Richmond City Council Green City Commission to meet with Richmond City Council GRTC and Transit Study Task Force

RICHMOND CITY COUNCIL Richmond City Council – Richmond City Hall - 900 E. Broad Street, Suite 200 - Richmond, VA 23219 - www.council.richmondva.gov COUNCIL PUBLIC INFORMATION NEWS ADVISORY IMMEDIATE RELEASE TO BE FORWARDED AND SHARED Thursday, May 31, 2012 Richmond City Council Green City Commission to meet with Richmond City Council GRTC and Transit Study Task Force All residents are invited and encouraged to attend WHAT The Richmond City Council Green City Commission will attend a meeting of the Richmond City Council GRTC and Transit Study Task Force for a discussion. The meeting is free and open to the public and all residents are invited and encouraged to attend. WHEN Thursday, June 14, 2012 4:00-6:00 p.m. WHERE Richmond City Council GRTC and Transit Study Task Force Meeting GRTC Transit System - Corporate Headquarters 3rd Floor Board Room 301 East Belt Boulevard Richmond, Virginia 23224 WHO Members of the Richmond City Council Green City Commission Members of the Richmond City Council GRTC and Transit Study Task Force CONTACT For more information please contact K.C. McGurren, Chairman, Richmond City Council Green City Commission, at 804.212.1895 (tel); 804.225.9843 (office); or kc.mcgurren@earthcraftvirginia.org (email) Background ____________________________________________________________________________ Richmond City Council Green City Commission Richmond City Council established the Richmond City Council Green City Commission on October 26, 2010 by Richmond City Council Ordinance No. 2009-175-185. The purpose of the Richmond City Council Green City Commission is to assist Richmond citizens by providing expertise and information in support of Richmond sustainability efforts. The Richmond City Council Green City Commission consists of nine members, seven appointed by Richmond City Council and two by the Mayor, one of whom shall be the director of a department of City government or such director’s designee. Richmond City Council Green City Commission members appointed to date include: • K. C. McGurren, Chairman (Executive Director, EarthCraft Virginia) • Amber K. Foster, Vice Chairman • James Jackson • Mark Brandon (Sustainability consultant, Greener Results Consulting) • R. Michael Cross, Chairman Green Building Committee (Principal Architect, R. Michael Cross Design Group) • Chris Earley, Chairman, Storm Water Management Committee (Principal, Greening Urban, LLC) • James D. Robb (Environmental Coordinator/Associate Director of Marketing & Communications, St. Catherine’s School) • Daniel K. Slone (Partner, McGuireWoods LLP) Richmond City Council GRTC and Transit Study Task Force The purpose of the Richmond City Council GRTC and Transit Study Task Force is to make recommendations to Richmond City Council with regard to enhancing mass transit in the Metro-Richmond area and the efficiency and effectiveness of the GRTC Transit System. Richmond City Council established the Richmond City Council GRTC and Transit Study Task Force on September 27, 2010 by Richmond City Council Ordinance No. 2010-173-166. The objective of the Richmond City Council GRTC and Transit Study Task Force is to provide a report to Council within in a year of its first meeting which recommends the following: 1. Any legislation, plans, policies, and programs that promote efficient mass transit in the city; 2. Economic development, economic growth, employment and tourism strategies that include public transportation; and, 3. Public relations and education programs to increase public use of mass transit. 4. The Task Force shall also work with interested private organizations to improve the service and efficiency of the GRTC. Richmond government boards, commissions, committees and task forces _________________ Critical to the foundation of our citizen-run government, Richmond City Council regularly establishes and/or appoints members to serve on local Richmond and regional government boards, commissions, committees and task forces to assist with providing oversight on various topics, programs and services. Appointed public bodies provide additional intellectual assistance on subjects that shape the quality of our lives, neighborhoods and city and increase our government openness, inclusion and transparency. Richmond citizens are invited and encouraged to serve. Service on these entities provides residents with additional opportunities to participate in and learn more about their government and to provide their education, experience, skills and abilities in service of their community. Time commitments vary from a few hours a year, up to 20 hours a month. Appointments are made throughout the year as vacancies occur and new entities are created and meeting times, dates, locations and frequency are scheduled as needed. Individual requirements for appointment consideration are different for each entity, which range from advisory to policy to governing. Richmond City Council currently appoints members to 55 local and regional public bodies; most of which are volunteer/non-paid positions. In addition, Council appoints members to five (5) non-governmental organizations and one (1) federal government entity; for an estimated 61 entities (as of 3.1.2012/please check for updated entities). Oversight is provided by one of the six Richmond City Council Standing Committees an entity is assigned to. Appointed terms include project-oriented ones that exist for a few months and more long-term ones that last up to three years (unless otherwise specified and/or service may be longer if a new appointment has not been made and the incumbent is willing to continue service until that time.) Incumbents may be considered for reappointment (as appropriate/allowed) at the conclusion of their term and generally may serve up to two successive full terms. (Note: It is possible for a person to be appointed to serve to fill a remainder of a partial unexpired term then be appointed twice more to serve two subsequent successive terms). Some relevant laws covering appointments include the following: Richmond Code of Laws: Section 2-836 Eligibility of members to succeed themselves; terms of members. (a) Notwithstanding any possible section in this Code to the contrary, no citizen member of a board or commission, other than persons appointed by the council to serve as members of the Capital Region Airport Commission (chapter 380, Acts of Assembly 1980) or the Greater Richmond Transit Company, shall be appointed to more than two successive full terms on a board or commission; provided, however, the members of the Monroe Park Advisory council and the Highway Safety Commission may serve up to three successive full terms and provided, however, a person appointed to fill a vacancy (that is, an unexpired term) may serve two successive full terms upon completion of the unexpired term for which the person has been appointed. However, this subsection shall not apply to governmental authorities created by the city. (b) Unless otherwise specified by general law, ordinance or resolution, the term of office for the members of any board, commission, or committee the members of which are appointed by the council shall be three years. Citizens interested in being appointed to serve as a member of a local Richmond or regional public government body or non-government organization, that Richmond City Council appoints members to, are invited to review the descriptions, purposes and individual membership requirements and vacancies and apply online at: http://www.richmondgov.com/CityCouncil/CouncilBoardsCommissions.aspx or http://eservices.ci.richmond.va.us/applications/boardscommissions/index.aspx CONTACT For more information and/or updated list, please call the Richmond City Council Office of the City Clerk, at 804.646.7955; or visit - http://www.richmondgov.com/CityCouncil/CouncilBoardsCommissions.aspx - E N D - ______________________________________ Steven R. Skinner, APR Council Public Information Manager RICHMOND CITY COUNCIL OFFICE OF THE COUNCIL CHIEF OF STAFF Richmond City Hall 900 E. Broad Street, Suite 305 Richmond, Virginia 23219 804.646.6052 (office) 804.335.4054 (mobile) 804.937.1386 (home/mobile) 804.646.5468 (fax) steven.skinner@richmondgov.com (email) www.council.richmondva.gov(website) ____________________________________________ MISSION The mission of Richmond City Council is to represent citizens in creating and amending local laws, providing government policy and oversight, and approving the city budget. VISION Richmond City Council is committed to creating a vibrant community that is a great place to live, work, learn, play, visit and raise a family.