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Commission declines remote participation request for Commissioner Fessic
Summary
The Pompano Beach commission voted against allowing Commissioner Fessic to join Monday’s meeting remotely after a split roll call; commissioners debated privacy versus public accountability before the motion failed.
The Pompano Beach City Commission voted on Sept. 22 against allowing Commissioner Fessic to participate in the meeting remotely, after a divided discussion over whether commissioners must disclose the nature of an extraordinary circumstance.
Clerk (S2) told the panel an email from Commissioner Fessic requested remote participation; the city attorney, Mister Berman (S7), reminded the commission that a 2016 policy (Resolution 2016-140) permits remote participation only for physical disability, medical treatment or similar extraordinary circumstances and only when a physical quorum is present. "The procedure that com adopted by the commission was resolution 2016 140," Mister Berman said.
Commissioner Smith (S5) pressed for more detail: "What is the, extraordinary circumstance that, commissioner Fessett can't attend?" Smith said it would be "helpful to know what the extraordinary circumstances was." Other commissioners urged respect for privacy. One commissioner (S8) said, "I don't I don't feel like I need to dig into a personal life... I'm going to just trust that someone would be here if they could and that they're trying to participate." After a roll-call vote with members split, the mayor announced that Commissioner Fessic would not participate telephonically.
