2025-13 Code Amendment - Boards and CommitteesORDINANCE NO. 2025-13
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 PROCEDURE FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF
CHAIRPERSONS; 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) revise the language specifying
the timing for appointment of officers to coincide with the various board and committee meeting
schedules; and (2) clearly indicate the Village Council's intent that the chairperson rotate on an annual
basis yet allow a board or committee to appoint a chairperson to successive terms by majority vote;
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-ie en thr-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 and 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
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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.
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(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 the first meeting during the m^^t"
of after May 1St of each year, 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 -all
he h ..1,.,
s ed ;, per -sen for ,tor„ -,shall e t
uil y' perivn `vr serve
as ehaiq3e-rson during the fellowingyear. However, beginning one yea
after term,. do of his or- her- to -,ti, . . hair-perse he- . she may ag-ai.n.
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serve as chair -per ^„ While it is the intent of the village council that the
chairperson rotate on an annual basis, a board or committee may, by
unanimous vote, appoint a chairperson to serve successive terms.
(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 frilly 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;
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(4) While majority rules, the rights of the minority are protected by
assuring them the ability to speak and vote; and
(5) All members refrain from making personal remarks or otherwise
attacking the motives of other members.
(k) Meetings.
(1) All village boards and committees shall schedule a regular meeting at
least once per quarter (or four times between May 1St 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 majority 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
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cease to be a member of the board or committee and shall inform the
village clerk's office.
(2) If any member of a board or committee is absent from 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 1St 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 appointed by the council to a village board or committee. For the purposes 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.
(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.
(q) Clerical/technical support. The village manager may furnish the board
or committee necessary clerical services and technical assistance.
(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.
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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.
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 14TH DAY OF AUGUST, 2025.
PLACED ON SECOND, FINAL READING AND PASSED THIS 28TH DAY OF AUGUST, 2025.
ORT,
i ARIDA
ATTEST:
VILLAGE CLERK
APPROVED AS TO FORM AND
LEGAL SUFFICIENCY:
VILLAGE ATTORNEY
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