Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Governance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Scofield council limits councilmember excused absences to one per year
Summary
The Scofield Town Council voted to amend Resolution 01‑2023, reducing allowed unexcused absences for council members from three to one per calendar year; additional absences may be approved by a two‑thirds council vote for family or medical emergencies.
The Scofield Town Council voted on July 14 to amend its attendance policy, cutting the number of excused absences a council member may take without penalty from three per calendar year to one.
Under the amended language (motion carried by voice vote), a council member may still request approval for an additional absence, but that extra absence must be approved by a two‑thirds majority of the council and limited to circumstances such as family or medical emergency.
Council members debated the change at length. One member framed the amendment as a matter of accountability for a small, monthly meeting schedule: "If you don't show up, you know, you get paid for it," a council member said, arguing that members who miss meetings should forfeit compensation. Others stressed the need for flexibility for work or family obligations and recommended case‑by‑case council consideration of excused absences.
The council instructed the clerk to update Resolution 01‑2023 and have the amended language prepared and distributed; the amendment passed by voice vote with members saying "Aye." The new attendance rule will take effect once the updated resolution document is finalized and signed.
