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Template Updated 4/14 <br />Request for Action <br /> <br /> <br />To <br />Mayor and City Council <br />Item Number <br />9.4 <br />Agenda Section <br />Work Session <br />Meeting Date <br />December 21, 2015 <br />Prepared by <br />Tina Allard, City Clerk <br />Item Description <br />Attendance for Boards/Commissions <br />Reviewed by <br />Cal Portner, City Administrator <br />Reviewed by <br /> <br /> <br />Action Requested <br />Provide staff with direction on changes to the Advisory Board and Commission Policy with regards to <br />attendance. <br /> <br />Background/Discussion <br />Mayor Dietz asked to have a discussion about absenteeism for boards/commissions. <br />1. What does the Council expect of a member in terms of attendance? Policy can outline what <br />is expected in terms of minimum requirements and the consequences when they are not met. <br />2. Should absences be excused? Current policy lacks criteria on defining an excusable absence. Is <br />missing an important, unscheduled business meeting, a child’s big game, maternity leave, or a <br />death of a relative or friend excusable? <br /> <br />A member can have difficulty being fully informed and representing the community when they are <br />habitually absent. Not having a full board can leave the board short of multiple perspectives that help <br />contribute to better decisions representative of the community. In terms of getting the board’s business <br />done, whether a missing member is excused or absent doesn’t make any difference because the member <br />isn’t there to participate, ask questions, and vote. <br /> <br />Policy Language Considerations <br />The Council could consider language based on unnoticed/noticed absences over excused absences or set <br />an automatic termination based on the number of absences regardless of excuse or notice. The policy <br />could outline some of the following: <br /> A member would need to provide at least 72 hours’ notice to the staff liaison, and <br /> A member who misses 5 meetings in a rolling calendar year, regardless of notice, is automatically <br />terminated; or <br /> Members shall be automatically removed for lack of attendance. Lack of attendance is defined as <br />missing 3 meetings (or one-third for those boards who meet on less than a monthly basis) in a <br />calendar year. <br /> <br />There are certain boards, such as HRA and EDA, which have specific statutes requirements and would <br />not be subject to the city policy for absenteeism. <br /> <br />Also note, changes to the attendance policy wouldn’t necessarily be a cure-all. Attendance problems can <br />be a sign of other problems besides a member’s life obligations getting in the way. Failure to regularly