Planning commission amends rules to clarify secretary role, allow abstention on minutes

The Lancaster County Planning Commission on Oct. 22 adopted two targeted amendments to its rules and procedures: a clearer description of the appointed secretary’s role and a provision allowing members to abstain when voting to approve minutes for meetings they did not attend.

Planning staff explained the changes and said the abstention wording stemmed from a member request. “There were 2 specific changes that we did to, the adopted rules and procedures. 1 was to clarify the role of the appointed secretary ... And then the other 1 was in section 5, the voting, where we added a sentence saying abstention may be allowed during the approval of meeting minutes if the member was absent at the meeting to which the minutes being voted on apply,” planning staff said.

Several commissioners said they preferred a practice of not approving minutes for meetings they had not attended. One commissioner said she found it “common sense” not to vote to approve minutes of meetings you did not attend; another noted the county attorney had told the commission that voting while absent was allowed. Planning staff said the amendment is permissible either way and that the commission may adopt the rules that reflect its own preference.

A motion to accept the amended rules and procedures carried in a show-of-hands vote recorded in the meeting as 6 yes, 4 no, 0 abstentions. Planning staff told commissioners that the change does not prevent members from asking questions of staff directly during meetings and that the chair retains the procedural authority to recognize speakers to maintain orderly discourse.

The commission adopted the amended rules and procedures for use at future meetings.