working group? And this is how you could get involved rather than asking them to chase it around, and so hopefully um so?

F

So, that's part of you know this idea, we're hoping or I'm hoping that um you know we'll we'll have more participation, but also our current boards and commissions. You know we basically you know we require them to meet at. You know a specified time once a month um and if they don't have a quorum, they can't vote on anything.

F

So we have a lot of constraints around them right now that we're hoping that, if, with this less formal working group kind of arrangement, in addition to this reaching out to the community feature of the advisory boards and working groups, we're actually hoping that more people will feel like they can participate and they can participate as much or as little as they want to. Whereas right now it's kind of confined based on you know, when the board, uncommission or commission meets you.

H

Know what kendra I, um when you mentioned the african-american heritage? Commission, um a thought, came to my mind. I used to serve on that commission and when deborah mentioned, it could potentially be the opportunity for people to get out into the community immediately. I thought about an example would be street naming um and one thing, because we were talking about that when I was on there then- and it occurred to me that- and you tell me if this would be what you envisioned debra.

H

It would be an opportunity for folks on the african-american commission to go into neighborhoods without everyone having to be there in order to make quorum having folks in the community go into other neighborhoods in the community to seek one-on-one communication, and it might end up oddly enough putting down a barrier.

H

You know, because I heard from a lot of people when we're going through the reparations um process and people had to come to the um well here um that a lot of people once eddington was open, felt more comfortable going there. So it might very well provide greater opportunity to let your voice be heard to people who look like you and understand.

H

Whatever issue is on your mind. Is that something that you had in mind or that kind of process.

B

G

Well, I know um I was involved in the affordable housing committee for a number of years- five, six something and um it was feedback. We heard a lot that people couldn't make that meeting. It was too formal. It was in the middle of the day. They've had kids, I mean they're all these things and I think the opportunity for some of them to get together at their time and their convenience to discuss issues and then still have an opportunity to bring that to a council committee and so on. It could be priceless.

G

I mean that was something that we heard a lot um just the regimented meetings.

I

So I have a question, um so the working group will come from the advisory or can people add experts to the working group, okay, so to drive it home for the african-american heritage commission, it seems to me that they've struggled to get projects off the ground, but they can call on community members to come in and be that support to be project specific. They don't have to make the time commitment.

I

You know they can just get the job done and carry on and go do something they would. Rather you know they would rather do so. I think it gives us a broader reach and people don't have to make the time commitment of serving on an advisory board. Can.

D

F

They can they. They can pick the narrow issue that they may be interested in. They may not be interested in the broad.

F

You know they don't want to sit on city council and hear about every little thing, but you know they're interested in one particular small item this way it gives them an opportunity to to plug into that for as long or as little as they want to and then but again, there's accountability that the working groups, the task that was assigned to the working groups. um You know it has to be done or reported on, etc. So the the work.

F

Hopefully, and hopefully, structurally cannot get lost and that's um one of the things that we continue to hear is people feel, like you know, they've done x, y z and then it just poof goes away and like their time is in vain.

I

F

um Or being ignored- and you know we're hoping and again with this restructure working group to you know, come up with what those, what those mechanisms and tools are to make sure that um this work doesn't get lost like sometimes community work does right now.

E

Okay, so in other words like say, for instance, if you had the african-american group as a working group and they actually sort of elevated it up to the next level to the advisory board, then they would have the resources to actually actually implement what they were trying to do by taking it to another level. So it actually. So it makes sense because that way, you're not okay, great. I was just trying to actually get some points there, because I know they come to me a lot and you know concern about that.

E

But that makes a lot of sense now, because you have structures in in place that will allow you to get things done from here when people come into the group and and if it makes sense, it goes to the higher level and get implemented and okay process. Great thanks.

D

I have a question about this: what's preventing our boards and commissions from inviting um presentations from public that are no don't have to serve on the committee right now, I have seen it happen at multimodal where an advisory like a um advocacy group, is on the agenda to present, and they don't have to be on the commission and they're, not staff, but they present for consideration.

D

I have seen it also go in the other direction. I've seen groups ask to be on an agenda and be declined. So I'm curious. I've seen I've seen what we're saying would happen, work and I've seen it be excluded.

E

Well and that's a good point, because you're right, I know with even with the commission we've had groups that we bring in all the time to talk to us on different issues. So that is but you're saying the issue would be. If you have groups like that that decline, people from coming in or prevent people from coming in is that what you're concerned about.

D

Well right now, if someone, this is why I've asked for like a mock-up, because if we have an issue around um like a street naming and then how does it get on an agenda like how do we, how do how does the community have an expectation that it will land on agenda eventually, even if the queue for agenda is really long, that, maybe that's essentially what we're doing if we create a funnel that's where there's going to be really long list of agenda items, then, if you're 48th on the list, then that is effectively a no instead of having a place to go to right now, but.

B

I think the kind of the alignment issue um may be why some are doing it. Some aren't doing it. Some are accepting other folks coming in and others aren't the example um that we got from miss mosley. It was about um an assignment actually to that committee to look at renaming streets and they could that that committee could have done whatever it is that they wanted to do in order to address that.

B

D

Preventing that from happening now.

B

uh Nothing, um but what we hope, though, is that there will be continuity guardrails and that we will say to those groups. You can do this, and these generally are some of the parameters of the guard rails for how that can be done effectively and productively so that we don't end up with, as you say, long list of agendas that um have no alignment uh and um may not be able to be addressed in a timely manner. Well, I'll tell you.

H

What prevented that, when I was on um timing and people's schedules and.

H

Or enough people getting together at the same time, including staff, to be there, that's what prevented it. Yep.

F

And I'll add: well, then I I'm I'm sorry. um You know these just like just like city council does just like council committees do advisory group advisory boards. Sorry, I'm trying to use the right words. Advisory boards will have will have what their priorities are in a given year, hopefully aligned with council's priorities some things you know if they choose not to act on them, it's not that they're bad ideas.

F

It's just you know they've identified just like we do they've identified 10 priorities and that just is the 11th or 13th or whatever that, but that I mean just it's the nature of um it's: it's the nature of any group or any organization that you've you have. um You have to prioritize or you don't get anything done, and you've got limited resources, whether it's limited in staff, time or limited in dollar time.

F

You know we. We expect we as a council to come up with priorities. We accept staff to come up with priorities. We will expect advisory boards to come up with priorities, and hopefully the interaction between the council committees and the advisory boards will eliminate advisory boards kind of going down. The path that that's not aligned with city council and then being disappointed when their work isn't adopt or recommendations, aren't adopted so again trying to be responsive to the criticism that you know. Sometimes these recommendations are not acted upon.

F

um You know, partly it's one of the um things that have been identified is some of these groups are working on priorities that are not council's priorities, and you know it's not that they're bad ideas, they're great ideas, but there's only so many hours in the day and so many dollars in the bank um and- and you know I feel like if I were in the community working on something I would want to know- is this something council's going is he would even consider acting upon um and if they wouldn't, then you know, I'd have to figure out another way to get it done, or you know do my politicking of deciding you know trying to convince council members, but I'd rather know before I start putting investing a bunch of time in something um than afterward, but.

E

So would you say it would be a good idea, because I think that may be a issue that a lot of people are concerned with is, like you said some of the things that they may find that they need in the community does not align with the priorities of the advisory or the council, and I think those are the people that may be concerned. So maybe we need to have a process for those people to basically be able to present those ideas.

E

Okay, where we can actually look at it. Maybe it can get up to the advisory board and council level. Where then we could look at and say you know what that's a great idea, rather than dismiss it, because it does not fall into a category.

I

Yeah, that might be the work of boards and commissions because they were.

E

Cutting it down under.

I

A pilot, then our workload is going to be super light like we wouldn't have that many appointments. So maybe, when community members have a proposal, they don't know exactly where it lives. Maybe it can come through boards and commission and then we send it out too.

B

Absolutely- and that is the purpose for this whole work session, just to get you all ideas, but also for the restructured working group to work through all of these details, because, yes, we, there are lots of good things that are happening with boards and commissions. But there are there's just such a huge need for us to restructure so that they become more impactful and more in alignment and that there is a process for people who don't know how to get and make their way through. Our bureaucracy.

F

Well- and I think the other thing is, um and boards and commissions is one way to get things done- I mean you know, we all know that they're um we get a lot of community input um tonight through other ways than boards and commissions and and I'm not I'm boards and commissions are very, very important, but it is not the only way to get to city council, nor the only way it is to get to staff.

F

So um you know, I guess I just um you know want to just name that, because I don't I don't know about- maybe other city council members don't feel this way, but I feel like I get a lot of input that doesn't come through boards and conditions. True.

G

um Just a couple things I wanted to share, so I was thinking of ways that these working groups could solve problems. We've had and I'm remembering when covid first um occurred, we rushed out some of us. I was on the downtown commission and stuff, and some of us rushed out into the streets of downtown like how are restaurants going to survive. They need to sit outside.

G

We need outdoor spaces and so on, and we had this moment of frustration for a couple weeks where the multimodal commission and the downtown commission and its parking committee were all trying to meet. But there were too many of us and it wasn't a public meeting and we couldn't talk about anything we had to stand in different.

G

It was just so bizarre and all we wanted to do was get together and say: hey on the fly, we're going to have to come up with some kind of solution, and this the working groups would have been able to do that. So that was interesting. I was just realizing that sitting here um and then totally non-sequitur a different issue, so I worked.

F

Let's not have another pandemic, no.

G

Let's not have another panel just to test, but just to say yeah, so another board that I- um and this is, I know we all- represent different boards and sit.

G

You know and have spent a lot of time with different boards, so I'm just going to speak to the ones I spent some time with the downtown commission comes to mind so in this council committees and working groups and advisory boards, I don't see where downtown lands and I wonder if that's something the work restructuring working group could kind of analyze for us, because what I'm seeing and what I'm concerned about is um our downtown is the economic hub for five counties right.

G

We are the downtown of western north carolina right now we don't have any staff dedicated to downtown. We don't have a budget dedicated downtown if we lose its only advisory board like what's left. How does downtown asheville get cared for watched for and so on, and I think what would help me is if the restructuring working group could kind of just kind of go through the boards and committees that exist and say you know, does this one get lost somewhere or where is this one going to land now and maybe that's the planning council.

F

And sage, one of the things that um I you know have been trying to think about and thinking about it this way, and hopefully the restructured working group will think about this rather than where will a particular board and commission land. What I'd like us to be thinking about is where will the work land?

F

What what's the work that needs to be done and where should that land, not the board and commission, um and I think that, if we think about it that way, um I think it's going to be easier for us to. You know, sort of start to um maybe.

G

So and yeah determine that and yes.

I

G

My concern is that just you know something as large as downtown asheville could get lost in the shuffle of management advisory. You know what I mean, and I know that's not our goal here. So I'm not saying or implying that's going to happen, I'm just wondering how we can include that in the restructuring group and how they can well.

A

So I do I mean I think initially, when this was being brainstormed, they sort of did try to take every committee and commission and sort of figure out what it would fall under effectively because I think you're right in the sense that people want to know well wait. How is this committee or commission going to be covered now, but I hear what you're saying gwen and I- and I are you saying: maybe this is an opportunity to decide whether or not all these boards and commissions fall under our.

A

You know our initiatives as a council. Well and many of them do. I.

G

Just haven't I'm.

F

Just I'm just saying I'm trying.

A

To just clarify this.

F

Yeah, I think that um planning.

B

And economic development yeah.

F

More more than likely that's where that work would go, I mean that would be that. But but again I mean for me, I just I don't I. I hope that the community's- not thinking about this, like okay, I'm going to take the boards and commissions that it's currently right here and I'm going to plug it right here I mean that that would really not get to the goals we're trying to get to. You know we're.

F

We we want more inclusivity, we want more accountability, we want more effectiveness, um and so, if all we're gonna do is just replug everything in then we've really kind of missed the boat, and so I want us to think about. What's the important work that's being done and where should that go um and then and another big you know, sort of overreaching question is some of our boards and commissions that have been set up as advisory boards actually do um work, that's mandated by mandated legally, I don't you know. However.

F

However, they got there so, for example, the design review this.

G

Is yeah so that I finished my question? That's where I was going with the downtown like we have the design review and planning and zoning, and I just- and I don't mean to interrupt you- I just wasn't able to even complete my thoughts. So what happens to some of these like downtown? I don't want to say that downtown is different than like another border committee. I just happen to have worked with that one, a lot, and I know that I'm not seeing a clear landing like planning an economic development, maybe but downtown's a big thing.

G

So the other part is that my follow-up question was gwen was starting to talk about. It is the planning and zoning the design review. These are like regulatory required boards. Do they go away? No yeah.

C

Okay, yeah; okay! Yes, we're only talking about advisory, council-created advisory committees, maybe.

A

We needed to tweak this presentation for posting to make that clear that and because what we don't, what we didn't see in this presentation was the big overview of how many boards and commissions there really are. So we have many that are statutorily required planning and zoning board of adjustment. This doesn't touch that also we have many that we appoint to, but we do not a staff, so abc airport, commission metropolitan sewage district board, all of those tda all of those we'd continue to point to as required they're not.

A

This is only those boards and commissions that over the years have been created by the council, and you know now we're sitting here looking and how many total are there 20 advisory boards.

C

G

D

Mandated at least yeah.

G

I think I think esther's right that that slide would be very helpful.

A

It's 20, it's 20 advisory.

G

We're up to like 43 total.

D

Right, yeah, yeah and to sage's point, that's one of the reasons why I asked where, if we could look at this list of staff liaisons, we might be able to identify the work because I don't see where transit lands or greenways land or, um like I see neighborhoods listed in there explicitly, but that would be really easy to check off the list if we had the list of staff liaisons. What is the work being done in the boards and commissions is sort of an inventory of that work.

A

I'm seeing some puzzled looks, you don't literally mean like joe schmo staff person. You mean like which department would support that.

D

No, no, I mean we currently have staff liaisons right now, for example, you.

A

Want the names of the individuals if we had.

D

A list of the staff liaisons that would help us to identify the work currently being done by our advisory boards and then, whether or not the work would be linked up to the way that we're currently structuring this process.

D

A

I mean yeah, okay,.

B

I heard you I mean at the very least.

A

Considering staff's, obviously fluid I mean we would want to know the. I think the department and the position.

C

Well and I'll add one of the ideas behind restructuring would be able to better support these committees with a cross-departmental amount of staff in those advisory board meetings. So it doesn't just have to be transportation, it could be transportation and planning and urban design because they are. There is a connection and we're often seeing that our transportation staff liaisons are going to make presentations often over here, but if we were having those conversations and both staff departments were able to be in the room, we could accomplish a lot in that meeting.

G

It's true because in housing we often talked about the importance of transit, but no one was ever there to talk about transit and yeah and then.

C

You're waiting into connectedness.

G

A

We've, given you a lot of feedback here,.

C

A

Can you tell us next steps.

D

Well before we do that, I have to name that durham has a stipend program for the council, their council appointed boards, committees, commissions and task force, members, the stated reasons, or that equitable compensation will be available for members who are experiencing financial hardship and require support in their volunteerism.

D

They name child care, parking, transportation and meals as reasons and they have 24 advisory boards they're eligible for these equity stipends. So I would just suggest, while we're talking about how many boards and commissions we have for a population of our size um and what we could do to increase participation. I think it should be on the table.

C

Definitely and that's something for the council can certainly consider. We know that, especially with this proposed structural, it will be a lot of work for advisory boards.

B

The mayor wanted you to do next steps. What do we.

C

uh Yeah so propose next steps. We hope to keep working with the working group to talk about a lot of these details. um Just today we're here that it's going to be evolving, some it's going to keep evolving and we hope to keep checking in with you like this. um So we'll keep continu incorporating that input. We do hope to begin work on establishing a pilot.

C

We have not began that planning process, but we do think that would be an important piece of seeing how this could work um and then the final last step would be making a final recommendation to the council. There is not a timeline um again. This is going to be a little bit of a moving target, as we continue to hear, hear more and learn more.

G

um I'm just curious in all this ongoing feedback. So far, have we heard from any group to say: hey, we don't think it should be six, it should be ten. Have we had any kind of I'm just I haven't been able to find it. When I looked at the project page, I couldn't even find it so.

F

I'm just wondering if anybody and I'm gonna I'm gonna just answer sage- we haven't, unfortunately, with the community actually been able to get to that level. Okay, I mean.

G

If you've, I just I'm getting, emails like this is bad. This is bad, but I'm not getting emails. That say what, if you did this instead and that's and.

F

That's where we really like the um restructuring working group to get to, and I.

G

Hope they hear that today, because I know we've been I've been thinking like well they're, going to send other ideas right yeah I mean we're we're hoping.

F

To we're hoping to get beyond where we are right now, um it's it's been a little um interesting, the community feedback, and um you know what we're hope you know what I'm hoping is that uh the community will open-mindedly look at the proposal and tell us what needs to change from that proposal and not we like it the way it is no matter we like it the way it is nothing should change, um because I think um I believe- and I would love to hear deborah's point on this, but I believe that from us from that, it's not sustainable the way.

F

It is right now that we do not have the staffing resources to operate boards and commissions the way it is right now um and we would really love to have the community help us to solve that problem, but not lose all the good stuff that we're getting out of our boards and commissions right now, and so we want people to stay, engaged, uh open-minded and creative, uh rather than um you know, sort of telling us how bad this is, but without um uh suggestions as to how to improve it.

G

Yeah and I'll share, I mean I've been on boards and committees for a long time before I joined council, and I didn't hear anybody think that it was a perfect process. I mean I'm pretty sure everybody that I worked with, knew it needed to be adjusted, changed and updated in some way to be more productive and efficient. So.

C

And I think that's the we are hearing that as far as consensus there there is room for improvement. So what does that look like.

A

B

I think miss whistler wanted me to respond to the is this sustainable? The way that the current structure is now- and I can say- and I said this in my earlier comments- a resounding no, we this cannot continue, um but it's not just about staff resources. It truly is about. Are we doing the best work for this community and I don't think with this current structure that we are.

B

All we are saying is: let's take a step back since 20 2006 to 2022, not a thing has changed and we are saying it's time it's time for us to relook at something that we think is very important for our community.

B

Under the current structure. uh It is not working, it is not sustainable and it's not effective and it's not impactful and that's that's our.

I

Goal- and you know on the human capital side of things today, we will hear or later on today we are here: appointments for boards and commissions. All of those vacancies came about due to resignation and we've been seeing, resignation coming left and right. The volume is very high, so we can't deny that even on the volunteer side of things, we want to make the best use of folks time, but for whatever reason, they're not sticking and staying.

A

That's great, okay, so great work. I know it's a difficult topic. I've seen early iterations of presentations, so you guys have. I know you've done a lot of work and come a long way, um and you know when, when I I'm very glad we're doing a pilot, we're doing a go, slow approach, we're experimenting, we're getting feedback from the community and the participants, and so I think, that's hopefully reassuring to anyone who has any concerns or doubts about it that we're not. You know, jumping into the deep end, we're wading in very slowly.

A

um So um so look for more about about that. um I I uh anybody else have anything before we've got council at five, so we'll probably need a little break, but anyone else have any other comments. Okay, great. Thank you.