Councilman Donald Abbott, Ward 1, is the city’s elected liaison to senior citizen programming and activities provide by Washoe County Senior Services. The Councilman attends county-sponsored meetings and events on behalf of the city and interacts with various members of the senior citizen community.

Councilman Abbott was approached by several seniors requesting the city create an advisory board focused on Sparks’ senior citizen population. The focus contemplates identifying services and programming not available through the counties programming.

The city of Sparks currently has the Sparks Citizen’s Advisory Committee (SCAC), which was established for the Council as city-wide questions of the citizenry and have a body research issues and provide practical solutions.

Sparks has several senior citizens involved in the advisory capacity with Washoe County Senior Services. These individuals attend meetings; participate in programming opportunities; provide feedback to the city’s elected liaison, Councilman Abbott. Several of the seniors involved in the county’s programming approached the Councilman with the suggestion the city might benefit from an advisory committee focused on senior issues, services and programming needs.

Councilman Abbott, with no objection from Council, asked the City Manager to prepare the appropriate documentation to create a new city advisory committee to provide the Council with information like the SCAC but focused on the city’s senior population.

The Manager has provided a “draft” Resolution for the Council to consider creating the new Sparks Senior Citizen Advisory Committee (SSCAC). The new Resolution (see attached) provides the following:

• The “Purpose” for creating a new committee.
• Defines the “Membership” and membership requirements for the new committee.
• Outlines how the new committee will provide “SSCAC Recommendations” to the Council.
• Creates leadership through “Officer” positions.
• Allows for working “Subcommittees.”
• Defines the timeliness of “Meetings.” And,
• Provides for a staff “Liaison” between the SCAC, Mayor, Council and City Manager.

Staff has, also, attached a set of “draft” by-laws the SSCAC may adopt as operating rules and procedures in the conducting of the committee’s meetings and ongoing business. If adopted by the SCAC, the by-laws would provide operating direction for the committee and could be modified as approved by the committee.

1. The Council may approve the Resolution creating the Sparks Senior Citizen Advisory Committee as proposed by staff.

2. The Council may not approve the Resolution creating the Sparks Senior Citizen Advisory Committee as proposed by staff.

3. The Council may not approve the Resolution creating the Sparks Senior Citizen Advisory Committee as proposed by staff and provide other direction to the City Manager.

I move to approve Resolution No. 3335 formalizing the Sparks Senior Citizen Advisory Committee.