OSAC debates excused-absence limits and proposes travel-reporting requirement for out-of-state trips

OSAC members on Feb. 27 examined proposals to tighten attendance rules for council members and to add transparency for city-related travel.

Committee members explored defining what qualifies as an excused absence, whether to focus on consecutive missed regular business meetings and how many excused absences per year to permit. Several participants suggested using three consecutive unexcused regular business meetings as a threshold for action and starting with a proposal of three excused absences per calendar year; staff was asked to research historical absence patterns to refine any number.

On travel, staff proposed that out-of-state city-related travel by the mayor and council be reported via a standardized form that captures travel location, itinerary, funding source and purpose, submitted one week ahead of travel and placed on the consent agenda for transparency. "It would be a report, a form, a standardized document of some sort that includes travel location, itinerary, funding source, and purpose," Ben Thurgood said.

Committee members noted practical questions — who validates excusal requests, what constitutes official city business and how late arrivals are recorded — and asked staff to draft clearer language that balances accountability and privacy. The committee directed staff to research past absence data, clarify reporting channels for excusal notices, and return with draft language for the proposed attendance and travel-reporting changes.

No final numeric rule was adopted at the meeting; the committee’s motion asked staff to prepare a resolution that will include the attendance and travel items for full-council consideration.