Council adopts new committee attendance rules, limits remote appearances and sets code of conduct

The Town Council adopted an updated set of rules governing attendance, remote participation and conduct for town advisory committees at its March 18 meeting.

Under the new rules: a committee member who accumulates three unexcused absences in a 12‑month rolling period can be removed; three consecutive absences also trigger removal; five absences in a 12‑month period (excused or not) likewise prompt removal. The council approved an amendment during the meeting to treat absences on a 12‑month rolling basis rather than a calendar year.

The policy allows a committee member up to two remote appearances in a calendar year (video conferencing) and requires members appearing remotely to keep cameras on, remain visible and wear appropriate attire. Remote participation may not be used by the chair to preside over meetings; the vice chair must be present to lead meetings with any remote participants. The chair (or vice chair, if the chair is absent) has the discretion to classify an absence as excused or unexcused in the cases listed in the rule.

The adopted rules also add a formal code of conduct for committee members and specific expectations for committee chairs, covering professionalism, transparency, conflict‑of‑interest avoidance and basic meeting etiquette. The council directed staff to incorporate attendance reports into committee semiannual reports to the council so elected officials can spot attendance issues more quickly.

Vice Mayor Brian Moreira said the rules reflect committee chair input collected during a quarterly chairs meeting and aim to balance volunteer flexibility with the need for reliable committee operations. The council approved the item after a roll call vote.