Item 11. Travis County CC Voting Session Agenda Request - By Laws Amendment — original pdf

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Travis County Commissioners Court Voting Session Agenda Request Meeting Date: Wednesday, June 24, 2026 Agenda Language: Consider and take appropriate action on extending the term length of Travis County appointees to the Austin/Travis County Food Policy Board and instituting new staggered terms. (Commissioner Shea) Prepared By/Phone Number: Yaira Robinson, Assistant Director, Environmental Programs, Elected/Appointed Official or Department Head: Cynthia McDonald Commissioners Court Sponsor(s): Commissioner Shea, Precinct Two Press Inquiries: Hector Nieto, PIO@traviscountytx.gov or (512) 854-8740 Background/Summary of Request: Purpose of the Austin-Travis County Food Policy Board The Austin-Travis County Food Policy Board (Board) advises both the Austin City Council and the Travis County Commissioners Court about ways to improve the availability of safe, nutritious, locally-grown, affordable, and sustainable food for all residents, particularly those in need. The Board was officially established through a City of Austin Ordinance. A Travis County Commissioners Court ordinance was approved soon after. The board began meeting in the spring of 2009. The purpose of the Food Policy Board is to: • Address health disparities • Increase local sustainable food production • End food injustices • Ensure the community has a voice in policy decisions that support a healthy and equitable food system Travis County has one staff member who serves as County staff liaison to the Board. Right now, the County staff liaison is the Assistant Director-Sustainability, in the Transportation & Natural Resources Department (TNR). Board Recommendation to Extend the Term Length for County-appointed Board Members The Board is composed of thirteen members. Seven members are appointed by the Austin City Council. Six members are appointed by the Travis County Commissioners Court. City-appointed board members serve for a term of four years beginning March 1 on the year of appointment, while according to the bylaws, County-appointed board members serve for a term of two years beginning in February of the year of appointment – although in practice, the Austin City Clerk’s office starts all terms on March 1. On July 14, 2025, the Board approved a recommendation to City Council that it approve a change to the Austin-Travis County Food Policy Board bylaws to increase the term length for board members appointed by the Travis County Commissioners Court to four years. According to the Board bylaws, a bylaw amendment is not effective unless approved by the Council Audit and Finance Committee. The City Clerk’s office has outlined to TNR staff the following process for making a change to the bylaws as regards to County appointee terms: 1. Travis County Commissioners Court should take official action to recommend a change to the bylaws; 2. The Board should approve the change to the bylaws as approved by Commissioners Court; 3. The City Clerk’s office will coordinate with the Council Audit and Finance Committee to request its approval; and 4. After approval by the Committee, the bylaws amendment will go to City Council for final approval. Staff Recommendation to Stagger County Appointments to the Board Based on Court Member Election Cycles, Change the Start Date to March 1, and Implement One-Time Transition Term Extensions In order to align Board member and appointing Court member terms, TNR staff recommends amending the bylaws to specify that County-appointed Board terms will be four years in length beginning March 1 of the term start year, with the first year of the four-year term being the year the appointing Court member is sworn into office after being elected in a regular election, with one exception. The County Judge makes two appointments to the Board. Staff recommends that one County Judge appointment will occur in the same cycle as those of the commissioners for Precincts 1 and 3, with the other occurring in the same cycle as those of the commissioners for Precincts 2 and 4. If the Court approves this recommendation, the County-appointed 4- year Board terms will be structured as follows: Court Member # of Board Appointments Election Year Term Start Date Term End Date County Judge 2 2026 (then 2030, 2034, 2038, and every 4 years following) Appointment #1: 3/1/2027 (then 2031, 2035, 2039, and every 4 years following) Appointment #1: 2/28/2031 (then 2035, 2039, and every 4 years following) Commissioner Precinct 1 Commissioner Precinct 2 Commissioner Precinct 3 Commissioner Precinct 4 1 1 1 1 Appointment #2: 3/1/2029 (then 2033, 2037, 2041, and every 4 years following) Appointment #2: 2/28/2033 (then 2037, 2041, and every 4 years following) 3/1/2029 (then 2033, 2037, 2041, and every 4 years following) 3/1/2027 (then 2031, 2035, 2039, and every 4 years following) 3/1/2029 (then 2033, 2037, 2041, and every 4 years following) 3/1/2027 (then 2031, 2035, 2039, and every 4 years following) 2/28/2033 (then 2037, 2041, and every 4 years following) 2/28/2031 (then 2035, 2039, and every 4 years following) 2/28/2033 (then 2037, 2041, and every 4 years following) 2/28/2031 (then 2035, 2039, and every 4 years following) 2028 (then 2032, 2036, 2040, and every 4 years following) 2026 (then 2030, 2034, 2038, and every 4 years following) 2028 (then 2032, 2036, 2040, and every 4 years following) 2026 (then 2030, 2034, 2038, and every 4 years following) Moving from the current 2-year staggered term structure to the 4-year staggered term structure as recommended above will require implementing a one-time transition term extension for all terms and current County appointees, as shown: Court Member Current Appointment Term Start- End One-Time Transition Term Extension Action One-Time Transition Term Start-End Next Regular Appointment Term Start- End County Judge 3/1/2025 - 2/28/2027 County Judge 3/1/2026 - 2/28/2028 Commissioner Precinct 1 3/1/2025 - 2/28/2027 Commissioner Precinct 2 3/1/2026 - 2/28/2028 Commissioner Precinct 3 3/1/2025 - 2/28/2027 Commissioner Precinct 4 3/1/2026 - 2/28/2028 Extend current term by two years, for a total one-time term of 4 years Extend current term by three years, for a total one-time term of 5 years Extend current term by two years, for a total one-time term of 4 years Extend current term by three years, for a total one-time term of 5 years Extend current term by two years, for a total one-time term of 4 years Extend current term by three years, for a total one-time term of 5 years 3/1/2025 - 2/28/2029 3/1/2029 - 2/28/2033 3/1/2026 - 2/28/2031 3/1/2031 - 2/28/2035 3/1/2025 - 2/28/2029 3/1/2029 - 2/28/2033 3/1/2026 - 2/28/2031 3/1/2031 - 2/28/2035 3/1/2025 - 2/28/2029 3/1/2029 - 2/28/2033 3/1/2026 - 2/28/2031 3/1/2031 - 2/28/2035 Any person currently serving as a County-appointed Board member will continue to serve in the one-time transition term without needing to be reappointed by the Commissioners Court. Staff Recommendations: Staff recommends approval of the proposed by-laws change to extend the terms of County Board members from two to four years, to stagger the terms based on Court member election cycles; and to implement a one-time transition term extension for all terms as outlined in this memo. Issues and Opportunities: Extending the term length of County-appointed Board members from two to four years would serve the following purposes: 1. Equalize the term length for County-appointed and City-appointed Board members; 2. Reduce the administrative burden of Commissioners Court member offices and County staff, as well as for Board members appointed by the County. 3. Reduce turnover of County-appointed Board members by encouraging longer service terms. This would have the added benefit of increasing the expertise among County-appointed Board members in their role on the Board. Staggering Court-appointed Board terms to match the Court member service terms will ensure that Board members serving on the Board will be appointed by the Court members who are currently in office. In addition, updating the bylaws to list the start date of the Board member’s term from February to March 1 does the following: 1. It will align the start date (March 1) of City-appointed and County-appointed Board members, and 2. Align the bylaws with the current practice of the City Clerk’s office. Implementing a one-time transition term extension for all terms as outlined in this memo will serve as a bridge from the current 2-year staggered term cycle to the new 4-year staggered term cycle. Allowing current appointees to serve in the one-time transition terms without requiring reappointment during those terms will honor the Board member’s commitment to service and minimize the administrative burden of Commissioners Court member offices, County staff, and Board members currently appointed by the County. Fiscal Impact and Source of Funding: N/A Required Authorizations: Cynthia C. McDonald, TNR County Executive, TNR, (512) 854-9418   Tanner Voelkel, TNR Assistant Director-Administration & Planning, TNR, (512) 854- 7675  Emily Ackland, NREQ Division Director, TNR, (512) 854-4629 CC: Julie Wheeler, Intergovernmental Relations Officer, IGR, (512) 854-4774 Attachments: 1. 2025_07_14, Recommendation, Austin Travis County Food Policy Board