The Boulder City Charter Section 130 reads, “… the council by ordinance may create and provide for such advisory commissions as it may deem advisable … Each of such commissions, including the library commission, shall be composed of five city residents, not all of one sex, …”
However, the Planning Board and the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board are separately each set at 7 members in Sections 74 and 157, respectively. Perhaps the “board” rather than “commission” designation was partially intentional to get around the 5-member limit.
This year the city council created a Housing Advisory Board, and council members have expressed interest in expanding the board to 7 members. Ballot Question 2H would allow city council the flexibility to set future boards or commissions and this year’s new Housing Advisory Board at either 5 or 7 members.
A majority of a 5-member commission is 3. For a 7-member commission, the majority is 4. Currently, Section 130 specifies, “Special meetings may be called at any time upon due notice by three members. Three members shall constitute a quorum, and the affirmative vote of at least three members shall be necessary to authorize any action by the commission.” Ballot Question 2H would change “three” to “a majority of the.”
Lastly, the phrase “not all of one sex” would be changed to “not all of one gender identity.”
Recommendation: leaning for the measure
Larger boards can allow for more diversity of opinion but may cut down on the commission’s ability to nimbly make decisions.
The change to “majority,” instead of explicitly stating 3 members for 5-member commissions or 4 members for 7-member commissions, sets up the question of what happens if there are 2 vacancies on a commission. Is the majority based on the number of seats on the commission or the number of current commissioners? The current charter language requires 3 members to conduct business and authorize actions, regardless of vacancies. If a commission is dysfunctional and 2 of the 5 members resign, then could a majority be interpreted to be 2 members, perhaps the very 2 members who are most responsible for the dysfunctional commission?
Website for the Yes Side
No known website – Info on a supporters’ website appreciated.
Website for the No Side
No known website – Info on an opponents’ website appreciated.
Approved Ballot Language (with bullet points added for clarity)
City of Boulder Ballot Question 2H -- Charter Amendment Related to Advisory Commissions
Shall Section 130 of the Charter be amended pursuant to Ordinance 8271 to
• allow council to set the number of any new advisory commission as five or seven when forming the commission;
• allow council to increase the size of the Housing Advisory Board from five to seven members;
• change the criteria for what constitutes a majority to accommodate boards of different sizes; and
• change the reference of “sex” to “gender identity?”
For the Measure ____
Against the Measure ____
See Ordinance No. 8271 to put Question 2H to the voters
https://bouldercolorado.gov/central-records/document-archive then click on Browse City Council Records > Ordinances > 2018 > 8271
However, the Planning Board and the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board are separately each set at 7 members in Sections 74 and 157, respectively. Perhaps the “board” rather than “commission” designation was partially intentional to get around the 5-member limit.
This year the city council created a Housing Advisory Board, and council members have expressed interest in expanding the board to 7 members. Ballot Question 2H would allow city council the flexibility to set future boards or commissions and this year’s new Housing Advisory Board at either 5 or 7 members.
A majority of a 5-member commission is 3. For a 7-member commission, the majority is 4. Currently, Section 130 specifies, “Special meetings may be called at any time upon due notice by three members. Three members shall constitute a quorum, and the affirmative vote of at least three members shall be necessary to authorize any action by the commission.” Ballot Question 2H would change “three” to “a majority of the.”
Lastly, the phrase “not all of one sex” would be changed to “not all of one gender identity.”
Recommendation: leaning for the measure
Larger boards can allow for more diversity of opinion but may cut down on the commission’s ability to nimbly make decisions.
The change to “majority,” instead of explicitly stating 3 members for 5-member commissions or 4 members for 7-member commissions, sets up the question of what happens if there are 2 vacancies on a commission. Is the majority based on the number of seats on the commission or the number of current commissioners? The current charter language requires 3 members to conduct business and authorize actions, regardless of vacancies. If a commission is dysfunctional and 2 of the 5 members resign, then could a majority be interpreted to be 2 members, perhaps the very 2 members who are most responsible for the dysfunctional commission?
Website for the Yes Side
No known website – Info on a supporters’ website appreciated.
Website for the No Side
No known website – Info on an opponents’ website appreciated.
Approved Ballot Language (with bullet points added for clarity)
City of Boulder Ballot Question 2H -- Charter Amendment Related to Advisory Commissions
Shall Section 130 of the Charter be amended pursuant to Ordinance 8271 to
• allow council to set the number of any new advisory commission as five or seven when forming the commission;
• allow council to increase the size of the Housing Advisory Board from five to seven members;
• change the criteria for what constitutes a majority to accommodate boards of different sizes; and
• change the reference of “sex” to “gender identity?”
For the Measure ____
Against the Measure ____
See Ordinance No. 8271 to put Question 2H to the voters
https://bouldercolorado.gov/central-records/document-archive then click on Browse City Council Records > Ordinances > 2018 > 8271
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