BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC RESOURCES COMMITTEE.
Madison General Ordinances § 33.17
in effect33.17 - BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC RESOURCES COMMITTEE.
(1) There is hereby created for the City of Madison a committee to be known as the Business and Economic Resources Committee ("BERC.").
(2) Duties. The Business and Economic Resources Committee shall:
(a) Promote a healthy economy in which businesses can locate, open and expand, and in which all residents have access to living wage jobs and the ability to build generational wealth.
(b) Promote economic investment throughout the City, including but not limited to, supporting small business development.
(c) Make recommendations regarding all forms of street vending, food carts and trucks, arts and crafts vendors, sidewalk cafes, roadway cafes, merchant vendors and all other street vending types regulated in Sections 9.13, 9.135, and 9.136 of these Ordinances, and regarding permits for Table, Expressive Vending, and Mobile Sales of Expressive Speech Items regulated by Section 9.54 (collectively, "Street Vending").
(d) Act on matters of the Committee's jurisdiction regarding Street Vending, where such duties are expressly set forth in Secs. 9.13, 9.135, 9.136, the regulations promulgated thereunder, and Sec. 9.54, including license suspension and revocation hearings, appeals, and other proceedings described in those ordinances and regulations.
(e) Consider and provide recommendations regarding proposed ordinance changes under the Committee's jurisdiction, and other regulatory changes for which the Committee is the final decision maker as set forth in the Street Vending ordinances and the regulations adopted thereto.
(f) Ensure a venue for public input into the regulation of Street Vending within the City, including an avenue for Street Vending license holders to express their concerns and needs and provide feedback on proposed ordinance and regulation changes.
(g) Designate at least one (1) voting member to serve on the Food Vending Review Panel during the annual Fall Food Cart Review described in Section IV.B. of the Regulations Governing Vending on the State Street Mall/Capitol Concourse authorized by sec. 9.136(1)(c).
(h) Make recommendations to the Mayor and the Common Council regarding business, real estate, economic development, workforce development; and any other matters assigned or referred to the Committee.
(i) At least once every ten (10) years, receive and consider an Economic Development Plan ("ED Plan") prepared by Economic Development Division staff, that identifies policies, programs, and projects needed by the City to promote a healthy economy. After review and revision by the Committee, the ED Plan shall be submitted to the Common Council for approval. The ED Plan should include:
1. Current business, real estate, and demographic data.
2. An evaluation of current City policies, programs, and projects related to economic development.
3. Recommendations for new programs or changes to existing programs, policies, and projects needed to achieve the City's economic development goals.
(j) Provide the community with a public forum for information sharing and discussion about the work of the City's Economic Development Division.
(3) Composition.
(a) Members. The Committee shall consist of eleven (11) voting members: one (1) Mayor Designee, one (1) Alderperson from a Downtown Aldermanic District, two (2) Alderpersons from Aldermanic Districts elsewhere in the City, and seven (7) Resident Members with knowledge and/or experience related to business, real estate, or workforce development.
(b) Appointment, Term. The Mayor shall appoint all voting and non-voting members, subject to confirmation by the Common Council, with the exception of the Mayor Designee who shall serve at pleasure of the Mayor.
1. Initial Member Terms. When members are first appointed after adoption of this ordinance, three (3) of the Resident Members shall be appointed to an initial term that concludes on April 30, 2029, two (2) Resident Members shall be appointed to a term that concludes on April 30, 2028, and two (2) Resident Members shall have an initial term commencing upon the creation of the Committee and concluding on April 30, 2027.
2. As the initial terms for the members listed in sub. 1. expire, members appointed to replace them shall be appointed to three-year terms expiring on April 30 on the third year following appointment.
3. The Alderpersons' terms shall begin and end on the third Tuesday of every April as required by sec. 33.01(6)(a).
4. The Mayor Designee shall serve at the pleasure of the Mayor, with a term ending with the Mayor's term in office.
5. Any vacancies shall be filled by the Mayor, subject to approval of the Common Council, for a term filling out the remainder of the vacated member's term.
(c) Officers, Staff. A Chairperson and Vice Chairperson shall be elected annually by the voting members of the Committee no later than June 30 th of each year, as required by sec. 33.01(7)(a). The Committee shall be staffed by the Economic Development Division Director, or their designee.
(d) Quorum. The quorum shall be determined according to Sec. 33.01.
(4) Rules of Procedure. The Committee shall meet once a month. The Committee may adopt rules of procedure which may from time to time be amended by the Committee, including those necessary to fulfill obligations relating to street vending and street vending licenses under MGO sections 9.13, 9.135, 9.136 and 9.54. The Committee may create one or more subcommittees as authorized by MGO section 33.01.
(Am. by Ord. 7023, 6-27-80; Am. by Ord. 12,112, 5-18-98; Ord. 13,602, 5-11-04; ORD-05-00113, 6-28-05; Am. by ORD-09-00052, Pub. 4-2-09, Eff. 8-1-09; ORD-09-00116, Eff. 8-1-09; ORD-16-00034, 3-25-16; ORD-17-00030, 3-8-17; Rpld & Recr by ORD-26-00010, 3-5-26)
Source: City of Madison, Wisconsin, Madison General Ordinances (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/wi/madison/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COORMAWIVOIVCH32--45_CH33BOCOCO_33.17BUECRECOFetched: 11/1/2026