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RELEVANT LINKS: <br />League of Minnesota Cities Handbook for Minnesota Cities 6/8/2022 <br />Elected Officials and Council Structure and Role Chapter 6 | Page 35 <br /> There are several differences between independent boards and advisory <br />boards. State statutes establish most independent boards and commissions <br />and give them some discretionary powers. Advisory boards conduct <br />studies and investigations on behalf of the council and submit reports and <br />recommendations for council consideration. An advisory-board’s <br />recommendation does not take effect unless the council accepts it by <br />passing an ordinance or resolution. <br /> The council may organize advisory groups in any manner it deems <br />appropriate. The council may find it wise to appoint people who represent <br />various special-interest groups in the city. <br /> An advisory commission may be created by the council for a special <br />purpose, such as for conducting an investigation, and will cease to exist <br />once the purpose of the commission has been achieved. <br /> 1. Planning commissions <br />Minn. Stat. §§ 462.351-.364. <br />See LMC information memo, <br />Planning Commission Guide. <br />Cities can establish planning commissions by passing an ordinance <br />describing their organization and powers. City officials, such as the mayor, <br />attorney, and engineer, frequently are advisory members. <br /> 2. Other advisory boards and commissions <br /> Other advisory boards and commissions commonly established by city <br />councils include industrial commissions, which have power to study the <br />ways and means of attracting more commercial and industrial development <br /> to the city; safety councils, which advise the council on safety programs; <br />and intergovernmental agencies, such as a joint-planning commission, <br />which the city sponsors in cooperation with other units of government. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />See Handbook, City <br />Administrative Staff for more <br />information about the <br />manager and administrator <br />positions. <br />As government has become increasingly complex, cities have used fewer <br />independent or administrative citizen boards and commissions. Instead of <br />diffusing authority for government administration over a number of <br />different agencies, many cities place all authority in the city council. This <br />decision centralizes responsibility for the proper direction of local <br />government affairs and increases voter understanding of government. <br />Frequently, this trend leads to pressures for greater simplification and <br />centralization in administration as well. The council-manager form of <br />government (Plan B) is an answer to this pressure. Administrators, whose <br />duties and functions lie somewhere between those of a manager and those <br />of a clerk, may also help to centralize government. <br />38