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Corte Madera council tightens attendance rules for advisory bodies, adds staff oversight
Summary
The council adopted Resolution 16-20-26 to clarify expectations for town advisory bodies: attendance tracked by fiscal year, staff liaisons may publish attendance and trigger a midyear review, resignations must notify staff liaison and town clerk, and municipal‑code compensation language will be used. Council amended posting and training language before adoption.
The Corte Madera Town Council on May 5 adopted Resolution No. 16‑20‑26 to amend requirements for serving on town advisory bodies, specifying attendance monitoring by fiscal year, clearer expectations for preparation and in‑person attendance, and a staff‑managed midyear review that can lead to a council removal recommendation for noncompliant appointees.
Town Clerk / Assistant to the Town Manager Lorena Barrera presented the redline changes and said staff wants attendance records to reflect actual participation, to make attendance percentages consistent among bodies, and to treat canceled meetings as not counting against appointees. The proposal also formalized an expectation that appointees read agenda packets published in advance and be prepared to participate.
During council discussion members requested edits: change agenda posting language to “at least 72 hours in advance” to align with practice; add the town clerk to the list of recipients required to receive a written resignation (in addition to the staff liaison); and replace the sentence “members do not receive compensation” with the municipal‑code language stating that members serve without compensation unless council authorizes otherwise (preserving existing stipends for parks & recreation and planning commissioners). Council debated whether ethics training should be required every two years or four; the council agreed to retain the current four‑year schedule for appointees in practice.
A motion to adopt the resolution with the discussed modifications was moved and seconded and carried by the council. The resolution takes effect upon council action and staff said vacancies created by any removals would be filled during the ongoing annual recruitment and appointment period.
The resolution clarifies enforcement: staff liaisons will track attendance, provide midyear warnings for noncompliance, and, if unresolved, prepare a staff report recommending removal to council; appointees may address council prior to any removal vote.
