Committee defines absenteeism as physical absence, narrows remote-voting practice

The committee voted to define 'absence' as failure to be physically present in council chambers during a council meeting and approved revised absence thresholds: three consecutive regular-meeting absences or five absences within 12 months will vacate a seat. Members repeatedly cited concerns about remote participation, potential fraud or misrepresentation when members call in, and the difficulty of verifying identity and engagement when someone phones in.