[Adopted 9-14-1998 by Ord. No. 389 (Ch. 2, Art. III, Div. 7, of the 1990
Code)]
A.
There is
hereby established the Augusta Development Commission to consist of
11 persons, including the Mayor, a member of the Council to be designated
by Council, and the City Manager. The eight additional members of
the Commission shall be nominated by the Mayor and confirmed by the
City Council. For purposes of initial Commission membership, Council
members shall submit as many as five recommended nominations to the
Mayor for consideration for appointment. Thereafter, Council members
shall submit one name to the Mayor for consideration for appointment
for each subsequent vacancy.
B.
Commission
members, excluding the Mayor, City Council members and City Manager,
shall be appointed for staggered three-year terms. Appointments to
the initial Commission for the eight positions that exclude the Mayor,
City Council members and the City Manager shall be three for three-year
terms, three for two-year terms, and two for one-year terms. Of the
eight Commission members, six shall at all times be residents of the
City of Augusta. Membership by the Mayor, City Council members and
City Manager shall conclude when their term of office concludes.
C.
The Commission
shall meet monthly.
D.
The City
Manager shall report at least monthly to the City Council on the activities
and status of the Commission and its projects. The Commission shall
prepare and present an annual report, with appropriate recommendations,
to the full City Council. This report shall be timed to coincide with
the start of calendar year and made available to the City Council
by February 1 of each year, so as to provide necessary information
in a timely manner during the early stages of the annual City budget
process. Information to be provided in each such annual report shall
include, at a minimum, an update of the development activities and
accomplishments of the year just completed and the Commission's recommendations
for development project and program priorities for the year upcoming.
The purpose of the Commission shall be to promote the overall
economic development of the City, including but not limited to assisting
in the recruitment or retention of industries and commercial establishments
for the City and to advise the City Council on economic development
policy. The Commission shall recommend to the City Council a proposed
annual budget to cover its expenses. Said Commission from time to
time shall recommend to the City Council plans for strengthening or
increasing the tax base and the industrial, commercial and employment
growth of the City.
The Commission, using the services of City-funded staff and
other volunteer resources as may become available, shall initiate
and maintain an aggressive economic development program for the City.
As an instrumentality established by the City Council and assigned
to conduct the public's business for the City, the Commission shall
ensure that it complies with appropriate "right to know" and Freedom
of Information Act requirements. Generally, all business of the Commission
will be conducted in the open "sunshine" required by these laws and
regulations, except that executive sessions may be employed in accordance
with public law to protect sensitive business information, contractual
negotiations and real estate transactions.
The City's Office of Economic Development shall staff the Commission.
The Director of the City's Office of Economic Development and his
or her staff shall report to the City of Augusta. The Economic Development
Director will be accountable to the City Manager and/or the Director
of City Services. The Director's salary will be established by the
personnel policies of the City.
The City shall continue to furnish the financial resources necessary
for the Commission and Department of Economic Development to pursue
its mission. The City Council shall annually receive the summary report
of the Development Commission and consider any budgetary implications
of that report, which is to be received by the Council by February
1 of each year.
The Commission shall cooperate and assist whenever practicable
with other agencies and organizations interested in the stimulation
of business development in the Augusta area. Additionally, the City
Manager shall ensure an effective working relationship with the Maine
Department of Economic and Community Development, the Maine State
Planning Office,[1] Maine & Company, Maine Development Foundation, Small
Business Administration, Economic Development Administration, Finance
Authority of Maine and any other institutional resource that operates
in the State of Maine, and such local organizations as the Heart of
Augusta Team and the Augusta Board of Trade, Kennebec Valley Chamber
of Commerce, Kennebec Regional Development Authority and which can
contribute to the development efforts of the Augusta Development Commission.
Any existing City government relationships and/or working arrangements
with other organizations that may conflict with this article shall
be modified or discontinued so as to be fully consistent with this
article.
