City Council

DISCUSSION OF PURPOSE AND SUPPORT REQUIREMENTS FOR THE\nSUSTAINABLE CITY COMMITTEE AND DIVERSITY COALITION COMMITTEE\nSummary:\nAt the City Council meeting of May 13, 2025, Mayor Jones received support\nfrom Council Member Woods to enable further discussion to review the\nformation guidelines, staff resources and budget requirements, and other details\nof the Sustainable City Committee (SCC) and Diversity Coalition Committee\n(DCC). In response to the City Council’s direction, staff developed this report to\noutline the differences between commissions and committees, explain the\nformation and purpose of the SCC and DCC, and present estimates of staff\nresources dedicated to supporting each committee.\nThe SCC and DCC advance City initiatives related to environmental\nsustainability and community diversity. Each committee meets regularly and\ncarries out programs aligned with its mission. Staff calculated that supporting\nboth committees requires approximately 764 staff hours per year, with an\nestimated cost of $80,536 as well an additional $10,000 in annual program\nexpenses for the DCC. To further facilitate City Council discussion, staff\nreviewed examples from other cities and included a sample set of bylaws from\nthe City of Santa Cruz to assist the Council in considering whether to formalize,\nmodify, or reaffirm the structure and responsibilities of these committees.\nStaff recommends that the City Council review the information presented in this\nreport and provide further direction. The City Council may also wish to discuss\nwhether the current structure and scope of each committee remain appropriate\nor if the City Council desires to refine its direction to better align with City\npriorities and available resources. Potential options for further consideration\ninclude reaffirming the current committee structure, revising membership or\nmeeting frequency, adopting formal bylaws, or transitioning certain efforts into\nCity-led programs.\nStrategic Plan Goal(s):\nGoal No. 5: High-Functioning Government: Strengthen internal communication,\nrecruitment, retention, systems, and processes to increase the\neffectiveness and efficiency of City services.\nRecommendation:\nDiscuss the proposed City Council request and provide direction to staff as\ndesired.