Agenda - 03-19-2013 - 5a - Laserfiche WebLink

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20 1 Frank Clifton said that if a petition requires research or legal research, there will be a 2 listing of what staff members are pursuing it or have been assigned. A sheet will be given that 3 give a status update and where the issue is projected to be on the agenda. This is especially true 4 when several advisory boards are involved. Some type of response about action taken is usually 5 given within a week of the petition. 6 Chair Jacobs addressed the question of, do we care if our advisory boards make 7 presentations to other elected boards and John Roberts asked for a moment to look into this. 8 Chair Jacobs addressed the question of how letters are written. He said, if you use 9 personal stationary, you may do what you want. If county stationary is used, make it clear that it 10 is from you and not the board, unless you are the Chair speaking on behalf of the board. 11 John Roberts, addressing the prior question, said the general advisory board policy 12 section 11, page 14, subsection C3 states: 13 — Advisory Boards and any members thereof shall not (and shall not have the express or 14 implied authority to): 15 1. Take positions, in their capacity as an advisory board member, on any political 16 issue or support or oppose any candidate for public office 17 18 Chair Jacobs noted that this should be part of new member orientation. 19 Commissioner Dorosin said that it should be made clear during orientation that they are 20 not trying to constrain free speech. He said it should be clear that there is an absolute right to 21 speak and identify yourself and your community activities and board memberships, but there 22 should be a disclaimer that you are not speaking on behalf of a particular advisory board. 23 Frank Clifton said for the newer board members that there are a couple of statutory 24 boards that this does not apply to, i.e. Board of Health, Social Services, who have official capacity 25 versus advisory capacity. 26 Commissioner Rich said that often people will tell where they are from but will then 27 designate they are speaking for themselves. She said that it is key that people be allowed to 28 express their opinion as a citizen, not an advisory board member. 29 Commissioner Dorosin specified that the citizen should be allowed to disclose their 30 involvements, as it may reveal why they are knowledgeable about the issue. 31 Commissioner McKee said the issue is not that they don't speak, but that it be specified 32 they speak as an individual. He said he has no problem with anyone saying anything to any 33 advisory board, provided it is not disparaging an individual or board, as long as they are speaking 34 for themselves. He noted that to mention a planning board membership as a background 35 statement is different than claiming to speak as a planning board member. 36 Chair Jacobs noted that the statement on page 14 specifies "take positions within their 37 capacity as an advisory board member." To that point, a speaker should be present not in that 38 official position, but as an American with a right to free speech. 39 Commissioner Price said, with regard to using stationary, members should be careful 40 with using title of Commissioner. 41 Commissioner Rich said that this goes back to Commissioner Dorosin's point of how 42 someone would know about an issue if they weren't at a Commissioners' meeting. There may be 43 an event at a Commissioner's meeting that you would not otherwise know about and the 44 representation of yourself as a Commissioner would be relevant. 45 Commissioner Price said that to say you are a Commissioner is different than to sign as 46 a Commissioner. 47 Commissioner McKee said any elected office is different than serving on an advisory 48 board. He said the Commissioner title was earned because an election was won. The title is 49 attached to a name, thus he is not concerned about simply signing it. He said it only identifies 50 who you are. He said that elected officials have earned the right to use that title.