Clayton Municipal Code Ch. 2.14 Community Services Commission

A. Mission Statement. The Community Services Commission (CSC hereafter) shall act as a "sounding board" for use of public facilities such as the library meeting room and parks, and how to meet recreation and community service needs, and serves as liaison between the City Council and the community. The CSC shall advise the City Council of the community's needs, establish priorities and submit program proposals to the City Council for approval.

B. Goals.

1. The CSC shall forward recommendations to the City Council pertaining to use of public facilities such as the library meeting room and parks, and how to meet recreation and community service needs, but shall have no authority or responsibility for the policies governing the City.

2. The CSC will help facilitate the programs the community feels are necessary. The City Council recognizes that the greatest resource available for solving community problems is the people of the community. The CSC will maximize the use of volunteers in City programs.

3. Matters brought to the City Council by citizens regarding parks and recreation expenditures, policies and programs may be referred to the CSC for study. The CSC will be guided, where applicable, by the City's General Plan and Community Services Master Plan when studying these matters. Upon completion of the study, the CSC will report its findings and recommendations to the City Council for final determination.

(Ord. 305; § 1, 1993)

A. The CSC shall consist of five (5) voting members, one non-voting alternate member, and one non-voting high school student. The non-voting alternate member shall have voting privileges when substituting for a voting member who is absent from a regular meeting.

B. All members, voting and non-voting, shall be appointed by the City Council and shall be residents of Clayton. Appointments shall be made by the end of January and terms shall be staggered so that no more than three (3) CSC members are replaced at one time. Vacancies, as they occur, are filled by interim appointments by the City Council. The CSC members are encouraged to make suggestions to members of the City Council as vacancies occur.

(Ord. 305, § 1, 1993)

It is essential that CSC members serve long enough to become knowledgeable and for the entire Commission to develop a strong team approach to City needs.

A. Voting Member. The term of office for the voting members shall be two (2) full calendar years, except that upon the original selection of members to service on the Commission, three (3) voting members shall serve until December 31, 1994, and two (2) voting members shall serve until December 31, 1995. The expiration date of a term of office for a Commissioner shall be June 30 of the final year of said term.

B. Non-Voting Alternate Member. The term of office for the non-voting alternate member shall be for two (2) full calendar years. The expiration date for the first appointed term shall be December 31, 1995.

C. Non-Voting Student Member. The term of the non-voting high school student member shall be one year commencing with the school term in September, through the following August.

D. All members, voting and non-voting, shall serve until their successor is seated on the Commission.

(Ord. 305, § 1, 1993; Ord. 340, § 9, 1998)

All members shall, by experience, training, education, occupation or avocation, have demonstrated knowledge of and interest in park, recreation, library, cultural, or arts facilities, or leisure and human services.

A. In selecting the appointees to the CSC, the City Council shall consider the following qualifications:

1. A sincere interest in and commitment to the importance and value of community affairs as well as libraries, parks and recreation.

2. A willingness to give freely of both time and energy to learn to carry out their responsibilities effectively.

3. The ability to work well with others; a talent that involves a rare blend of tact, respect for varied opinions and points of view, and complete open-mindedness and objectivity.

4. Good judgement, intelligence and the courage of one's convictions, including the ability to articulate the issues, problems, and solutions as one sees them.

5. The ability to inspire confidence, respect and support of the community.

B. The CSC should strive to be as broadly representative of the community as possible. It should be well balanced with a cross-section of the community, representing all age groups and individuals from different social, educational, economic, racial and occupational backgrounds, and from different geographical backgrounds and areas of the community.

(Ord. 305, § 1, 1993)

A. Any member of the Commission may be removed by a majority vote of the City Council.

B. A vacancy may also occur by the resignation of any member of the Commission.

C. Any vacancy shall be filled by the City Council.

D. The person selected to fill a vacancy shall serve the remainder of the unexpired term of the former member being replaced.

(Ord. 305, § 1, 1993)

Voting members of the Community Services Commission shall receive compensation in the amount of seventy-five dollars ($75.00) per month for each full month of the Commission member's term of office, provided however, no compensation shall be paid for any month in which the Commission fails to hold at least one regular public meeting.

(Ord. 324, 1996; Ord. 365, 2002)

A. The Commission should hold at least one regular meeting per month, with no less than one meeting quarterly. The Commission shall fix the time and place of its regular meeting(s) by resolution or by-law.

B. Special meetings of the CSC may be called at any time by the Chairperson or by a majority of the CSC voting members.

C. All meetings of the CSC are open to the public and the CSC shall give notice of its meetings as required by law.

(Ord. 305, § 1, 1993)

The CSC shall perform the following duties:

A. Be the principal advisor to the City Council, the City Manager and other boards, commissions, committees and departments of the City in all matters pertaining to parks, recreation, use of the community library meeting room, arts and cultural facilities, and historical activities, senior citizen and teen activities and concerns and other municipal community and volunteer services.

B. Review and recommend policies governing use of the community library meeting room, parks, recreation and community services for approval by the City Council.

C. Conduct public hearings and make recommendations to the City Manager, Planning Commission and/or the City Council regarding parks, recreation and community services.

D. Prepare an annual report of accomplished and proposed activities by the end of the first quarter of each calendar year. As part of this report, the Commission shall review and advise on the Community Services budget as proposed and submitted by the City Manager.

E. Recommend to the City Manager and City Council facility use policies including fees, restrictions, priorities and other concerns. Said policies and fees are to be reviewed annually with recommendations for changes as needed.

F. Prepare a Community Services Master Plan for review by the Planning Commission and adoption by the City Council.

G. Review and comment on subdivisions and other development proposals before the Planning Commission, in a timely manner consistent with the Planning Commission's project processing time table in which land is proposed for dedication, credit for private open space is requested, projects proposed on school lands or other significant park, creek, trail or open space where concerns exists.

H. Encourage close cooperation between the City of Clayton and the Mt. Diablo Unified School District, and with other agencies and organizations performing recreational activities or having recreational facilities, to the end that duplication may be eliminated, costs may be reduced to a minimum, and the most efficient use be made of all available facilities.

I. Receive through the City Council donations, gifts, legacies, endowments, or bequests which will be identified on deposit and budgeted for community service purposes as recommended by the CSC and approved by the City Manager and the City Council.

J. Facilitate communication between the CSC and the City Council by designating a CSC member as a liaison to attend City Council meetings.

K. Perform other such duties as may be assigned from time to time by the City Council.

(Ord. 305, § 1, 1993)

The Community Facilities Commission shall prepare appropriate bylaws for their Commission for review and approval by resolution of the City Council.

(Ord. 305, § 1, 1993)