-----Original Message-----
From: David Brauer
In the aftermath of the Ace Hardware issue within Kingfield, I'm trying
to
figure out in a timely way how we can better notify interested residents
about issues before the neighborhood board.
<snip>
1. Agendas. People have suggested we "lock" our agenda in a week before
our
board meeting. (It seems obvious to post it to our website, which we
will
do.) Does 7 days seem appropriate? Legit stuff does come up at the last
minute, and the nature of a volunteer organization is that people miss
deadlines - so you run the risk of having a very short agenda and a lot
of
"new business." That might falsely raise expectations that everything
will
be on the agenda. What's worked for people?
[TB] I'm not sure who you are doing a favor for by not putting something
on the agenda. In your case you have told us that you post agenda items
on your website so additions are readily available. I'm assuming you
don't mail agendas to every business, resident and property owner in the
neighborhood so your website may well be your widest distribution
method.
To say nothing goes on the agenda after a certain time is harsh. Much
of the stuff is not controversial anyway.
[David Brauer]
2. Voting procedures. I've been told that at least one neighborhood
group
forces two votes on important issues - that way critics get notice of an
official board action and respond/organize before the final vote. The
downside is that everything would have to wait a month between our
meetings
- which might be unfair to some businesses and individuals. And this
after
they've gone through our committees. Opinions?
[TB] Sounds like a way not to make a decision. What are "important
issues"? I've never been big on not making a decision if the facts
surrounding it aren't going to change. If an issue has gone through a
committee, its had at least one other meeting (which probably advanced
it to your Board).
If the Board is in touch with the neighborhood, they should know when
something will be controversial. If that is the case, expanded notice
would be appropriate. Those issues are a small portion of what most
neighborhoods deal with.
Terrell Brown
Loring Park
terrell at terrellbrown dot org
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