[Ord. No. 42-1999, 1-18-2000]
(a) 
Nominations for vacancies to council-appointed City boards or committees may be made by the Mayor or any member of the City council. It is expected that City councilors, who are elected to represent people and whose election reflects different constituent views, should appoint persons to City committees to assist in carrying out those views.
(b) 
Sometime before the beginning of the fiscal year and after the June elections, the City Clerk will publicize the full list of City committees and indicate all vacancies, inviting interested members of the public to apply using a City-prepared form. Copies of all applications shall be distributed by the City Clerk routinely to the City council. The council may consider candidates as nominated by councilors and/or from applications received by the City Clerk. From time to time during the year, especially when any committee vacancies accumulate, the City Clerk shall advertise that existing vacancies are available and again invite citizens to apply. New applications will be added to any existing applications remaining for vacant positions.
(c) 
When considering appointments, the City council may discuss candidates in open or in executive session, depending on the vote of the council. When discussing candidates, whether it is an open session or in an executive session, it shall occur at a duly called meeting of the council. A majority vote of the council shall determine whether it is an open or an executive session.
(d) 
For standing committees created by Charter, ordinance or state statute, the council shall interview candidates when there is more than one candidate seeking or being nominated to the position. The interviews shall generally be conducted in open session; an exception may be granted for part or all of an interview if four members of the council vote to go into executive session to discuss matters which could potentially be embarrassing to any candidate. Interviews may be conducted at times other than at regularly scheduled council meetings, either before the regularly scheduled meeting or on other occasions. All interviews, however, shall take place at duly noticed public meetings.
(e) 
For committees, including ad hoc committees, task forces, and the like, not created by Charter, ordinance or statute for which there is more than one candidate being considered for each vacancy, the council shall vote whether to interview the candidates or not. It is recognized that there are times when the council may determine that it is not necessary to conduct an interview, either based on prior knowledge of the candidates, a candidate's outstanding expertise, experience or knowledge relevant to the committee under consideration, or other factors. Whether or not interviews will be conducted shall be determined by majority vote of the council in each instance for each appointment being considered.
(f) 
For ad hoc committees and task forces, the City council, if it so chooses, may designate one of the appointees to chair the committee or task force. If the council does not name a chair, the chair shall be selected by a vote of the membership of the committee.
(g) 
All council votes on procedures and on particular appointments shall, consistent with state law, be conducted in public and be recorded in official minutes, following due notice of public meetings.
[Ord. No. 42-1999, 1-18-2000]
All committee meetings, whether for standing committees or ad hoc committees, shall be open to the public in accordance with the freedom of information laws. No business shall be conducted without a quorum being present.
[Ord. No. 42-1999, 1-18-2000]
Unless otherwise specified, committee appointments shall become effective July 1 of each year. Length of terms shall be determined by the Charter, ordinance or resolve creating the particular committee. Generally, a standing committee shall have staggered terms; ad hoc committee terms shall be renewed annually until the committee is dissolved. Appointments may be made to fill uncompleted terms upon resignations or other vacancies created.
[Ord. No. 42-1999, 1-18-2000]
(a) 
Any committee member shall forfeit his office if the member fails to attend three consecutive meetings of the committee without being excused by the committee, or fails to attend at least 60% of the regular committee meetings during any twelve-month period. The secretary of each committee shall be responsible for taking and recording attendance and reporting the attendance, along with the minutes, of each meeting to the City Clerk. The committee secretary shall be responsible for reporting to the Clerk any violations of the attendance policy. The Clerk will provide copies of committee minutes, including attendance, to the City council and will report to the council when the committee secretary has reported an attendance breach. In addition, attendance records shall be reported annually to the City council by each committee secretary.
(b) 
Once the Clerk has reported that a committee member has failed to meet the attendance requirements, the City council shall declare the seat vacant and proceed to appoint a replacement following the procedures prescribed in this division.
[Ord. No. 42-1999, 1-18-2000]
Standing committees shall continue for an indefinite period. Ad hoc committees shall be formally dissolved by a council vote once their mission has been accomplished or it has been determined that the committee is unable to productively continue.
[Ord. of 4-21-1988, § 101]
There is hereby established a conservation commission.
[Ord. of 4-21-1988, § 102]
(a) 
The conservation commission shall consist of five members, serving without pay, to be appointed by the City council. Members will serve three-year staggered terms and shall be and remain during their term of service residents of the City. The appointments are to be made at the time of all other regular committee appointments.
(b) 
In the event of the resignation of any member, or his death, inability to serve or absence from three consecutive meetings without being excused by the chair for good reason, the City council shall appoint a member to finish his term.
(c) 
The City council may appoint associate members to assist the commission. These associate members shall be nonvoting members except in the absence of regular members and may be appointed for one year terms.
(d) 
City council members may not serve on the commission.
[Ord. of 4-21-1988, §§ 103, 104]
(a) 
The conservation commission shall choose from the membership a chair, vice-chair and secretary.
(b) 
The chair shall preside at all meetings of the conservation commission, appoint all subcommittees subject to approval by the commission, represent the commission at public affairs and hearings and maintain the dignity and efficiency of the commission.
(c) 
The vice-chair shall serve in the absence of the chair.
(d) 
The secretary shall keep the minutes of all meetings and promptly file them with the City Clerk upon their approval by the commission. The secretary will be responsible for all correspondence and file copies of the correspondence with the City Clerk, to be kept in a notebook along with the minutes.
[Ord. of 4-21-1988, § 105]
(a) 
Meetings of the conservation commission shall, whenever possible, be held at City hall and shall be open to the public. The regular meeting date shall be set by the commission and the agenda posted on the bulletin board at City hall at least five days before the meeting.
(b) 
Three voting members constitute a quorum at any meeting.
[Ord. of 4-21-1988, § 106]
(a) 
The conservation commission shall conduct research, in conjunction with the planning board, into the local land areas and shall seek to coordinate the activities of conservation bodies organized for similar purposes. It shall keep an index of all open space, publicly or privately owned, within the City, including open marshlands, swamps and other wetlands, for the purpose of obtaining information pertinent to proper utilization, protection, development or use of such open areas and may recommend to the City council, the parks and recreation commission or the planning board a program for the better utilization, protection, development or use of such areas, which may include the acquisition of conservation easements. Any body politic or public agency of the state conducting planning operations with respect to open areas within the City shall notify the commission of all plans and planning operations at least 30 days prior to implementation of any action thereunder.
(b) 
The commission may acquire land in the name of the City and accept gifts in the name of the City only with the permission of the City council.
(c) 
As used in this section, the term "open space" means any space or area the preservation or restriction of the use of which would maintain or enhance the conservation of natural or scenic resources, protect natural streams or water supplies, promote conservation of swamps, wetlands, beaches or tidal marshes, enhance the value to the public of abutting or neighboring parks, forests, wildlife preserves, nature reservations or sanctuaries, or other open areas or open spaces, affect or enhance public recreation opportunities, preserve historic sites, implement the plan of development adopted by the planning board, or promote orderly urban or suburban development.
(d) 
The commission shall, prior to making any recommendations pursuant to this section to the City council, submit copies to the planning board for its review at least 30 days prior to their submission to the City council.
(e) 
Nothing in this section shall be construed to conflict with or usurp any duties, powers, or functions of the existing parks and recreation commission or planning board.