Item 6 - Briefing on Commissioner Terms, Appointment Process, and Updates to Bylaws — original pdf

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Municipal Civil Service Municipal Civil Service Commissioner Commissioner Term Limits & Appointments Term Limits & Appointments Austin Human Resources | January 26, 2026 Background  Article IX of the City Charter, approved by voters in November 2012, established:  A Municipal Civil Service Commission to have 5 commission members  Commissioners shall be appointed for a term of three years.  Ordinance No. 20130214-045 established this Commission as a Chapter 2-1 City Board  Designates Audit and Finance Committee to review Commissioner applications and make recommendations for appointments (§ 2-1-164)  Excludes current City employees from being appointed 2 Commissioner Term Limit Update  Prior to February 27, 2025, Commissioners could serve a maximum of 2 full terms (6 years), or possibly a combination of partial terms and full terms to reach the eight-year maximum set in City Code Chapter (§ 2-1-22)  “A board member who has served eight years on the same board is not eligible for reappointment to that board…”  Council passed Ordinance No. 20250227-004 amending City Code Chapter 2-1 (City Boards) to clarify certain provisions.  Certain boards and commissions have members who serve two-year or three-year terms, as provided by this chapter, city code, or state or federal law.  a board member may serve no longer than four consecutive two-year terms or three consecutive three-year terms on the same board. 3 MCS Commission Appointment(s)  Three appointments in 2026  Commissioner Ayo Akande resigns effective January 2, 2026.  Chair Kevin Mullen’s 2nd term expires May 8, 2026 (seeking reappointment).  Commissioner Melissa Rogers resigns effective June 1, 2026. 4 Commission Members & Terms Current Membership First Appointed Date(s) Reappointed Term Expires Kevin Mullen, Chair* Melissa Rogers VACANT Kavita Gupta, Vice Chair John Umphress 05/09/21 02/26/24 05/09/22 05/09/22 *Council designates the Commission Chair annually 05/09/23 05/09/24 05/09/25 05/09/25 05/08/26 05/08/27 05/08/27 05/08/28 05/08/22 5 Application Process  Austin City Clerk’s Office will:  Follow the standard Boards and Commissions application process  Accept online applications using standard Boards and Commissions application form  Accept resumes to document any additional relevant qualifications  Ensure minimum qualifications identified in Charter are met  Identify candidates with preferred background - experience with employment, human resources, labor relations and/or mediation  Provide applications received to all Council Offices through standard process 6 Appointment Process  The Council Audit and Finance Committee shall review applications received by the city clerk from persons seeking appointment as a commissioner. (§ 2-1- 164)  Review may include interviews or written applications only  Appointments are subject to approval by a majority vote of council. (§ 2-1-4)  The council shall designate the commission chair annually at the time new commissioners are appointed. (§ 2-1-164 ) 7 Next Steps  Audit and Finance Committee may recommend reappointment of Chair Mullen to the full Council.  Open call for Applications for Commissioner’s Akande and Rogers seats via press release, social media post, and email blast to local organizations and graduates of CityWorks Academy.  Thirty-day or six-week advertisement  Screen for minimum qualifications  Review and potential interviews by Audit and Finance Committee  Council Appointment 8 Updates to the Bylaws of the Updates to the Bylaws of the Municipal Civil Service Municipal Civil Service Commission Commission Council Ordinance No. 20251120-008  Amended City Code and the standard bylaw template to align with current state law and City procedures regarding open meetings.  Provides templated updates to ALL Boards & Commission bylaws across the City  Changes:  Commissioner conduct acting on behalf of Commission  Attendance requirement for participation via Videoconferencing  Agenda posting and deadline to add items to the meeting agendas  Public communication time limits for agenda items and non-agenda items 10 Revision Process  Staff Liaison submits revised bylaws to Austin City Clerk by January 31, 2026  Once reviewed and approved by Austin City Clerk, the revised bylaws will be added to MCS Commission website. 11 Questions? Questions?