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Trustees debate committee transparency after letter; board affirms trustee’s ATPAC role
Summary
A governance dispute arose after a trustee sent a letter to a city transportation committee; the board voted to add the Active Transportation Public Advisory Committee (ATPAC) to its annual assignments and to list the trustee as the MVLA representative, while some trustees raised protocol and conflict‑of‑interest concerns.
A procedural dispute over committee assignments and outside communications drew extended discussion at the board meeting after one trustee publicly criticized a letter sent by a colleague to a city committee without prior board review.
One trustee read a prepared statement raising governance and potential conflict‑of‑interest concerns about assigning board members to city committees and flagged “a letter sent by a board member without consultation review by the full board yet signed with a title as an MBLA board member,” saying the use of a board title required prior board review.
Trustee Theta responded with a chronology: she said city staff requested in 2023 that she serve on the Active Transportation Public Advisory Committee (ATPAC), she sought and received board approval at that time, she reported back to the board after ATPAC meetings and copied the board on the June 5 letter to the city council transportation committee. Theta said she signed the letter in her capacity as a trustee and ATPAC representative and that she had offered to bring the letter to the board for formal consideration.
Trustees discussed whether a board member should serve on city advisory committees and whether the assignment should appear on the district’s annual committee list so new trustees have notice. One trustee said the board should carry forward prior assignments and review them annually; others said the item’s absence from the December list led to the current disconnect.
After discussion, a motion was made to add ATPAC (Active Transportation Public Advisory Committee) to the board’s committee assignments and to designate Theta as the MVLA representative. The board approved the motion by voice vote (5‑0). Several trustees said they want clearer protocol next year on assignment listings and on board‑titled communications to outside entities.
