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Section 71: Neighborhood Councils Program – Creation
Section 72: Neighborhood Councils Program – Organization
Section 73: Neighborhood Councils Program – Establishment
Section 74: Neighborhood Councils Program – Neighborhood Council Duties and Responsibilities
Section 75: Neighborhood Councils Program – Community Assembly – Purpose
Section 76: Neighborhood Councils Program – Community Assembly – Compensation
A neighborhood councils program is hereby created which shall consist of the following bodies: Neighborhood councils, the community assembly and the office of neighborhood services which shall be established in accordance with the rules and procedures designated in the following sections.
Effective Date: November 2000
Ordinance C32687 Section 1
The neighborhood councils and community assembly shall have the power to make bylaws and rules for the conduct of their business.
The neighborhood councils and community assembly shall act as advisors to the city council and the mayor.
The office of neighborhood services shall act as the staff support for the neighborhood councils program and as the liaison between the neighborhood councils, the community assembly, the city council, the mayor, and the various city departments. The office of neighborhood services falls under the administrative branch of the mayor and shall report to the mayor.
The neighborhood councils program shall operate within the management structure of the Spokane City government as a separate department.
There shall be established a position within the office of neighborhood services designated as the director of neighborhood services.
In order to foster communication between the citizens of Spokane and all facets of City government neighborhood councils may be formed or existing associations may be recognized by the city council when they meet the minimum standards for recognition. Neighborhoods wishing to form recognized councils are encouraged to do so and may request assistance in the process by the City's office of neighborhood services and the community assembly. A neighborhood council must meet and continue to maintain conformity with the following minimum standards:
Clear geographic boundaries.
Adherence to established bylaws that ensure democratic deliberative and voting procedures.
Periodic meetings.
Compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws.
Copy of the bylaws and all amendments filed with the office of neighborhood services.
Membership consisting of persons who are sixteen years of age or older and reside, own property, or operate a business within the neighborhood council boundaries.
Initial boundaries remain fixed for one year. After a year, a neighborhood council may propose an amendment to its boundaries to the community assembly for its review and recommendations.
The geographic boundaries of a neighborhood council may extend to areas beyond the city limits but only members who reside, own property, or operate a business within those portions of the neighborhood council as are within the City may participate in official decisions of the neighborhood council.
Each neighborhood council designates at least two individuals to receive written documentation and other information from the City's office of neighborhood services and to be responsible for disseminating this information to their respective neighborhood councils.
A recognized neighborhood council may:
review and recommend an action, policy, or plan to the city council neighborhood committee, the city council, the mayor, the City and any city agency, commission, or board on any matter affecting that neighborhood;
assist city agencies in determining priority needs for the neighborhood;
review items for inclusion in the City budget and make recommendations relating to budget items for neighborhood improvements; and
undertake to manage projects as may be agreed upon or contracted with public agencies.
The community assembly is a coalition of independent neighborhood councils and serves as a forum for discussion of issues of broad interest. Each neighborhood council selects one representative and a designated alternate to serve on the community assembly. Representatives are expected to represent the interests of their respective neighborhood council. The community assembly meets with the city council neighborhood committee and the City's office of neighborhood services periodically to discuss community-wide issues. The responsibilities of the community assembly include to:
review and recommend an action, policy, or plan to the city council neighborhood committee, the city council, the mayor, the City, and any city agency, commission, or board on any matter affecting the City;
support and promote citizen participation and neighborhood enhancement;
promote and facilitate open communication between the City and neighborhood councils and provide the primary means of communication between individual neighborhood councils;
support and assist, as requested, individual neighborhood councils in becoming recognized and in performing their functions and responsibilities; and
serve as an information resource to neighborhood councils.
No member of the community assembly, unless he or she is staff of the office of neighborhood services, shall receive any compensation. The compensation of the staff shall be fixed by the applicable rules for each designated position.
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