Tuesday’s Statesboro City Council agenda carries the first readings of three ordinance amendments that would empower the Statesboro Works Commission, the Statesboro Youth Commission and the Diversity and Inclusion Commission to raise money and spend it.
Also on the agenda for the 5:30 p.m. regular meeting is a proposed request to have City Attorney Cain Smith draft an ordinance or amendment defining how members are appointed to these and other city boards.
After volunteers and Mayor Jonathan McCollar developed the citizen panels on workforce development, youth development and diversity and inclusion, City Council adopted all three as advisory commissions in 2018. But the authorizing ordinances made no provision for fundraising or spending. The proposals on Tuesday’s agenda are based on an existing ordinance enabling a longer-established city commission, McCollar said Friday.
“Basically what this ordinance does is brings these commissions up to par with the (Beautification Commission),” he said. “What it allows them to do is go out and get additional resources for the community.”
The amendments as drafted will allow the commissions to accept grants, but only with approval from the mayor and council. The commissions will be subject to the city’s grant policy and purchasing policy.
Members of Statesboro Works!, the Youth Commission and the Diversity and Inclusion Commission, which is also known as One Boro, have discussed several activities that could require fundraising. One of example is the Statesboro’s Longest Table event proposed by One Boro.
No actual funding
But the proposed ordinances would not direct tax revenue or other city money to the advisory commissions.
“This does not commit the city to any funds going toward these commissions, but what it does allow them to do is to go out and apply for grants and do different fundraising activities that are associated with their mission,” McCollar said.
Under a formal process the council adopted in December, it cannot enact the ordinances on the first reading, but can vote them forward to a second reading at another meeting for final approval.
An even earlier stage in the process is a vote requesting the city attorney to draft an ordinance or revision. A proposal to “outline a transparent process for naming, discussing and appointing committee members” to any of the city’s commissions, authorities and boards is at this stage, according to Tuesday’s agenda.
The suggestion came from one or more council members and city staff. The mayor said he is comfortable with the appointment processes outlined in the City Charter but he welcomes the discussion.
“I think it’s a smart discussion, so I do want to have the discussion and see exactly where we go from there,” McCollar said.
Several purchases and contracts are also on the agenda. The largest would authorize spending a little over $1 million in state and local tax money with Sikes Brothers Inc. for resurfacing streets.
New manager?
A closed-door discussion concludes the agenda. After two specially called meetings of the council this week for close-door interviews with four candidates for the city manager’s job, the council may be ready to name one or more finalists either Tuesday evening or Wednesday, various city officials have said. Current City Manager Randy Wetmore is scheduled to retire May 31.