ESSENTIAL SERVICES ADVISORY BOARD

At its February 18, 2021 meeting, the Town Council approved the creation of the Essential Services Advisory Board, a new board for the Town.

Powers and Duties:

The purpose of the Essential Services Advisory Board is to research, analyze, and provide recommendations to the Town Council on matters related to police, fire, essential works, and other Town services, set forth as the following:

  1. Strategic master planning of infrastructure improvements (water, stormwater, roadways, sidewalks, and street lighting);
  2. Town operational facility planning;
  3. Capital purchase requests in excess of $50,000, prior to submittal for budget preparation, related to the Town’s infrastructure improvements, fleet management, and equipment. (Emergency purchases, as defined in the Town’s code, exceeding $50,000 related to infrastructure improvements, fleet management, and equipment need not be reviewed by the board before purchase but shall be reported to the board at its next meeting;)
  4. Additions or deletions to operational staffing levels;
  5. Contracts and interlocal agreements related to the provision of services within these departments.

Operational activities required by the Volusia County code, Florida State Statute, or Florida Administrative Rule are not the responsibility of the Essential Services Board.

Annual Budget Meeting:

In March of each year, beginning in 2022, the board shall meet to review and advise regarding major budgetary items for the upcoming fiscal year. The Town Manager or designee shall incorporate or address the board’s recommendations when submitting a proposed budget to the Town Council. The heads of the various Town departments shall submit the following budgetary requests for consideration at the annual budget meeting when the expenditures would occur in the following fiscal year and the specific expenditures or staffing changes have not yet been reviewed by the board or approved by the Town Council:

  1. Initial expenditures commencing a new phase or project of an approved master plan;
  2. Initial expenditures for the planning of a new Town facility;
  3. Capital purchase requests greater than $50,000 related to the Town’s infrastructure improvements, fleet management, and equipment;
  4. Additions or deletions to operational staffing levels, excluding independent contractors.

Rules of Procedure:

  1. The Essential Services Advisory Board shall normally meet quarterly, at a minimum of twice per year, including the annual budget meeting as required by Section 2-125. All meetings of the board shall be duly advertised for public notice and participation. If there is no meeting for the board to conduct, the meeting can be canceled.
  2. The Essential Services Advisory Board shall regularly receive assistance and relative expertise from the police department, fire department, and public works department in the performance of the board’s responsibilities. Assistance and relative expertise from other departments shall be provided as needed for subject specific items.
  3. The Town Council may assign a matter not addressed by this Division to the Essential Services Board for review and advice at any time.
  4. No actions by the Town may be invalidated solely due to failure to submit the action to the essential services board for review.

Board Member Composition:

The new board will consist of five regular members and two alternate members appointed by the Town Council. Each regular member shall serve for a three year term in staggered sequence, except for the first two years of inception of the board where one seat will expire in December 2021and two seats will expire in December 2022. Alternate members shall be appointed to an annual term ending in December of each year. Preference will be given to full time residents of the Town. (Town employees, even if a resident, are not eligible.)

Qualifications:

The Essential Services Advisory Board shall be composed of qualified electors of the Town with qualifications and experience in the following specific disciplines:

  1. Seat 1:  Law Enforcement background;
  2. Seat 2:  Fire/Rescue & EMS background;
  3. Seat 3:  Engineering background;
  4. Seat 4:  CPA/Financial background;
  5. Seat 5:  Public Relations, Outreach, or Human Resources background;
  6. Alternates (2):  May be representative of any of the above disciplines, so long as both alternates are not of the same discipline; alternates may only progress to a regular seat if their specified discipline is available.

Residents interested in serving on the new Essential Services Advisory Board are required to complete a written application which may be obtained from the Town’s office or its website. Whereas the application form is standard for all boards of the town and requires that the applicant attend at least one meeting of said board before such application can be submitted to the Council for approval, this attendance requirement has been waived until after the Essential Services Board has been established and is functioning.