RIVERWALK COMMISSION AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Receive the report regarding public participation rules and annual report requirements for City Boards and Commissions
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DEPARTMENT: Transportation, Engineering and Development
SUBMITTED BY: William J Novack, P.E., Director of Transportation, Engineering and Development/City Engineer
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
NA
BACKGROUND:
Over the past year the City Manager and Mayor's offices have been working to standardize all City boards and commissions to improve transparency and provide information easier to interested parties. An individual who visits any commission meeting now should easily figure out who is the chair, the commissioners and the guests; and there is consistency amongst all the different commissions.
Starting in the next several months all board and commission meetings that are not televised will be audio-recorded and the recordings will be posted on the City's web site for all interested individuals.
DISCUSSION:
To support and aid individuals listening to the audio from past meetings, and to stay compliant with the requirements of the Open Meetings Act (OMA) and the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) the following procedural changes will be implemented at Riverwalk Commission and Planning, Design and Construction Committee meetings:
1. Commissioners and the public will only be allowed to speak after being recognized by the Chairperson. The verbal recognition of the individual requesting to speak allows those listening to the recording to know who is saying what.
2. The use of any type of communication devices (cell phone, laptop or tablet) is highly discouraged during the meeting since any device used during the meeting can be subject to a FOIA request, even personal devices. Recognizing that these devices are sometimes essential for personal or emergency communications their use is allowed, however, to keep from being subject to a FOIA request not using them at all is encouraged.
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