Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Committee Structure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Finance committee debates resizing and scheduling to avoid quorum shortfalls
Summary
Board members debated whether to change the finance committee from a committee of the whole to a smaller standing committee to avoid frequent quorum shortfalls; staff warned of labor impacts if meetings were moved to evenings, and members said full-board input will be sought at the work study session.
Members of the Keystone Central finance committee spent part of the Sept. 12 meeting discussing whether the committee should remain a "committee of the whole" (all five board members) or be reconstituted as a typical three-member committee.
The change was proposed because the committee frequently lacks five members at its daytime meetings, limiting its ability to deliberate on policy. "So should we consider having it be a more typical committee where there's 3 members so that we don't hit that barrier of being able to conduct business not being able to do business because we don't have 5 folks here?" one board member asked.
Opinions were mixed. Some members favored a three-member committee to improve efficiency and ensure routine work can proceed without waiting for a full board quorum. "I think it just adds a little added problem area. All the other committees function with 3 people, So I can't understand why this is has to be any different," one member said.
Other members warned changing the committee's structure could lead to exclusion of noncommittee board members from discussion and urged safeguards if the board adopted a smaller committee. "I'm concerned about is I know that there have been examples during my time on the board when certain committee chairman have excluded board members that weren't on that committee from participating in the meetings. And I don't think that's a good idea personally," a member said.
Staff cautioned against moving daytime meetings to evenings because of additional work and overtime for staff who must attend: "You're adding expense on because you're putting more time and effort in for all the folks that have to come in extra time that are already working full time jobs," a staff member said. Several members suggested first asking other board members why they do not attend daytime meetings and taking the matter to the full board for a decision. The chair said the topic would appear on the upcoming work study agenda for full-board consideration.
No change was made at the committee level; members asked staff to place the matter on the work study agenda so all board members can discuss alternatives, including committee size, meeting time, and participation rules.
