PL PACKET 02151983 - Laserfiche WebLink

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MEMORANDUM • DATE: December 13 , 1982 TO: Mayor and Councilmen FROM: David M. Childs , City Manager SUBJECT: Planning Commission Terms of Office ---------------------------------------------------------------------- On several occasions , the subject of establishing terms for the City Planning Commission has been addressed. The assignment of terms for Planning Commission is a very common practice and very advisable for several reasons . (1) The appointee is given a definite length of time for which he/she commits to serve , which is valuable both for the Commissioner, as well as the City. (2) Their service is less subject to political changes on the City Council when, for example , there are staggered four year terms rather than the whole Commission being reappointed each year. (3) The likelihood of a complete turnover on the Commission is lessened, thus adding to stability of the process . . As you can clearly see , the arguments for Planning Commission terms have the same basis as the reasoning behind terms for councilmen , legislators , congressmen and other elected and appointed officials . Attached is a memo from Bill Soth regarding the legalities of the process . You will note that an ordinance is necessary . I feel that such an ordinance would be well advised - particularly at a time when two openings on the Commission exist simultaneously (Sopcinski and Peterson have resigned) . The service of history of the five who have requested reappointment is as follows : Bill Bowerman July , 1974 Brad Bjorklund February , 1978 Doug Jones March , 1978 Judy Makowske January, 1980 Bill Zawislak January, 1982 Several alternatives exist such as 4 year terms with 4 members reappointed on a . particular year and three reappointed two years later. Another possibility would be four year terms with two reappointed every year and one on the 4th year. The combinations are endless , of course , and ` I will be happy to devise a system to your liking. DMC/cjk