Miami Lakes workshop clarifies committee attendance, remote-participation and public-comment rules

Deputy Town Attorney Lorenzo Covillella and town staff held a workshop for Town of Miami Lakes committee chairs and members to review updated committee rules and Robert’s Rules of Order, emphasizing monthly meeting requirements, attendance limits and new remote-participation rules.

The session matters because the changes affect volunteers who serve on the town’s advisory committees, set automatic removal triggers for absenteeism, and formalize how public comments, minutes and budget requests must be handled.

Covillella told attendees the rules are grounded in both Robert’s Rules of Order and Florida law on open meetings and public records, and he repeatedly stressed the need for order so committees can complete their business. “An individual shall have 3 minutes to address the committee or such other period of time as the chairperson deems reasonable,” Covillella said, quoting the public-comment provision. He also said, “The committee member appearing remotely must keep their camera on, and their face must remain visible,” and added that remote participants should not be driving while attending.

Key clarifications covered at the workshop included quorum, attendance sanctions, remote…