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<br />vvv. <br /> <br />Council committees <br /> <br />Although the statutes do not require the use of committees, some council find they are helpful in <br />reducing workload. By dividing their membership into several committees, a council enables its <br />members to devote most oftheir time to specific areas of the city's operations. Each <br />councilmember becomes a relative specialist in these areas and that member's services become <br />of greater value to the council as a whole. Council action is necessary to establish committees <br />either in the council's bylaws, by special resolution, or through a motion. The council may set <br />up special and standing committees. The council appoints special committees to deal with a <br />single transaction or project. For example, the council might appoint a special committee to <br />study the advisability of purchasing land for a new park. Standing committees concentrate on <br />work that is continuous or repeated from time to time during the year. Many cities, for example, <br />have a standing committee on finance. Sometimes councils set up their committees on a <br />functional basis. Such committees deal with fire, police, health, public works, welfare, or public <br />utilities. This system encourages councilmembers to handle administrative details and, <br />consequently, does not make full and proper use ofthe city's administrative officers. Thus, <br />councils should try to limit their work to special policy problems or to certain staff or public <br />relations functions that are not the responsibility of administrative personnel. Examples include <br />committees on auditing, personnel, budget, public reporting, purchasing, and licensing. <br />Committees may exercise all duties the council has legally assigned to them. They can have <br />authority to conduct investigations and to make recommendations. Committees, however, may <br />not make decisions on behalf ofthe council. Committees are subject to the same rules as the full <br />council under the open meeting law. In many cities, it is routine for the council to automatically <br />approve a committee's recommendations if the committee has done a thorough and competent <br />job. The council's final decision, however, and not the committee's recommendation, binds the <br />city. To illustrate: committees may not enter into a contract or employ workers even ifa specific <br />motion of the council delegates such power to them. <br />