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2025-07 Code Amendment- Board and CommitteesORDINANCE NO. 2025-07 AN ORDINANCE OF THE VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF NORTH PALM BEACH, FLORIDA, AMENDING ARTICLE I, "IN GENERAL," OF CHAPTER 2, "ADMINISTRATION," OF THE VILLAGE CODE OF ORDINANCES BY AMENDING SECTION 2-1, "BOARDS AND COMMITTEES," TO MODIFY THE REQUIRED MEETING SCHEDULE AND ABSENTEE POLICY, ADD AN ANTI -NEPOTISM PROVISION, AND REQUIRE QUARTERLY REPORTS TO THE VILLAGE COUNCIL; PROVIDING FOR CODIFICATION; PROVIDING. FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING FOR CONFLICTS; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS, Section 2-1 of the Village Code of Ordinances governs the appointment and operation of Village boards and committees; and WHEREAS, the Village Council wishes to amend Section 2-1 to: (1) require boards and committees to meet at least quarterly and modify the absentee policy; (2) prohibit the appointment of relatives of Councilmembers to boards and committees; and (3) require boards and committees to provide reports to the Village Council on a quarterly basis; and WHEREAS, the Village Council determines that the adoption of this Ordinance is in the interests of the public health, safety, and welfare. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE OF NORTH PALM BEACH, FLORIDA as follows: Section 1. The foregoing recitals are ratified as true and correct and are incorporated herein. Section 2. The Village Council hereby amends Article I, "In General," of Chapter 2, "Administration," of the Village Code of Ordinances as follows (additional language is underlined and deleted °language str; ever +b,.o g ): Sec. 2-1. Boards and committees. (a) Purpose. The purpose of this section is to establish procedures for village boards and committees. Except as specifically provided by law or ordinance, all boards and committees are advisory only and the existence of such advisory boards and committees does not diminish or alter the statutory or constitutional authority of the village council. (b) Scope. The provisions of this section shall apply to all village boards and committees an shall govern the conduct of all members of such boards. (c) Creation of advisory boards. The village council may, by ordinance, create a board or committee in connection with any function of the village. The ordinance creating such board shall specify the purpose, powers, and duties of the Page 1 of 6 board. Nothing set forth herein shall prevent the village council from creating ad hoc committees of limited duration by resolution. (d) Records. Each board and committee shall maintain attendance records and voting records of each member and shall forward such information to the village clerk. The records shall include the reason given by the board or committee member for any absence. (e) Compensation of members. Board and committee members shall serve without compensation except as may be provided by ordinance or resolution of the village council. (f) General provisions. Members of village boards and committees: (1) Shall serve at the pleasure of the village council and may be removed with or without cause by a vote of the village council; (2) Shall be a resident of the village and maintain residency in the village during the term of appointment (unless waived by the village council) and meet such other eligibility requirements as may be established by the village council; (3) Shall not hold any employment or office in village government or any \ contractual relationship with the village; (4) Shall serve on only one village board or committee where membership on two boards or committees would violate the constitutional dual office -holding prohibition; (5) Shall not appear before the board or committee on which they serve or the village council as an agent or attorney on behalf of any person or entity; (6) Shall not have or hold any employment or contractual relationship that will create a continuing or frequently recurring conflict between their private interests and the performance of their public duties or that would impede the full and faithful discharge of their public duties; (7) Shall not initiate any grievance or complaint against any person appearing before the board or committee on which they serve without the approval of the village manager; and (8) Shall attend all meetings in person and shall not participate as a member of any board or committee or vote on any matter by telephone, video conferencing, or any other electronic means. (g) Number of members. Unless otherwise provided by law or ordinance, each advisory board or committee shall have seven (7) members. Page 2 of 6 (h) Terms of members. (1) The terms of members shall be established in the ordinance creating the board or committee. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the village council may, at the time of appointment, modify the term of any member in order to provide for staggered terms. (2) Members whose terms have expired shall continue to serve until their successors are appointed. (3) Board and committee members may be reappointed to successive terms. (4) Appointments to fill vacancies on any board or committee shall be for the remainder of the unexpired term. (i) Officers. (1) All boards and committees shall, at a meeting during the month of May, elect a chairperson, a vice -chairperson, and any other officers as the board deems necessary. The chairperson shall preside at board meetings and shall be the official spokesperson for the board. The term of the chairperson shall be for one-year, and any person who has served as chairperson for one term shall not serve as chairperson during the -- following year. However, beginning one year after termination of his or her term as chairperson, he or she may again serve as chairperson. (2) The vice -chairperson shall assume the duties of the chairperson in the absence of the chairperson. At any meeting where the chairperson and the vice -chairperson are absent, the board or committee shall appoint a chairperson pro tempore to assume the duties of the chairperson. 0) Rules. Each board and committee shall adopt rules and regulations regarding the manner of conducting its meetings, which shall be consistent with the rules and regulations prescribed by the village council. Each board and committee shall adhere to the basic rules of parliamentary procedure, which require that: (1) All items of business and motions that are properly before the board or committee are fully and freely discussed; (2) Only one (1) issue or motion be considered at a time; (3) All members direct their remarks to the chairperson and wait to be recognized by the chairperson; a i (4) While majority rules, the rights of the minority are protected by assuring them the ability to speak and vote; and Page 3 of 6 (5) All members refrain from making personal remarks or otherwise attacking the motives of other members. (k) Meetings. (1) All village advisor -y boards and committees shall schedule a regular meeting at least once per mente quarter (or four times between May 1 st and April 30th), except the audit committee, which shall meet on an on- call basis. Meetings shall be held at the call of the chairperson, at such other times as the board or committee may determine, or as otherwise provided by law or ordinance. Special meetings may be called by the chairperson or by written notice signed by a majority of all members and shall not be held unless at least forty-eight (48) hours' notice is given to each member and to the village clerk. (2) Members shall notify the chairperson if they are unable to attend a meeting. If a quorum will not be present, the scheduled meeting shall be cancelled. (3) Minutes shall be kept of the proceedings at each meeting and shall record the official acts taken by the board or committee. Minutes shall be transmitted to, and maintained by, the village clerk. (4) All meetings and public hearings of village boards and committees ---:� shall be open to the public. All meetings shall be governed by Government -in -the -Sunshine Law, as set forth in F.S. § 286.011. (5) Absent exigent circumstances, no board or committee meeting shall begin prior to 5:30 p.m. and all meetings shall be adjourned on or before 11:00 p.m. on the date when the meeting convened. (1) Quorum and required vote. (1) Unless otherwise provided by law or ordinance, a quorum for the transaction of business shall consist of four (4) members. (2) The affirmative vote of a maj ority of those present shall be necessary to take official action. If any motion fails to achieve the affirmative vote of a majority of those present, then such petition or other matter shall be deemed denied. (m) Removal of members. (1) Unless waived by the village council, any member who no longer resides within the village during his or her term shall automatically cease to be a member of the board or committee and shall inform the village clerk's office. Page 4 of 6 (2) If any member of a board or committee is absent from t3) two 2 regular meetings for boards or committees meeting no more than quarterly_ or three (3) regular meetings for boards or committees meeting monthly within a twelve-month period (from May Pt to April 30th ), the village clerk shall notify the member in writing that he or she shall be removed from the board or committee. Within ten (10) days of receipt of notification of his or her removal, the member may appeal his or removal to the village manager in writing. The decision of the village manager shall be final. (3) The village manager may, at his or her discretion, remove a member for: attacking the motives of other board or committee members, members of village staff or village consultants; making derogatory, abusive, profane, threatening, or vulgar remarks or comments; or for any other conduct that, in the village manager's sole determination, reflects poorly upon the village. The decision of the village manager shall be final. n) Anti -nepotism clause. No relative of a member of the village council shall be aanointed by the council to a village board or committee. For the nurnoses of this section, a relative means an individual who is related to a councilmember as father, mother, son, daughter, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, first cousin, nephew, niece, husband, wife, father-in-law, mother-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, stepfather, stepmother, stepson, stepdaughter, stepbrother, stepsister, -_ half-brother, or half-sister or an individual having the same legal residence as a councilmember. (o) Reports for village council. On at least a quarterly basis, the chairperson of each board or committee or the chairperson's designee shall make a report of the board or committee's activities to the village council at a regularly scheduled council meeting. (n p) Resignation of members. Members of boards or committees may resign at any time, by submitting a written letter of resignation to the village clerk. (e q) Clerical/technical support. The village manager may furnish the board or committee necessary clerical services and technical assistance. (p r) Dissolution of boards. Unless otherwise provided by law or ordinance, the village council may dissolve a board or committee if the village council determines that the board is no longer needed to meet the purposes for which it was established. Section 3. The provisions of this Ordinance shall become and be made a part of the Code of the Village of North Palm Beach. �� � Section 4. If any section, paragraph, sentence, clause, phrase, or word of this Ordinance is for any reason held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be unconstitutional, inoperative, or void, such holding shall not affect the remainder of this Ordinance. Page 5 of 6 Section 5. All Ordinances or parts of Ordinances or resolutions or parts of resolutions in conflict herewith are hereby repealed to the extent of such conflict. Section 6. This Ordinance shall take effect immediately upon adoption. PLACED ON FIRST READING THIS l OTH DAY OF APRIL, 2025. PLACED ON SECOND, FINAL READING AND PASSED THIS 24TH DAY OF APRIL, 2025. NORTyp 51 ,gqFEaf�1DAEn ATTEST: ILLAGE CLERK APPROVED AS TO FORM AND 1 LEGAL SUFFICIENCY: VILLAGE ATTORNEY Page 6 of 6 MA