Draft letter to Board and Committee Members
. .n.. ....... DRAFT Letter to Board and Committee Members October 2, 2006 The City 'of Atlantic Beach greatly appreciates your service on one of our many boards and committees. This
service requires not only many hours of your time and commitment, but sometimes requires difficult decisions to vote on issues that affect our friends and neighbors. However, you can
be assured that your service helps to make Atlantic Beach the great place to live and work that it is today. The purpose of this letter is to pass along some expectations of all of our
board and committee members that will help guide you in your service to the city. The first of these deals with attendance. Your attendance at the meetings is important. Any absences
at the meetings would deny the applicant their full consideration on any issue going before those boards that review applications for various city code regulated activities. In the worst
case, not being at a meeting may cause for your board or committee to be unable to conduct business for lack of a quorum. This is not only a waste of time for other members as well as
the applicants, but can also be embarrassing for the city. We realize that members occasionally have personal conflicts that prevent their attendance at all the meetings. It is appropriate
when such a conflict comes up is to notifyyour staff liaisonas soonas youareawareof the conflict. . A second expectation deals with representation of Atlantic Beach. Every one of you
represents the city in very important ways. Memberships on one of the city's boards or committees often requires that you forego a certain amount of freedom of personal expression on
matters that may be brought before your board or committee. The expression of individual preferences or philosophies before any item may be heard by your board can create the appearance
of having your mind made up on an issue before it is even discussed. This can create a certain legal liability for the city and give applicants the impression that their issues will
not be fairly considered. Consequently, you should refrain from any public comments on an issue that may be brought up for your consideration. These comments would range anywhere from
writing letters to the editor to simply expressing your views in any public forum. After your board or committee has met on any issue, the best way to express your vote or recommendation
is through the official minutes. Even if your vote was not in the majority on any issue, the best way to express your opinion is by ensuring that your position is summarized in the minutes.
In that way, anyone who is interested can read the minutes for themselves. If there is any question about any recommendation made by a board or committee, then the Mayor or Commission
may request the chairman to make a presentation at a city commission meeting. The issues that you consider as a board or committee member for the City of Atlantic Beach are important
and contribute to our quality of life. The City greatly appreciates your service.