CITY COMMISSION AGENDA ITEM

Department:	City Manager’s Office		Commission Meeting Date:  03/20/18
Staff Contact:	Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager
Recommendations/Options/Action Requested:
Receive request from the Economic Development Corporation (EDC) of Lawrence/Douglas County regarding its appointment to the Public Incentives Review Committee (PIRC).   Direct staff to prepare an ordinance to consider this change and allow for the continuation of the current EDC Board representative to the PIRC to continue to serve on the board through July 2018, if appropriate.
Executive Summary:		It recently came to the attention of staff, as a result of an inquiry initiated by the EDC Board representative who is currently serving on PIRC, that he does not live within Douglas County. That inquiry also had staff review the wording of the current PIRC ordinance, Ordinance No. 9397 regarding board composition.  The ordinance specifies that the representative of the EDC is the Chair of the EDC.  The current representative of the EDC is its Treasurer.  The EDC Board discussed this matter at its recent March meeting.   The EDC has sent the City a letter requesting that the City Commission reconsider wording of the ordinance to allow for the EDC Board’s representative to be its Chair or his/her designee.  The EDC Board is also requesting that the appointed representative from the EDC be able to serve on PIRC regardless of residency as long as the individual is involved in the Lawrence business community.  Additionally, the EDC is requesting that the current appointee to PIRC representing the EDC be allowed to continue to serve through July 2018.  This will enable time for the requested change to be considered by the City Commission and not create unnecessary disruption to the PIRC.  The current EDC Board representative, Brad Burnside, has been a long-time member of the PIRC and has been an extremely diligent member of the committee in terms of attendance and participation and has also been active in the Lawrence community.  Should the Commission approve the request, the next steps would be for staff to prepare an ordinance to consider a change to the ordinance in line with the request, which could be scheduled for April.  Also, should the Commission wish to proceed with the request, city staff will recommend the wording that such that the EDC representative be an appointment by the EDC Board.
Strategic Plan Critical Success Factor		Effective Governance and Professional Administration
Fiscal Impact (Amount/Source):		None.
Attachments:		Request Letter from EDC

Reviewed By: (for CMO use only)

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