Citizens' Advisory Committee

View related pages: - Minutes & Agendas - CMAP Committees Download related documents: - Public Participation Plan - Committee Charge - CMAP Documents

Committee Charge

Roles and Responsibilities

The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) is authorized to establish a Citizens' Advisory Committee (CAC) to:

• Provide advisory input through the appropriate committee(s) to the CMAP Board on proposed regional plans and policies.

• Provide the CMAP Board with guidance that conveys residents' perspectives.

• Make recommendations regarding the CMAP Public Participation Plan.

• Provide feedback regarding the effectiveness of CMAP outreach and engagement strategies.

• Promote public awareness of CMAP plans and programs, encouraging participation by citizens and other interested parties.

• Assist in dissemination of public information and related materials.

Meetings

The Citizens Advisory Committee meeting has been changed from its scheduled October 1, 2007 date to October 9, 2007. It will begin at 8:30 a.m. in the Cook County room.

CAC meetings will be governed by procedures defined by the CMAP by-laws. During the transition period in which CMAP's Board meets monthly, the CAC should also meet monthly; Board meetings generally occur the second Wednesday of the month, and the CAC may meet on the second Monday to review the Board agenda and materials. When the transition period ends and the Board moves to quarterly meetings, the CAC should do so, as well.

Membership Criteria

Members of the CAC must be full-time residents of the CMAP service area, which includes the counties of Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will. The committee members will be selected to ensure diverse representation of geography, gender, ethnicity, and experience. Members must be willing to act as representatives of the entire region, not just of their local community. Similarly, each member should participate as an individual resident of the metropolitan Chicago area, not as a member of any given interest group.

All members should plan to attend each meeting of the CAC, although occasional absences are obviously acceptable. Any member who misses three consecutive meetings may, at the discretion of the Board, be removed from the committee. Due to its core function of engaging citizens from across the region, the CAC requires fully engaged, active committee members.

See the CMAP news release that announced creation of the CAC.