Vice mayor proposes changes to advisory-committee attendance rules; board reviews removal and record-keeping provisions

Members of the Education Advisory Board discussed a proposal, presented on behalf of Vice Mayor Moreira, to revise committee rules covering attendance thresholds, removal for absences and record-keeping.

The draft changes presented would reduce the quorum required for public forums to one-third (33%) from the current 50% plus one, the board said. The draft also proposes reinstating a rule tied to member removal for absenteeism: three unexcused absences from regular committee meetings or five accrued absences during a calendar year could trigger removal procedures. The draft leaves classification of excused versus unexcused absences to the discretion of the committee chair, but enumerates examples such as medical reasons, death in the family, unexpected work obligations and military service.

Members stressed the need to define excused and unexcused absences more clearly than the draft’s current language allowing “sole discretion” to the chair. The draft also specifies that the committee secretary must maintain an attendance log and include attendance information in the chair’s semiannual report.

Board members noted that removal of a committee member would continue to be effected by the appointing council member — the sitting council or mayoral appointee retains authority to make or fill appointments — and that a sitting member may continue to serve until a replacement appointment is made after a vacancy occurs.

No final vote on the rules was taken; the board will provide input to the committee that is preparing the formal rules and planned a review of edits at an upcoming council meeting in March.