A city council member from Odesa explained how the city council committees actually operate

This episode was dedicated to discussing how the standing committees operate within the Odesa City Council and what role they play in the decision-making process.

This was the topic of the new episode of “Power: A Guide,” featuring Petro Obukhov, a member of the Odesa City Council and chair of the transportation committee, and Serhiy Bondarenko, an analyst at the Center for Public Investigations .

According to Obukhov, the composition of the committees is determined by a vote during a session, but in practice, it is based on agreements between the factions.

“A committee must have a minimum of three members and a maximum of six,” the council member explained.

He cited the example of council member Oleksiy Yeremitsa, who wanted to join the budget committee but found there were no openings left. As a result, he did not serve on any committee for several years until he became chair of the health committee.

According to Obukhov, the budget and land committees are the most sought-after among deputies.

“Before the military administration was established, it was impossible to submit a draft budget to the session without the Budget Committee’s approval,” the deputy noted.

Similarly, it is impossible to pass land-related decisions without going through the Land Committee. Because of this, the chair of the Budget Committee wields significant leverage—he can simply refuse to convene a meeting if he doesn’t like something.

Deputies’ work on standing committees is unpaid. According to Obukhov, the chair of the Budget Committee may be an exception.

The deputy himself explained that the main motivation lies in the opportunity to influence city decisions and represent the interests of voters.

A separate rule applies in the event of a conflict of interest. If a council member has a personal interest in an issue, they must declare it and abstain from voting. Violation of this requirement carries administrative penalties.

Committees typically hold meetings prior to city council sessions. However, they may also be convened outside of this schedule if an important or high-profile issue arises.

Officials responsible for a particular area may be invited to the meetings. If necessary, council members may also invite an expert, but they cannot compel that person to attend the meeting.

According to Obukhov, the land commission may meet for several hours, as council members review documents related to land parcels in detail.

A council member may transfer from one standing committee to another, but this requires a decision by the city council.

Obukhov cited the example of Councilwoman Svitlana Popova, who switched committees after a conflict with its chair. The city council adopted the corresponding resolution during a session.

Ірина Глухова