Environment and Energy Commission

Prepares a report to the City Council on how a plan for energy conservation might be developed, acts in an advisory capacity to the council on matters of environmental protection, and assists in planning environmental improvements. This City Council makes six appointments to this twelve member commission. All City appointees must be qualified voters of the City of Columbia. The length of terms is three years, with openings occurring in June.

Members & Terms:

Randall Cole - Term Ending June 1, 2013
Karl Skala - Term Ending June 1, 2013
Daniel Goldstein - Term Ending June 1, 2011
Richard Parker - Term Ending June 1, 2011
Tom O'Connor - Term Ending June 1, 2012
Alyce Turner - Term Ending June 1, 2012
Stephen Reichlin (Planning & Zoning Representative)
Lawrence Lile (County Appointee)
Jean Sax (County Appointee)
Scott Ward (County Appointee)
Greg Miller (County Appointee)

Establishing Legislation:

Sec. 2-346. Established.

The Columbia Environment and Energy Commission is hereby established.

Sec. 2-347. Members; qualifications; compensation; terms.
The environment and energy commission shall be composed of eleven (11) members. Four (4) members shall be appointed by the Boone County Commission. Six (6) members shall be appointed by the city council. One (1) member shall be a member of the planning and zoning commission chosen by that commission. The six (6) members appointed by the city council shall be qualified voters of the city. Members shall serve without compensation and shall not be paid officers or employees of the city. The terms of office shall be three (3) years. Appointments shall be made on or about the first day of June of each year. The member from the planning and zoning commission shall be a voting member but shall not be eligible to serve as an officer of the environment and energy commission.
(Code 1964, § 2.2000; Ord. No. 17522, § 1, 12-2-02; Ord. No. 17660, § 1, 5-5-03)

Sec. 2-348. Election of officers; terms; vacancies.
The commission shall elect three (3) of its members to serve as chair, vice-chair and secretary. Each officer shall hold office for a term of one (1) year. When any officer's appointment to the commission expires or becomes vacant, the commission shall elect a new officer.
(Code 1964, § 2.2030; Ord. No. 17522, § 1, 12-2-02)

Sec. 2-349. Meetings; quorum; attendance.
The commission shall hold meetings once each month at a time and place to be determined by the commission, and such special meetings as called for by the chair of the commission. Six (6) members of the commission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The chair of the commission is authorized to excuse any member from attendance at a commission meeting; provided, that the member requested to be excused before the meeting. Any member who is absent, without being excused, from twenty-five (25) per cent of the regular commission meetings held in a calendar year shall automatically forfeit the office. Any member who is absent, without being excused, from three (3) consecutive regular meetings shall automatically forfeit the office. It shall be the duty of the chair of the commission to promptly notify the appointing authority of the vacancy.
(Code 1964, § 2.2020; Ord. No. 9732, § 1, 2-7-83; Ord. No. 17522, § 1, 12-2-02; Ord. No. 17660, § 1, 5-5-03)

Sec. 2-350. Duties and responsibilities.
The environment and energy commission shall have the responsibility for and be required to:
            (1)        Prepare a commission report to the city council on how a plan for energy conservation might be developed. In order to prepare this report, the commission should gather information from other parts of the country, particularly those cities who have such a plan in place; the commission, or representatives of the commission, should visit certain model cities who have ongoing plans in place, to see how that particular model has worked; and, in limited situations, may require the services of a consultant. The final report should be a blueprint for the city to proceed in the development of a comprehensive energy conservation plan.
            (2)        Act in an advisory capacity to the council in all matters pertaining to environmental protection, which could include questions of energy efficiency and conservation, and of changing technology.
            (3)        Assist in the planning of environmental improvements, promote and stimulate public interest thereon; and to that end, solicit to the fullest possible extent the cooperation of other public and private agencies.
(Code 1964, § 2.2010)