Cary Town Council Work Session Minutes

Boards and Commissions Process

September 9, 2008

5:30 p.m.

Room 10035, 316 N. Academy St., Cary, NC

Present:  Mayor Harold Weinbrecht, Mayor Pro Tem Julie Robison, Council Members Gale Adcock, Don Frantz, Jennifer Robinson and Jack Smith

Absent: Council Member Erv Portman participated by conference call

Mayor Weinbrecht called the meeting to order at 5:31 p.m.

The meeting agenda and documents as presented to council for their consideration follow.

Agenda:

I.          Overview and History

II.          Board Web Pages

A.  Current Board Pages

B.  Proposed Changes

III.         Board Applications

A. Current Application

B.  Proposed Changes 

IV.        Proposed New Appointment Process

V.         Proposed Code Amendment

VI.        Council Direction

Two examples of the proposed new board/commission Web pages follow.

The proposed main application follows.

Town of Cary
Town Clerk’s Office
P.O. Box 8005, Cary, NC 27512-8005
Phone No. (919) 319-4508
Fax No. (919) 460-4910
e-mail:  Karen.gray@townofcary.org

Please contact the town clerk's office with any questions about this application.  The e-mail address is karen.gray@townofcary.org; the phone number is (919) 469-4011. Current Town of Cary employees are not eligible to serve on Town Council appointed boards and commissions.

PLEASE NOTE: This application is a public record under North Carolina law and will be shared with third parties upon request and without notice.  If there is any information you do not want released to the public, please do not include it.

PLEASE TYPE OR PRINT CLEARLY

Answer all of the question below in full

 

For detailed information and time commitments for each board and commission visit the boards and commissions Web page on the Town’s Web site at http://www.townofcary.org/boards/boards.htm.

Please indicate below the board(s) for which you are applying.  You will need to complete a separate supplemental application located on the individual board Web pages on the Town’s Web site.  To access the supplemental applications visit the town’s Web site as mentioned above.

Where Do You Reside?

       IF not in Cary's Town Limits OR in Cary's ETJ, please explain your interest in serving on a board or commission: 

If you previously served on a Town of Cary board or commission, did you fulfill your term to its completion (NOTE: An appointed term can be for 1, 2 or 3 years)?

       If not, please explain and provide approximate dates of service:

Have you completed any kind of municipal citizen leadership course (i.e, the Town’s school of government, citizens’ police academy, etc.)? (Completion of a municipal leadership course is not a requirement for service on any of the boards or commissions mentioned above) 

If yes, please list. 

Polo shirt size:

How did you become aware of this volunteer opportunity with the Town of Cary? (Please check all that apply): 

Citizens appointed to any board or commission are required to read and sign the Ethics and Conflicts of Interest Guidelines for Town Advisory Boards and Commissions. Please visit the Town’s Web site at http://www.townofcary.org/boards/boards.htm to review these guidelines. Your submission of this application indicates that you have read and agree to sign these guidelines in their present form if appointed to serve on any board or commission.

I understand the following: 

• this application is a public record
• if not initially appointed to serve this application will be active until the beginning of the next recruitment period
• an updated application is required during the application period of May 1-June 30 to be considered for reappointment or future appointment to a board or commission.
• regular attendance by members at board or commission meetings is important and an appointed member may be removed for missing three (3) or more meetings from October through June for each year of their term.

By submission of this application I certify that all of the information contained herein is true to the best of my knowledge.  (If returning via U.S. mail, please sign below; your signature is not required if the application is returned as an e-mail attachment.)  If application is returned via e-mail applicant will receive a confirmation of receipt within 48 hours.  It the confirmation of receipt is not received the application should contact the town clerk’s office.

Signature _________________________________                        Date:    ________________________

Two examples of board-specific supplemental applications follow.

Supplemental Application for the Environmental Advisory Board

PLEASE TYPE OR PRINT CLEARLY

Please contact the town clerk's office with any questions about this supplemental application.  The e-mail address is karen.gray@townofcary.org; the phone number is (919) 469-4011. Current Town of Cary employees are not eligible to serve on Town Council appointed boards and commissions.

PLEASE NOTE: This supplemental application is a public record under North Carolina law and will be shared with third parties upon request and without notice.  If there is any information you do not want released to the public, please do not include it.

PLEASE TYPE OR PRINT CLEARLY

Brief Description of Duties: 

Answer all of the questions below in full

 

The board consists of nine members from within Cary’s corporate limits appointed by the Town Council who serve staggered terms:  five serve as “At-Large Citizens” and four serve as “Technical Experts” or “Partners”. All appointments to the board are for three year terms, except where unexpired terms are being filled. Your professional history helps in filling these vacancies. For information regarding the Environmental Advisory Board Visit the boards and commissions Web page on the Town’s Web site at http://www.townofcary.org/boards/boards.htm.

Technical Experts include but may not be limited to the following:

Partners include but may not be limited to the following:

Please indicate the position for which you are applying:

If applying for technical expert or partner, indicate affiliation and list any relevant experience/qualifications. Tell in your own words why you are the best qualified candidate, what you could bring to this particular board, and any other information that might distinguish your application from the other candidates. (You may attach additional documentation to support your position, with the exception of letters of reference and petitions of others advocating for your appointment.)

List any board or commission on which you are presently serving or have served on in the past, either in the Town of Cary or elsewhere, noting any relevancy to the Environmental Advisory Board.

List any business in which you are employed or have an ownership interest that does business in the Town. 

Do you have any personal or business interest(s) that could create a conflict (either real or perceived) if you are appointed to serve on this board?

       If yes, please explain:

By submission of this supplemental application I certify that all of the information contained herein is true to the best of my knowledge.  (If returning via U.S. mail, please sign below; your signature is not required if the application is returned as an e-mail attachment.)

Signature _________________________________                        Date:    ________________________

Supplemental Application for the Sister Cities Commission

PLEASE TYPE OR PRINT CLEARLY

Please contact the town clerk's office with any questions about this supplemental application.  The e-mail address is karen.gray@townofcary.org; the phone number is 469-4011. Current Town of Cary employees are not eligible to serve on Town Council appointed boards and commissions.

PLEASE NOTE: This supplemental application is a public record under North Carolina law and will be shared with third parties upon request and without notice.  If there is any information you do not want released to the public, please do not include it.

PLEASE TYPE OR PRINT CLEARLY

Brief Description of Duties: 

Answer all of the question below in full

 

The Commission consists of 11 members from within Cary’s corporate limits appointed by the Town Council who serve staggered terms. All appointments to the commission are for three year terms, except where unexpired terms are being filled. Your professional history helps in filling these vacancies. For information regarding the commission visit the boards and commissions Web page on the Town’s Web site at http://www.townofcary.org/boards/boards.htm.

Successful applicants are expected to attend subcommittee meetings and participate in related activities outside of their regularly scheduled commission meetings.  Please consider carefully whether you are able to commit the time necessary to carry out the mission and goals of the sister cities commission.

Do you have previous experience with sister city relationships? 

       If yes, please explain, listing any relevant experience/qualifications:

Tell in your own words why you are the best qualified candidate, what you could bring to this particular commission, and any other information that might distinguish your application from the other candidates. (You may attach additional documentation to support your position, with the exception of letters of reference and petitions of others advocating for your appointment.)

List any board or commission on which you are presently serving, or have served on in the past, either in the Town of Cary or elsewhere, noting any relevancy to the Sister Cities Commission.

List any business in which you are employed or have an ownership interest that does business in the Town. 

Do you have any personal or business interest(s) that could create a conflict (either real or perceived) if you are appointed to serve on this commission?

       If yes, please explain:

By submission of this supplemental application I certify that all of the information contained herein is true to the best of my knowledge.  (If returning via U.S. mail, please sign below; your signature is not required if the application is returned as an e-mail attachment.)

Signature _________________________________                        Date:    ________________________

The proposed board/commission appointment process follows.

The deputy town clerk sent an e-mail to all nine boards (78 members) inviting them to attend one of two meetings to discuss their recommendations and suggestions for changes to the overall board process.  Feedback was received from 20 members’ total (16 attended and 4 provided written comments). 

Discussions included the board application, web pages, board code of ordinances section, and the appointment process.  What follows are the members’ comments and suggestions.  Although all comments are listed, not everyone agreed to all of the recommendations.

Proposed Action Plan for Board and Commission Process: