What followed Fat Tire talk at the Parks workshop on Oct. 8 was a topic-jumping conversation beginning with committee rules and ending with Parks’ manual of policies and procedures.
Commissioners read Chair Bill Featherstone’s revised committee rules sheet, and Dave Hartmann asked if they were planning to vote on them and what if the committees don’t follow the rules? Murmurs circled the table before commissioner Draxie Rogers asked “wouldn’t it be up to the chair?” Hartmann said they aren’t rules if commissioners can choose not to follow them.
Commissioner Steven Foster said that they were common sense guidelines and he saw no reason to codify them. Featherstone simply said he didn’t know why a committee wouldn’t follow them. Hartmann lamented that it felt to him that committees just “do things” and that they should provide a definition of when to bring items to the commission. He also referenced the previous Fat Tire Festival conversation saying he didn’t understand telling commissioners about items or events after the fact.
Conversation about who employees on committees report to was raised and it was determined that they report to commissioners about committee matters.
Commissioners popped back to their original discussion on when decisions need to be brought to commissioners. Featherstone said it was a balancing act to not micromanage and he was not sure where to draw the line, and Foster said it was fine if he hears about policy at commission meetings and not on the street.
Featherstone said that if committees have any doubt on whether something should be brought to commissioners, they should bring it forward. He followed that there has to be a certain amount of independence and offered a metaphor that they are handing committees an ax and when they chop the wrong tree the commission will tell them. Commissioners said they liked that and it was settled that when committees begin to broach policy it should be brought forward.
Commissioner Scott Bardin said that there are unexpected events and asked if they should bring budget items forward as well, and Christian Super asked if a price threshold should be met before committees bring an item forward. The topic died after Foster referenced a time when the Springs and Gardens Chair was getting money from donations and explained that some of the money had been donated with that explicit purpose.
Featherstone said he would rewrite the rules for committees.
Committee rules discussion ended with commissioners deciding that it was time to rewrite the Parks manual of policies and procedures. Featherstone said that if they want it done they need to spend the money to get a professional to do it. Commissioner Ruth Hager raised her hand to find the entity to work with Parks to rewrite their manual, and Hartmann said that he would volunteer the time to liaison with that person. Featherstone’s excitement grew.