THE CITY OF OLIVETTE - GOVERNMENT

BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS

Meetings should be scheduled to avoid conflicts with other City meetings and to assure maximum attendance. The clerk at City Hall maintains a calendar of all City meetings. Remember that some staff members have responsibility for more than one committee.

Plan the Agenda in Advance

The agenda should be developed jointly by the staff and the chairperson of the commission, taking into account suggestions of other committee members. This should be done as far in advance as possible.

Post Meeting Notice Early

Notice of the meeting should be sent out well in advance - at least one week prior to meeting. A copy of the agenda and any materials that are to be discussed should be sent with the notice so that each member can give prior thought to specific items.

Remind Members About the Meeting

On the day before or on the day of the meeting, staff should see that each member is reminded about the meeting and that an attendance list is prepared for the chairperson.

Have Pre-Meeting Conference

The staff member responsible for the commission should review the agenda with the chairperson before the meeting.

Start On Time

The chairperson should begin and end the meeting on time. If there is a long agenda and it is expected that the meeting will extend beyond the usual time, commission members should be notified in advance.

See That All Participate

The chairperson should encourage all members to participate. Each member should have the opportunity to express his or her point of view. The climate should be such that each will feel free to speak but will also be obligated to listen to others. Each member should be willing to modify his or her position as new ideas are presented by other members.  When the issues are discussed and alternative solutions are considered then a consensus (or near consensus) may be reached.

Plan for the Public

The chairperson must be prepared to make the procedural rules known at the outset of the meeting. The chairperson must also enforce the rules in as unbiased a manner as possible.  Guidelines include: explaining the purpose of public participation, explaining what type of action can be taken at the meeting, requiring all members of the public who wish to speak to identify himself or herself, addressing members of the public by name, and setting a time limit for each speaker and sticking to it.

Clarify Recommendations

After consensus has been reached or a vote taken, the chairperson should summarize the recommendations. These recommendations should be reduced to writing and sent to the Council for action or to the staff for implementation. Minutes should reflect who attended the meeting, what topics were discussed and what decisions were made.

Review Progress

From time to time it is a good idea to review what the committee has been doing, evaluate the methods that have been used, and make changes in the types of meetings that have been held. The committee may want to sponsor larger meetings, sponsor workshops or special problems, or hold a meeting with state legislators or other groups.

The City Council appoints citizens to boards and commissions with responsibility for governmental functions relating to community affairs, human relations, environment, housing, insurance and pensions, parks, planning and community design, and zoning appeals.

Missouri State law requires each city to have certain boards, such as the Planning and Community Design Commission. Other boards, not required by State law, are established by ordinance. Members are appointed by the Council. They serve without compensation. Advisory boards can take no final action; independent boards act independently of the Council.

More than 70 citizens serve on 11 boards, commissions, and committees to provide the city with a source of informed opinion and public participation in the shaping of policies and programs. Once a year the Council honors these citizen volunteers at an appreciation dinner.