At tomorrow’s meeting, the Council will discuss recommendations by the Committee on Committees (CoC), in order to improvements to City Council Advisory Boards and Committees. The CoC was charged with reviewing the purpose and mission of each of the City’s boards and committees, identifying overlap and redundancy, and developing recommendations for improvements, including the disbandment of those boards and committees no longer needed or relevant. The COC has recommended making changes to the following committees:

The following improvements are recommended based on inputs from various stakeholders, including

members of the Committee on Committees:

  • Advisory Planning Commission (APC): Consider changes to include the utilization of the APC as the convener of community development meetings, as an anticipated requirement of the Zoning Rewrite.
  • Animal Welfare Committee (AWC): Update mission and
  • Cable TV Commission: Recommend disbandment.
  • College Park Seniors Committee: Increase total to 11 and remove councilmember position. This has occurred.
  • Committee for a Better Environment (CBE): Expand mission to include greater educational component. Code changes to Section 15.37 are recommended to remove the unnecessary prescriptive assignment of staff liaison.
  • Education Advisory Committee (EAC): Consider greater focus on identifying and recommending areas, such as legislation, funding, standards, the City Council may advocate for that improve educational opportunities and outcomes throughout Prince George’s County and the City College Park. Also, include function as an information clearinghouse. Amend some other duties and responsibilities of the EAC.
  • Recreation Board: Utilize Board to help oversee and coordinate other recreational activities and special events as needed.
  • Tree and Landscape (TLB): Recommend continued utilization of TLB for policy advisory purposes and commercial landscape review. Code changes to Section 179.5 are recommended to remove the overly prescriptive assignment of staff liaison and membership requirements.

The COC provides the following additional recommendations for discussion and consideration:

  • Advertise and recruit for expiring terms once per year
  • Establish 3-year terms for the appointed board and committee members, whereby the terms of one-third of the board or committee membership would expire on June 30 annually.
  • Staff liaisons and committee members review and update, if necessary, the board or committee’s Purpose/Description statement and, when applicable, develop annual work plans for Council’s review and approval
  • Consider updates to Rules and Procedures pertaining to Council-appointed Boards
  • Consider the establishment of an annual orientation and or City-wide field trip with committee members and invite community members interested in becoming more involved.
  • Consider the implementation of a “Code of Conduct” for Board members.