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Staff: attendance rules would have forced two commissioners to resign; staff recommends resetting clock
Summary
Parks Department staff told the commission that bylaw attendance thresholds would have automatically resigned at least two sitting commissioners if applied retroactively; staff recommended resetting the attendance clock and enforcing compliance going forward, and clarified virtual participants may vote.
Lindsey Baker presented the Parks and Recreation Commission attendance tracker and summarized the bylaw standards for absences: present, excused absence, voluntary absence, and virtual attendance. Baker told commissioners that under the bylaws a commissioner who is voluntarily absent from three consecutive regular meetings or absent for 25% of regular meetings in a calendar year is considered formally resigned. She said staff analysis showed "at least 2 of the, sitting commissioners would have qualified as automatically resigned effective immediately," but staff recommended notifying the commission publicly, following up in writing and "resetting the clock" rather than enforcing resignations retroactively.
Baker also clarified previous guidance on remote participation. "We have now been informed that that is not true, that virtual participants can vote," she said, noting the bylaws address attendance classifications and that virtual attendance does not count toward quorum. Commissioners asked when any enforcement would begin; Baker said the change would take effect "after this meeting" and staff would provide email follow-up early the following week.
