ITEM: ACTION ITEMS

8. DISCUSSION OF DIRECTOR POTTER’S CONCERN REGARDING PULLED CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS

Meeting Date: August 28, 2003 Budgeted: N/A

Program/Line Item No.: N/A

Staff Contact: Fran Farina Cost Estimate: N/A

General Counsel Approval: N/A

Committee Recommendation: N/A

CEQA Compliance: N/A

SUMMARY: At the July 21, 2003 Board meeting, Director Potter requested that the Directors discuss making a change to the policy concerning Consent Calendar items that are pulled for separate consideration. Currently, the Chair has the prerogative to decide if pulled Consent items will be discussed immediately following adoption of the Consent Calendar, or at the end of the meeting after all other Public Hearing and Action items have been considered.

Director Potter suggested that the pulled Consent items should be discussed immediately after the Consent Calendar has been adopted. He reasoned that establishment of such a policy would be advantageous to members of the public interested in the pulled Consent Calendar items who do not wish to listen to lengthy discourse on Public Hearing and Action items.

Meeting Rule 15, Order of Business, lists the order in which agenda items will be discussed. There is no reference to pulled or deferred Consent items. The rule does state that the Chair can change the order of business upon approval by the Board. Meeting Rule 15 is shown on Exhibit 8-A.

Meeting Rule 18, Process for Public Comment on Matters Not Listed on the Agenda, Consent Calendar Items and Information Items, states that individuals may speak for not more than three minutes on Consent Calendar items. The full text of Meeting Rule19 is also presented on Exhibit 8-A.

RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the Board discuss Director Potter’s proposal.

IMPACT TO DISTRICT RESOURCES: A change to the present policy will not impact the District’s resources.

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