* WARNING: THIS IS AN UNOFFICIAL, INTRODUCTORY COPY OF THE BILL.
THE OFFICIAL COPY CONSIDERED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IS THE FIRST READER COPY.
INTRODUCTORY*
CITY OF BALTIMORE
COUNCIL BILL R
(Resolution)
Introduced by: Councilmember Henry
A RESOLUTION ENTITLED
A COUNCIL RESOLUTION concerning
Title
Informational Hearing - Councilmanic Central Committees
FOR the purpose of requesting the President of the African-American Democratic Club of Baltimore City to brief the Council on the idea of altering the process by which vacant Council seats are filled; to request consideration of a change that would create a more democratic process; and opening a dialogue on available options for assuring that the Council is able to better serve the citizens of Baltimore.
Body
Recitals
The current rules of the City Council state that, when a vacancy occurs in the Council, a nominating committee comprised of current Councilmembers must conduct a public hearing and hold interviews for qualified candidates. The committee then chooses which applicant they would like to nominate and the full Council votes on whether to accept or reject the applicant. This process requires no direct connection to the people whose representation on the Council is at stake.
When the Council was organized by multi-member districts, the nominating committee was comprised of the remaining Councilmembers of the district in which the vacancy occurred. This ensured that the interviewing and winnowing of the candidates was done by people with a direct connection to the district and an in-depth understanding of its specific and local issues.
The cr...
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