THE OFFICE OF INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS AND PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF THIS ITEM.
Proposed Changes to Advisory Boards
Pursuant to Article II, Section 2.09.F, Broward County Charter, the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and Professional Standards conducted a performance review of the 28 boards, committees, authorities, and agencies (“advisory boards”) subject to sunset review every four years. The purpose of the advisory boards’ sunset review is to determine if the applicable advisory board “is needed to serve the public interest, and if cost of its existence to the citizens and taxpayers is justified.” This review does not apply to boards established by Charter, federal law, state law, interlocal agreements, or which are not otherwise subject to sunset review. Although OIAPS administers 71 advisory boards to which the County Commission makes appointments, only 28 advisory boards were subject to this sunset review.
For the 2016 cycle, the County Attorney’s Office identified and confirmed 28 boards subject to sunset review. On March 29, 2016, OIAPS staff distributed the Sunset Review Form for completion by each advisory board’s staff coordinator with responses due no later than April 29, 2016. After receipt of the completed forms, OIAPS staff scheduled meetings to review the performance of each advisory board. Except in a few limited situations where a scheduling conflict occurred, the following were present at the panel meetings: 1) the OIAPS Boards Administrator; 2) the assistant county attorney who represents the advisory board; 3) a staff person representing the department in which the advisory board is housed; 4) the board coordinator and/or board assistant; 5) the OIAPS Legislative Counsel or the Assistant to the Director; 6) the advisory board’s Chair or Vice Chair; and 7) a member from County Administration. OIAPS scheduled approximately three to four meetings per week and completed the panel reviews in July 2016.
Following the completion of the panel review meetings, draft recommendations were prepared and sent to the board coordinators, board assistants, and the assistant county attorney representing the advisory board. In addition, board coordinators were directed to share the draft recommendations with their respective advisory board. The OIAPS Boards Administrator attended advisory board meetings to explain the sunset review process, the recommendations to “retain with changes” and “sunset,” receive member feedback, and make necessary notes to better clarify the recommendations.
After completing the meetings with the advisory boards, the draft recommendations were updated with feedback provided and adopted by each advisory board. The proposed recommendations were then submitted to County Administration for review and approval (Exhibit 1).
Proposed Changes to OIAPS Advisory Board Policies
The Advisory Board Policies were developed at the request of the County Administrator in June 2003 to reinforce existing policies and establish guidelines for advisory board members. The proposed changes in this 2016 cycle include updates to the communication policy, residency requirements, excused absences, meetings, quorum requirements, and the printed material policy (see Exhibit 2).
Proposed Changes to Section 1-233, Broward County Code
Amendments to Section 1-233, Broward County Code, include updates to the excused absence policy, and meeting policy (see Exhibit 3).
Proposed Changes to the At-Large Rotation Procedure
Finally, OIAPS proposes eliminating the At-Large Rotation Procedure. Currently, the list of available at-large board rotation appointments is provided to each Commissioner in a specific rotation. A copy of this list is simultaneously provided to all Commissioners and their staff. When a Commissioner selects one board for appointment, that position is deleted, any new ones are added, and the list is provided to the next Commissioner on the rotation.
After a position has been available to each Commissioner, the position is removed from the list and added to the list of At-Large Positions Available to All Commissioners. Any Commissioner may appoint one or all of the available positions. Commissioners are notified that these positions have been through a full rotation and are now available to all Commissioners as they are still unfilled, terms have expired, and previously placed on the Commission's agenda for nomination. If more than one Commissioner submits a nomination for the same position, they will all be placed on the agenda for a Commission vote.
In eliminating this process, OIAPS proposes a new procedure that would allow any Commissioner to nominate individuals for appointment, subject to Board approval, at any time, from a list identifying all boards with At-Large positions (i.e., the At-Large Positions Available to All Commissioners list - see Exhibit 4). OIAPS will continue to publish the At-Large List to all Commission offices on a monthly basis. The list will identify all current at-large vacancies and those positions whose incumbent's term will expire within 60 days after the list's publication date.
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