As the fiscal year draws to a close, so too, do some appointments to various city boards and commissions.
In their May 28 meeting, the city council filled seats on the Allotment Committee, the Parks and Recreation Commission and the Utility Advisory Committee.
While the latter two bodies were a straightforward process of looking at applications as well as current members who wished to be reappointed, the Allotment Committee is different.
What is the Allotment Committee? Per acting City Manager Michael Mays, “The city adopted the Growth Control Ordinance in 1979 to limit the number of new residential units to a maximum of 120 per year. The Allotment Committee is charged with evaluating each application to ensure the highest quality development occurs in the community. The committee consists of seven members with two-year terms.”
Per the law, not only are total new residential units limited, but the number that can be claimed by any one developer are limited as well. Total allotment per year is 120 (as pointed out by Mays) but no developer can get more than half of the allotment. This, for example, is why the recently-approved Toll Brothers development in the area known as Tract 350 will be “allotted” over two or three fiscal year cycles.
Seats on the committee are also chosen differently. “Just as a reminder to mayor and council,” City Clerk Tami McKay said, “per our charter, Allotment Committee members are drawn by lot. So you have a bowl there with names and if you could draw four.”
Mayor Joe Hardy said he would draw the names but then deferred to Mayor Pro Tem Sherri Jorgensen to read the names. Jorgensen did that and then noted that the Allotment Committee is where she started her official service to Boulder City.
The names of all volunteers for the Allotment Committee were, indeed, in a small bowl placed in front of the mayor. The names drawn were Deborah Booth, Rebecca Balistere, Alan Goya and Robert Yoder.
On the Utility Advisory Committee, two current members requested reappointment and that request was granted. But not without a bit of confusion about the process. After a couple of starts and stops, City Attorney Brittany Walker explained that the mayor needed to ask for nominations for each empty seat and, after someone was nominated, ask if there were any other nominations, then close nominations and, if there were multiple nominees, call for a vote.
“You’re trying to make this complicated,” Hardy said.
After the first nominee was met with no competition and nominations closed, Jorgensen asked staff if they needed to vote. “If there is only one nominee, there is no need for a vote. That person is appointed by acclamation,” McKay answered.
From there, things went smoothly. Howard Analla, Michael Giroux, Randall Lemos and Kenneth Howell were all appointed by acclamation to terms that will run through June 1, 2028.
The Parks and Recreation opening was needed to fill an unexpired term after the resignation by a former member. Council member Cokie Booth nominated Teresa Beaver. With no other nominations, she was also appointed by acclamation.