Chapter 4.27
Neighborhood Council Program

Sections:

4.27.010 Neighborhood Councils.

4.27.020 Neighborhood Council Duties and Responsibilities.

4.27.030 Community Assembly.

4.27.040 Neighborhood Council Program.

4.27.050 Neighborhood Council Communications.

4.27.010 Neighborhood Councils.

A.  In order to foster communication between the citizens of Spokane and all facets of city government, neighborhood councils may be formed or existing associations may be recognized by the city council when they meet the minimum standards for recognition. Neighborhoods who wish to form themselves into councils are encouraged to do so and may be assisted in the process by the City’s office of neighborhood services and the community assembly. A neighborhood council must meet and continue to maintain conformity with the following minimum standards:

1.   clear geographic boundaries;

2.   adherence to established bylaws that ensure democratic deliberative and voting procedures;

3.   periodic meetings;

4.   compliance with all applicable federal, state and local laws;

5.   copy of the bylaws and all amendments filed with the neighborhood committee of the city council and the office of neighborhood services;

6.   membership consisting of persons who are sixteen years of age or older and reside, own property or operate a business within the neighborhood council boundaries.

B.  Initial boundaries remain fixed for one year. After a year a neighborhood council may propose an amendment to its boundaries to the community assembly for its review and recommendations.

C.  The geographic boundaries of a neighborhood council may extend to areas beyond the city limits but only members who reside, own property or operate a business within those portions of the neighborhood council as are within the city may participate in official decisions of the neighborhood council.

D.  Each neighborhood council designates at least two individuals to receive written documentation and other information from the City’s office of neighborhood services and to be responsible for disseminating this information to their respective neighborhood councils.

E.  Only neighborhood council members meeting the requirements of subsection (C) of this section, shall serve as an officer of a neighborhood council, unless the position is expressly precluded from participating in or having decision-making authority in the bylaws of the neighborhood council.

F.  Only neighborhood council members meeting the requirements in subsection (C) of this section, shall be eligible to serve as a representative or delegate to the community assembly for a neighborhood council.

[Ord. passed: 6/1/2004]

4.27.020 Neighborhood Council Duties and Responsibilities.

A recognized neighborhood council may:

A.  review and recommend an action, policy, or plan to the city council neighborhood committee, the City and any City agency, commission, or board on any matter affecting that neighborhood;

B.  assist City agencies in determining priority needs for the neighborhood;

C.  review items for inclusion in the City budget and make recommendations relating to budget items for neighborhood improvements; and

D.  undertake to manage projects as may be agreed upon or contracted with public agencies.

[Ord. C32542; Passed: 12/13/1999]

4.27.030 Community Assembly.

The community assembly is a coalition of independent neighborhood councils and serves as a forum for discussion of issues of broad interest. Each neighborhood council selects one representative and a designated alternate meeting the requirements of SMC 4.27.010(C) to serve on the community assembly. Representatives are expected to represent the interests of their respective neighborhood council. The community assembly meets with the city council neighborhood committee and the City’s office of neighborhood services periodically to discuss community-wide issues. The responsibilities of the community assembly include to:

A.  review and recommend an action, policy or plan to the city council neighborhood committee, the City and any city Agency, commission or board on any matter affecting the City;

B.  support and promote citizen participation and neighborhood enhancement;

C.  promote and facilitate open communication between the City and neighborhood councils and provide the primary means of communication between individual neighborhood councils;

D.  support and assist, as requested, individual neighborhood councils in becoming recognized and in performing their functions and responsibilities; and

E.  serve as an information resource to neighborhood councils.

[Ord. passed: 6/1/2004]

4.27.040 Neighborhood Council Program.

A.  The office of neighborhood services shall provide staff support for the neighborhood councils and the community assembly in the following manner:

1.   Specific needs and program support required will be identified through annual consultation by the office with the individual councils and community assembly. This process should be completed prior to September of each calendar year to allow consideration of these needs and required support in the budget process.

2.   The specific nature of the staff support required may be reduced to a memorandum of understanding between the City and the individual councils and community assembly subject to approval of the city council. If such a memorandum is reached it should be reviewed annually within the timeframe set forth above. The memorandum of understanding may, if appropriate, include those programs and procedures set forth in subsection (B) of this section.

3.   In addition to those tasks identified above, the office of neighborhood services shall:

a.   provide to the community assembly, the neighborhood councils and the general public instruction on organizational development and procedures to effectively work with City government.

b.   assist City officials and staff in developing effective ways of working with the community assembly and the neighborhood councils.

c.   assist the neighborhood councils and the community assembly in organizing and facilitating meetings and specific programs developed by these entities.

B.  The office of neighborhood services shall serve as the liaison between the legislative and executive branches of the City, the neighborhood councils and the community assembly in the following manner:

1.   implement programs and procedures that enhance neighborhood residents’ knowledge of and involvement with government operations.

2.   implement programs and procedures that enhance both the City’s elected officials’ and employees’ understanding of the needs and perspectives of neighborhood residents.

3.   implement programs and procedures that facilitate communication between the city and neighborhood residents. It is the responsibility of the office to timely respond to inquiries and disseminate pertinent information to the neighborhood councils, the community assembly and the general public.

[Ord. passed: 6/1/2004]

4.27.050 Neighborhood Council Communications.

The City shall provide:

A.  A City website portal for the neighborhood councils and the community assembly.

B.  A City website for each neighborhood council to include, but not be limited to: the names and addresses of each neighborhood council officer and director, the e-mail address of the president and secretary of the neighborhood council, the names and addresses of the representatives and alternates of the community assembly, an e-mail broadcast link to all of the members of the Spokane city council, mayor, council president, City departments, press and plan commission, and a calendar.

C.  The publication of the advance and current agendas of the city council together with agenda sheets and exhibits and related material in portable document format on the City website.

D.  Web-based administrative tools and procedures allowing website maintenance by neighborhood councils from home computers via the Internet, or computer kiosks located in City facilities.

E.  E-mail addresses to those neighborhood council presidents and secretaries who do not have e-mail addresses or who would like to use a City e-mail address.

[Ord. C33011; Passed: 4/15/2002]