By Moses Leos III
Providing clarity to Kyle’s lengthy list of committees and boards could be on the horizon.
With more than 20 boards and committees to govern, the Kyle City Council could soon pinpoint how prospective members are appointed and what those groups are tasked with accomplishing.
It was the focus of a Kyle City Council workshop on Oct. 14, which could change how some committees operate.
Kyle Mayor Todd Webster said for any board or committee to exist, it must have a specific purpose and objective.
“Council has the responsibility to say, ‘this is what we need help with and this is what we expect,’” he said.
Webster would like to see the council provide guidance to how and why a committee is formed along with its purpose and how long it needs to be in place. Some groups have been languishing by the wayside for months or years, while others appear to have no specific purpose.
A prospective resolution would repeal several ordinances and amendments that govern the committee selection process.
In the resolution, each board and committee will have seven members and two alternates who are appointed for terms of three years, with the ability for alternates to hold over to maintain quorums.
Prospective members would need five votes from council for appointment.
The current process of appointment falls to the mayor. However, Webster said some names of possible committee members were placed on city council agendas without a previous vetting process.
“I found it to be unacceptable that someone’s name be placed on the agenda for nomination without me talking to them or speaking with them or any engagement,” he said.
Issues of communication were also apparent with the large influx of interested individuals.
A total of 236 people have applied to join a city committee, board or commission since 2011.
“People are willing to serve, but don’t get a meaningful response,” Webster said during the workshop. “We let people down by not following through.”
Councilman Shane Arabie welcomed the push for change. He said the current structure, which features hundreds of pages amending the appointment process, is “very convoluted.”
With a lack of direction in place, clarity is often lost for those who wish to serve their city.
“It’s not tailored to people or individuals or committees,” Arabie said. “What we are looking to draft is unambiguous to the people who are applying for it. It’s how to get people through the process.”
Councilman David Wilson made a point about the vetting process during the workshop. He said an ability to ensure commission members “know what they’re talking about” was a necessary component of the change.
Council will also be tasked with charging committees and boards with their future roles.
Those changes could be established by a separate resolution in the future. The change could mean several committees and boards may be shelved until they are needed. Some committees could be done away with entirely, while others may be combined.
“I value the folks on these committees and their willingness to participate,” Webster said. “[Citizens] want to contribute, but we have the responsibility to make sure that their contribution is meaningful.”
Webster plans to take the measure before council.
