Council to consider new committee appointments system

City Council members want to develop a new way of appointing members to various Council committees, but they don’t agree on what the new process should look like. Council Member Jimmy Flannigan has proposed that the mayor, based on feedback from Council members, submit a list of appointments that Council could make changes to and approve. However, at a Council work session on Tuesday, Council Member Leslie Pool said she didn’t want the mayor calling the shots; she wants a more “collaborative process,” by which Council would come to consensus about appointments. “I think we’re all capable of coming to an agreement about who should be on what committee, so we don’t need a mediator,” said Pool, adding that Austin does not have a “strong mayor” system of government. Flannigan rejected the notion that his proposal was not collaborative, noting that Council members will be able to propose changes to or reject the mayor’s nominations. “It’s just a nomination list,” he said. “Council can do whatever it wants.” Council is scheduled to take up the matter at its next meeting on Thursday (Item 45).