Attachment H - DRAFT Council Engagement Committee Charter

DRAFT City of Boulder Council Committee Charter Council Engagement Committee Purpose Statement The Council Committee on Engagement and a Welcoming Council Environment (Committee) focuses on improving council engagement with the public by making engagement opportunities with council more meaningful and inclusive.

Committee Membership There are several existing internal city council committees that help guide policy and decision making in key areas in partnership with city staff. Council members vote among themselves annually to appoint members to council committees. -

The City Council annually appoints two members of council to the Committee. The Communications and Engagement Department and the City Manager’s Office provide regular support for this Committee, with the city’s Community Engagement Manager and City Council Program Manager serving as lead contacts. The Committee may also be supported by the City Clerk’s Office and the City Attorney’s Office.

Responsibilities -

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When requested by the full council, provide guidance and recommendations on matters related to council engagement with community members. Reflecting their experience on council and interactions with community members and fellow council members, identify topics to discuss for potential recommendations related to council engagement with community members. Provide regular input on the Chats with City Council engagement series, sharing feedback and recommendations for strengthening the program from council colleagues with city staff.

Authority -

The Committee has the authority to discuss and identify recommendations for strengthening community engagement opportunities with council. This includes interactions between council and community within council meetings as well as interactions with City Council outside of council meetings.

Escalation from Committee to Full Council Generally, any committee-initiated action or recommendation that would substantially impact the staff or council workplan would be subject to a nod of five from the full council. Accordingly, any community engagement innovations, pilots, or program changes recommended by the Committee that would significantly impact staff workplan capacity would require a nod of five from the council. When the Committee determines that such an item exists and requires full council consideration, a committee member must submit a request to CAC asking that the item be scheduled under Matters from the Mayor and Members of Council at a regular city council meeting. Recommendations that do not substantially impact staff or council workplans may be directly implemented by staff.

Out of Scope The Committee serves in an advisory capacity only and shall not make decisions related to council/community engagement or exercise administrative functions unless expressly authorized in the Boulder Charter and Boulder Revised Code, as such functions are reserved to the City Manager. The scope of the Committee’s conversations and recommendations does not extend to the city’s approach to community engagement nor to community engagement processes planned and implemented by city staff for individual projects as part of staff annual workplans. Pre-retreat engagement with members of Boards and Commissions will be managed by the Boards and Commissions Committee who will solicit biannual workplan updates from boards and commissions as part of its annual workplan.

Committee Meetings -

The Committee meets every other month for one hour, unless additional meetings are deemed necessary by committee members. The Committee meets virtually via zoom webinar, and members of the public may view committee meetings.

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Committee agendas are sent to members of the Committee by city staff in advance of each scheduled meeting. Committee members or staff supporting the Committee may propose topics to include on meeting agendas. Meeting notes are captured by city staff and made available to Committee members following each meeting. For the committee to reach a quorum and meet for the purposes of conducting committee business, both committee members must be present. Meetings of the Committee, like all council committee meetings, are not video or audio recorded.

City of Boulder Charter References to Council Committees Excerpt from Charter Article II. The Legislative Body: Its Powers and Duties, Sec. 9. Meetings of council. -

Except as provided in Charter Sec. 21A., all meetings of the council or committees thereof shall be public. The council shall have the authority to appoint council committees. Such committees shall generally consist of no more than two council members and in no event shall be equal or greater than a quorum of council. Other council members may attend any council committee meeting to observe but shall not participate.

Excerpt from Charter Article II. The Legislative Body: Its Powers and Duties, Sec. 15. Powers and duties of mayor. -

The mayor shall be ex officio a member of all council committees.

Charter Approval Date: [Date] Last Revised: [Date]