At a Jan. 27, 2014, business session, the City Council discussed filling several vacancies on boards and commissions outside City government.  One of the appointments was for Council Member Denis Pitman to serve as the alternate to Mayor Tom Hanel on the Policy Coordination Committee (PCC). 

Mayor Hanel currently chairs the PCC, which manages the Billings Urban Transportation Planning process, as agreed to by the City, Yellowstone County, the Yellowstone County Planning Board and the Montana Department of Transportation.

Mayor Hanel is the standing City appointee to the PCC under its by-laws.  However, Planning Director Candi Millar recommends that, if Council Member Pitman is to attend in the Mayor's stead, he should be appointed to the post. 

An appointment through December 2015 is recommended by staff.

The Council may:

• Appoint Council Member Pitman as the City's PCC alternate;
• Appoint another Council Member as the alternate; or
• Make no appointment, leaving the City unrepresented when Mayor Hanel is unable to attend the meetings.

Staff recommends the appointment of Council Member Pitman as Mayor Hanel's alternate to the PCC for a term through Dec. 31, 2015.