Agenda Meeting #3

A By Laws Committee meeting notice was placed on CB 3's website on June 1 indicating the next meeting was to take place on June 20th. That was corrected on June 2 to indicate the June 13 meeting date. (Note: To keep appraised of the meeting schedule changes, use the
"Remind Me" feature on Board 3's website calendar.) A reporter from the Queens Tribune inquired and was apprised of the committee's work. And on the meeting day committee members were notified by phone of the meeting.

Previous Items:

1. Membership - The question was raised at Meeting #2 as to the
readiness of a member to vote on the issues if s/he missed a
significant portion of the discussion. Nothing was resolved on this
question. It will be brought up at the next meeting. Also, the issue
of attendance and voting might apply equally to the Alternates.

2. By Laws "Article III g" Status – Article III g., giving the chair
the duty "to appoint a nominating committee" was discussed during
Meeting #2. III g. was passed in December 1996 without the requisite
notice to board members as required by Article VII - which requires
that board members receive "at least sixty (60) days" notice about a
change to the by laws before considering the change. With no vote
taken, the status of III g. remains open.

3. Absences – The committee chair suggested that we consider adopting
procedures on removing members for non-attendance like those followed
by Board 9. These are a detailed listing of steps to remove a member
for non-attendance at meetings. Review and decide if we should proceed
for further review.

4. Spelling, Punctuation & Gender Changes – Several changes might be
helpful. These will be presented to the committee for its approval.
The chair requested suggestions from the members on this. The chair
volunteered to make these changes and report to the committee on them.
Report.

5. Carbonetti Letter – An April 11 1994 letter to Community boards
from Lou Carbonetti, then director of the Mayor's Community Assistance
Unit, provided three areas to consider changes:

ii. Recording of member votes in report – see p. 3 top.
iii. Simple majority vs. supermajority.

Shall we adopt these measures?

6. Former Chair Provided Ex Officio Membership on Executive Committee
– Shall we give former chairs a non-voting ex officio seat of the
executive committee?

New Items:

1. Report on receipt of By Laws from other community boards and duties
of district manager – Giovanna Reid.

2. Establish a framework for activities.

a. To avoid an all or nothing vote, we should present 3-5
recommendations to the board for its consideration.
b. Detail the reasons for or against these recommendations.
c. Make preference on recommendations known to board. Recommendations
to include minority report, if any.

3. Open & Transparent Operation – Discussion on possible actions that
could promote our operation in a more open and transparent manner.

Being open means not keeping things hidden. It means explaining what
you are doing and why. Being transparent means telling people what the
board's policies are and how its procedures work. It also means
keeping proper records. Being transparent lets people see how the
Board makes its decisions. Without timely and appropriate access to
information about the board and city's activity, we cannot stay
properly informed and involved in our community's governance. What
steps can the by laws committee recommend to promote more open and
transparent actions by the board?

4. Other Items