SUBJECT:
Title
Resolution No. 025, Series 2025 – A Resolution of the Town Council of the Town of Erie Retroactively Appointing Bob Braudes to a Four-Year Term on the Planning Commission and Ratifying His Actions to Date
Department
DEPARTMENT: Administrative Operations
Presenter
PRESENTER(S): Meredyth Muth, Director of Administrative Services and Operations
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Time
TIME ESTIMATE: 15 minutes
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For time estimate: please put 0 for Consent items.
Fiscal
FISCAL SUMMARY:
N/A
Policy
POLICY ISSUES:
Staff found an error was made in 2024 relating to Planning Commission terms. At that time, Council directed staff to bring a resolution reappointing all four of the newest members of the Commission to new four-year terms ending in 2028. However, that reappointment was only approved for three of the members and did not include Bob Braudes. This resolution rectifies that error.
Recommendation
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends Council approve the resolution as presented.
Body
SUMMARY/KEY POINTS
• In January 2024, the Town Council gave staff direction to reappoint four existing members of the Planning Commission to new four-year terms ending in April 2028 after staff stated, “all four terms end in 2024.”
• In May 2024, staff brought Council a resolution to that effect; however, only three of the four members were listed in the resolution. The Council Communication states three terms are ending in 2024 and one in 2026. Bob Braudes’ term was not extended due to a clerical error.
• This resolution would rectify the situation by retroactively appointing Mr. Braudes to a four-year term from May 14, 2024 to April 30, 2028. The resolution would also ratify all of Mr. Braudes’ actions as Planning Commission member from May 14, 2024 to date.
BACKGROUND OF SUBJECT MATTER:
To determine what caused the issue with the term, staff reviewed each appointment to the seat Mr. Braudes currently holds since 2014. It appears the confusion began in 2020 and continues from there.
• 2020
o James Luthi was appointed to the seat; it is unclear if he received a two-year term or a four-year term, but likely it was a two-year term.
• 2022
o In a Council packet from February Luthi’s term is listed as ending in 2024.
o In a packet a few months later, his term is listed as ending in 2026.
o However, Luthi was never officially reappointed to any term after 2020.
• 2023
o June - Luthi removed.
o August – Braudes was appointed with three other members, no distinction was made in the Council communication or in the resolution as to the term lengths each member was to receive.
• 2024
o January – Council directs staff to reappoint the four newest members to new four-year terms after staff stated “all four terms expire in 2024”.
o May – Council approves a resolution reappointing the three other members to terms ending in 2028. The Council Communication states three terms are ending in 2024 and one in 2026 but gives no names as to who is in what seat. Braudes not reappointed to a new four-year term.
• 2025
o Staff can find no clear information whether Braudes’s original term ended in 2024 or 2026.
o Staff have found clear direction from Council in January 2024 to reappoint all four members to terms ending in 2028.
Without a clear understanding of whether Luthi’s term ended in 2024 or 2026 we are then also unable to determine if Braudes’s term should have ended in 2024 or 2026 originally and therefore if it he should have been reappointed to a term ending in 2028.
To ensure a similar error does not occur moving forward staff will:
• Include all term dates in appointment resolutions.
• Include all term dates in the Council Communications for appointments.
• Reset all terms in the Boards/Commission software to ensure they are accurate as of today.
priorities
TOWN COUNCIL PRIORITY(S) ADDRESSED:
☐ Attractive Community Amenities
☒ Engaged and Diverse Community
☐ Prosperous Economy
☐ Well-Maintained Transportation Infrastructure
☐ Small Town Feel
☐ Safe and Healthy Community
☒ Effective Governance
☐ Environmentally Sustainable
☐ Fiscally Responsible
attachments
ATTACHMENT(S):
1. Resolution