§ 2-83. General rules.

(a)

Quorum. A quorum for the transaction of business of a board shall be a majority of the members appointed to the board.

(b)

Voting required. No attending member of a board shall be excused or shall abstain from voting on any matter before the board on which a vote is called or required, except where a board member's personal interest is involved. When such member's personal interest is involved, such member shall announce such interest at the commencement of consideration of the matter, and such member shall not enter into discussion or debate on such matter and shall abstain from voting thereon and shall fill out an affidavit stating such interest in accordance with V.T.C.A., Texas Local Government Code § 171.004. A member shall be considered to have a personal interest in a matter whenever any matter before the board could or does affect the member's financial interest. The phrase "financial interest" when used herein shall have the same meaning as "substantial interest in a business entity" as that phrase is defined in V.T.C.A., Texas Local Government Code § 171.002.

Charter reference— Personal interest, § 14.04.

(c)

Absences. Every board, commission, and committee member shall attend all regularly called and scheduled meetings of the board, commission, or committee of which he or she is a member. The chairperson shall announce, for the record, the names of members absent and determine if the absence is excused or unexcused. Members who cannot attend the meeting should contact the chairperson or an appropriate staff liaison concerning his or her absence prior to the meeting. The unexcused absence of any board, commission, or committee member from more than three (3) regularly called and scheduled meetings of the board, commission, or committee of which he or she is a member in any one (1) year or lack of attendance at fifty (50) percent of the number of regular meetings in a year, unless such absence is excused, shall be considered "cause," as that term is used in section 14.16 of the Charter, for removal of the member by the city council from such board, commission, or committee. An excused absence shall include personal or family illness, death of a family member, jury duty, service in the armed forces, testifying before the legislature, attending a seminar involving municipal matters of importance to the member's duties, absence necessary for the member's business or employment, and any related emergencies or other matters which the board, commission, or committee finds qualify as an excused absence. Attendance reports will be provided by boards, commissions, and committees to the city council on a quarterly basis for their review. Copies of this ordinance shall be forwarded to members of all of the standing boards, commissions, and committees and to new members as they are appointed.

(Code 1966, § 1-44; Ord. No. 96-154, § III, 7-9-96; Ord. No. 00-046A, § 1, 2-1-00)