ITEM TITLE:
Discussion Item: Future of the Beautification Task Force
SUBMITTED BY: Allie Ferko, CMC, Deputy City Clerk
FISCAL NOTES:
Expenditure Required: N/A
Unencumbered Balance: N/A
Funding Source: N/A
RECOMMENDATION:
Discussion item only
SUMMARY STATEMENT:
Mayor O’Neil requested a discussion item be placed on the July 2019 agenda regarding the future of the Beautification Task Force.
The purpose of a “task force” or “committee” is to meet for a specific period of time - often several weeks, several months to even a full year - about a specific topic. Once the deliverables for the task force/committee are completed, the group disbands.
The Beautification Task Force was first created by Mayor Cobb in 2012 to address a coordinated all-season community beautification and revitalization effort throughout the city. Mayors Weaver, Knight, and O’Neil have continued this effort. Visit the BTF website for historical details: <http://www.valdezak.gov/401/Mayors-Community-Beautification-Task-For>
Seven years later, the title of “task force” or “committee” appears to no longer be applicable for the beautification effort. It is now functioning as more of a permanent “commission”. Since task forces are meant to meet for only a short duration of time, there are also currently no “term expirations” for task force members. Thus, there has been no opportunity for active recruitment of new task force members.
Mayor O’Neil would like to discuss the vision the current task force has for their future.
Since the Task Force has met the threshold of its original intended purpose, questions to discuss include:
• Does the Beautification Task Force have enough annual work to continue permanently into the future or should it be disbanded? Could the current functions of the task force be incorporated into the project development process or into the public outreach mission of city departments instead?
• Should the Beautification Task Force continue its work moving forward and be formally established as a commission (and make that recommendation to City Council)? If so, then:
• Should beautification be a standalone commission or be incorporated into another commission?
• Commissions are established by ordinance and codified in Valdez Municipal Code. If applicable, what would the current task force recommend be the official purpose and mission of the Beautification Commission?
• Which city department would a beautification commission belong to moving forward? (Commissions are assigned to city departments for purposes of staffing, coordination, administrative functions, etc.)
• City commissions consist of seven members, serving three year terms each. How would the current task force recommend facilitating the transition from nine current task force members (which does not include the mayor) to seven members of a commission?