You need the right people on a committee who are ALL dedicated to getting things done and not just talking about it. A well functioning committee can really achieve things quickly and get things off the ground if everyone commits to doing their bit and actually follows through.
This is where the problem lies. They need to follow through, rather than just talking about it. As Wotto mentioned, there was a lot of work done by a couple of committee members, and the rest sat on their hands. Sleeves need to be rolled up and a plan drawn up.