HomeMy WebLinkAboutIR 9705 INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 9705
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council February 17, 2015
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UFA SUBJECT: Commission for Women
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The Commission for Women ("Commission") (originally known as the Commission on the Status
of Women) was established by Ordinance No. 8911 in 1983 in order to "act in an advisory
capacity to the City Council on matters of concern specifically referred to it for study by the City
Council." In 2003, in addition to the name change, Ordinance No. 15477 instituted the following
amendments:
• Increased membership from 9 to 19 members, adding representation of 10 organizations
as recognized by the Commission;
• Increased quorum from 5 to 10 members present;
• Changed mission to advising City Council and studying of women's issues important to the
community; and
• Added the requirement of the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members present to
approve any matter before the Commission.
Over the years, the Commission has helped bring awareness to community issues such as infant
mortality and domestic violence, both through independent and collaborative efforts with local
nonprofits. Additionally, since 1988, the Commission has acknowledged the contributions of
women in the workplace and the community through its annual Outstanding Women of Fort Worth
Awards. However, as these causes are being addressed by various nonprofits and other
organizations throughout the City, the Commission has struggled to maintain active members,
and ensure its contributions are not being duplicated elsewhere.
During this transition, the Commission has not formally convened since September 2013. Two
meeting agendas were posted during 2014, but ultimately no meeting occurred due to a lack of a
quorum. At the request of the Commission, staff has been working with Commission leadership to
evaluate the composition and purpose of the committee. As a result, staff will bring forward an
ordinance amendment on March 3, 2015 that will reduce the membership to the nine
Council appointees and eliminate the formal role of outside agencies, change the quorum
to five, and change the voting requirements to a simple majority. It is anticipated that this will
result in the ability to achieve a quorum.
This spring, a formal meeting of the Commission will be convened to discuss how Commission
members should serve the City regarding women's issues. Former agency appointees who
remain active and other community leaders will be invited to provide input to the discussion. The
Commission will be asked to provide a progress report to the City Council by May 2015 in order
to determine if additional changes are appropriate.
David Cooke
City Manager
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS