18-2715. Citizen advisory review committee; membership; meetings; powers; unauthorized disclosure of information; penalty.

(1) The ordinance establishing the economic development program shall provide for the creation of a citizen advisory review committee. The committee shall consist of not less than five or more than ten registered voters of the city who shall be appointed to the committee by the mayor or chairperson subject to approval by the governing body of the city. At least one member of the committee shall have expertise or experience in the field of business finance or accounting. The ordinance shall designate an appropriate city official or employee with responsibility for the administration of the economic development program to serve as an ex officio member of the committee with responsibility for assisting the committee and providing it with necessary information and advice on the economic development program.

(2) No member of the citizen advisory review committee shall be an elected or appointed city official, a member of any planning commission created under section 19-925, an employee of the city, a participant in a decisionmaking position regarding expenditures of program funds, or an official or employee of any qualifying business receiving financial assistance under the economic development program or of any financial institution participating directly in the economic development program.

(3) The ordinance shall provide for regular meetings of the citizen advisory review committee to review the functioning and progress of the economic development program and to advise the governing body of the city with regard to the program. At least once in every six-month period after the effective date of the ordinance, the committee shall report to the governing body on its findings and suggestions at a public hearing called for that purpose.

(4) Members of the citizen advisory review committee, in their capacity as members and consistent with their responsibilities as members, may be permitted access to business information received by the city in the course of its administration of the economic development program, which information would otherwise be confidential (a) under section 84-712.05, (b) by agreement with a qualifying business participating in the economic development program, or (c) under any ordinance of the city providing access to such records to members of the committee and guaranteeing the confidentiality of business information received by reason of its administration of the economic development program. Such ordinance may provide that unauthorized disclosure of any business information which is confidential under section 84-712.05 shall be a Class III misdemeanor.

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