The Fishers City Council formed a “Committee Taskforce,” what some described as a “committee on committees,” in June of this year. The group, consisting of city council members and chaired by Council President Selina Stoller, was assisted by City Attorney Chris Greisl.  The goal was to formalize the council’s committee system.

At the October 11 council session, the Committee Taskforce will unveil its proposal to the full council.  It calls for two standing committees – Budget & Finance Committee and Rules Committee.  The council has had a standing finance committee for several years, but the proposed ordinance would formalize that panel.

The ordinance would call for a minimum of 3 members for each standing committee.  Each panel would have at least one member of the minority party.  Two of the nine council members are Democrats.  Crystal Neumann, a Democrat, serves on the Committee Taskforce.

According to the proposed ordinance, the Rules Committee will have the authority to consider and recommend proposed changes for the rules of the Common Council, State and Federal legislation, and any other matter properly referred to the committee by the Council President.

Each committee would vote on a recommendation, then the issue would go before the entire council for final action.

Appointments to the standing committees would be made by the council president following the first meeting each January.  A majority of committee members must be present for a quorum in order to conduct business.

The city council appoints members to various boards and commissions, and the proposed ordinance deals with that issue with the following language:

“Council members may indicate their preference for appointments to the Council President for any non-standing council committee, board, or commission where council
memberships or council appointments on the board or commission is required by Indiana
law or local ordinance. All annual appointments shall be made after the January Council
meeting in which the Council President is elected, and all council and citizen appointments shall be deemed final upon assignment by the Council President. The Council President may fill any board or commission vacancy at any time.”

The full council will have a first reading of the ordinance October 11, and two more readings would be required before final passage, short of a unanimous vote to suspend the rules.