Advisory committee approves Nov. 3 minutes after point of order on absent-member notation
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The North Kingstown Budget and Finance Advisory Committee approved its Nov. 3 meeting minutes Dec. 1 after a committee member raised a point of order that the minutes did not list absent members, which the chair declined to delay.
Sherry Kennedy, school committee member and co-chair, moved to approve the Nov. 3 meeting minutes and put the motion to a vote. Robert Jones, identified as a community member, raised a point of order saying the minutes "are not in accordance with state law" because they did not show which committee members were absent and asked to see the exact version being approved.
Kennedy said she would update the minutes going forward and that she did not have Caroline listed as a member pending school committee approval. After discussion, Kennedy ruled against postponing approval on the point of order and the committee proceeded to take the roll call and approve the minutes. The transcript indicates the motion passed; a formal tally beyond members saying "aye" was not specified in the record.
Why it matters: accurate minutes that record who was present and who was absent can be required by state law and provide transparency for public records. The committee agreed to update how absences are recorded in future minutes.
What comes next: Kennedy said she will update the minutes to reflect absentees in future drafts and will circulate the revised version at the next meeting.
