#5 Adopt Council Policy on committee member residencyCITY MANAGER’S OFFICE MEMORANDUM
January 14, 2011
TO: City Council
FROM:Rebecca Smith, Management Assistant
SUBJECT: Action on Proposed City Council Policy Establishing Residency
Requirements for Members of City Committees (Council Policy No. 85)
Request
The Citizen Advisory Committee on Appointments requested staff obtain from the City
Council direction on whether non-City of Janesville residents may be appointed to ad
hoc committees, boards, standing committees, commissions.
Staff Recommendation
Committee member residency is a policy decision best made by the Council; there is no
one correct technical or professional answer. Staff feels that maintaining flexibility in
appointments is helpful by providing the Council the most discretion in appointing
individuals they feel best meet the needs of a committee in any given situation.
City Manager Recommendation
I recommend option 2 which would clearly put a preference on residence but also
provide discretion to the Council for decisions on an individual basis. One advantage to
this approach is that there may be times that an involved person in the community who
may not be a resident is willing to volunteer and it would provide the Council the
opportunity to appoint that individual.
Suggested Motion
Staff wrote a policy statement that includes three options. The council should delete
from the policy the paragraphs that do not pertain to their intention.
I move to approve council Policy Statement #85 with the following paragraph deletions
(1, 2, or 3).
Background
At the December 8, 2010 Citizen Advisory Committee on Appointments meeting,
committee members asked whether volunteers had to be city residents to serve on an
ad hoc, board, committee, or commission. Staff shared that there is no one official
ordinance or policy requiring residency, but the historical and traditional procedure is to
only appoint city residents to committees. The Committee then asked staff to approach
the Council to obtain direction as whether non-City of Janesville residents may be
appointed to ad hoc committees, boards, standing committees, and commissions.
Since the implementation of the committee volunteer application form, a small number
of non-residents have applied to serve on city committees. These individuals typically
had a “Janesville” address, but did not live within the corporate limits of the City (lived in
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a neighboring township with a “Janesville” address) or they lived outside the city limits,
but owned property within the city. Staff forwards those applications to the Appointment
Committee with a notation indicating they are non-residents. Because of the history of
only appointing city residents, the publicity materials and the city website indicate only
residents may apply for city committees.
Legislation Governing Residency
Seven of Janesville’s 15 standing committees, or 47%, require residency, while seven,
or 47%, are silent regarding residency of members. One board (6%) allow for two of the
nine members to be non-residents.
Is there legislation governing residency of committee
Committeemembers?
ALACCouncil Policy 66A requires residency of members.
Advisory
Committee on
AppointmentsCouncil Policy 82 requires residency of members.
Board of ReviewCharter Ordinance Chapter 2.20 requires residency of members.
CableNo
CDAState statute 66.1335 requires residency of members.
Golf AdvisoryNo
Historic
CommissionNo
Ice Center
AdvisoryCouncil Policy 83 requires residency of members.
Leisure AdvisoryNo
State statute 43.54 allows for 2 of the 9 members to be non-
Libraryresidents.
Plan CommissionCharter Ordinance 2.48.020 requires residency of members.
Police & Fire
No
Commission
Sustainable
JanesvilleCouncil Policy 81 requires residency of members.
TransportationNo
ZBANo
Peer Survey
A peer survey was completed to understand the regulations present in other
communities. Of the 12 cities surveyed, 7, or 58.3%, require residency of all of
committee volunteers. Another (8.3%) enforces residency for standing committees, but
exceptions are made for ad hoc committees. In one City (8.3%) appointing residents is
the norm; however, exceptions are made. In 2 cities, or 16.6%, residency is required for
some of their committees, but others allow non-residents to serve. Finally, in one City
2
(8.3%) residents are given preference, but non-residents may be appointed. Overall,
about half the cities enforce residency for committees more strictly, and the other half
lean toward having residents serve, but also offer flexibility/exceptions so that non-
residents may serve.
Is residency required to serve on a city board, committee,
Citycommission?
Eau ClaireResidency required.
Green BayResidency required.
KenoshaResidency required.
La CrosseResidency required.
OshkoshResidency required.
WausauResidency required.
RacineResidency required. 1 exception was made recently.
Residency required for standing committees;
flexibility/exceptions made for ad hoc committees.
Manitowoc
AppletonOnly residents are appointed, but there are exceptions made.
Fond du LacMajority of committees require residency, but some do not.
SheboyganMajority of committees require residency, but some do not.
BeloitCity residents given preference, but others may be appointed
Pros & Cons to allowing only residents to serve
Pros:
1. Allows those affected by decisions to advise on those decisions
2. No matter a person’s residency, individuals are always welcome to comment on
issue affecting them or the City
Cons:
1. Property or business owners living outside the City may be affected by decisions,
but won’t have the opportunity to advise on those decisions as a committee
member
Pros & Cons to allowing non-residents to serve
Pros:
1. There may be instances where having a non-resident on a committee could
provide a different perspective or expertise in an area that would be beneficial to
the committee or city as a whole
2. Property or business owners living outside the City could be affected by
decisions and would have the opportunity to advise on those decisions as a
committee member
Cons:
1. No matter a person’s residency, a committee may invite an individual or group
they think would be beneficial to their decision-making process to their meeting
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CITY OF JANESVILLE Policy No. 85
CITY COUNCIL POLICY STATEMENT
Date Issued
General Subject: Appointment to City Committees Effective Date
Specific Subject: Ad Hoc, Board, Committee, Cancellation Date
& Commission Member Residency
Supersedes No.
PURPOSE
To establish, define, and record the Janesville City Council’s preference regarding the
residency of members of city ad hoc committees, boards, standing committees, and
commissions.
STATEMENT OF POLICY
Comment [rs1]:
Staff has written
this policy to include three
options. Council should strike two
With exception for those boards, committees and commissions governed by other
of the three paragraphs provided to
indicate their preferred option.
legislation or policy statements concerning residency, the Janesville City Council requires
Comment [rs2]:
Paragraph & Option 1
all members of Janesville’s ad hoc committees, boards, standing committees, and
commissions to reside within the corporate city limits of the City of Janesville.
OR
With exception for the Police and Fire Commission and those boards, committees and
commissions governed by other legislation or policy statements concerning residency, the
Janesville City Council has a preference to appoint residents within the corporate city
Comment [rs3]:
Paragraph & Option 2
limits of the City of Janesville to ad hoc committees, boards, standing committees, and
commissions; however, non-residents may be considered for appointment. If the Citizen
Advisory Committee on Appointments or the City Manager recommends to the City Council
a non-resident volunteer, information should be shared as to why that person was selected
for recommendation.
The Janesville City Council requires all members of the Police and Fire Commission to
reside within the corporate city limits of the City of Janesville.
OR
With exception for the Police and Fire Commission and those boards, committees and
commissions governed by other legislation or policy statements concerning residency, the
Janesville City Council does not require members of Janesville’s ad hoc committees,
Comment [rs4]:
Paragraph & Option 3
boards, standing committees, and commissions to reside within the corporate city limits of
the City of Janesville.
The Janesville City Council requires all members of the Police and Fire Commission to
reside within the corporate city limits of the City of Janesville.