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VAB member attendance and potential bylaw changes
1:46:23
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122 sec
Council Member Robert Holden and VAB Chair Mercedes Elias discuss issues with VAB member attendance and potential changes to the board's bylaws to address these concerns.
- Some VAB members don't show up to meetings, but there's currently no course of action to address this
- Council Member Holden suggests codifying attendance requirements in the bylaws
- The discussion highlights the need for a process to remove non-participating members and fill vacancies more efficiently
- VAB is encouraged to come up with suggestions for bylaw changes to address these issues
Mercedes Elias
1:46:23
There is one vacancy for it was one of the new positions that opened up for caretaker.
Robert Holden
1:46:29
And and has you know, like and how's the attendance though?
1:46:32
Are there are there members of board members don't show up at all?
Mercedes Elias
1:46:35
Yes.
Robert Holden
1:46:36
There are?
Mercedes Elias
1:46:36
Yes.
Robert Holden
1:46:37
And what what do you do about it?
1:46:39
Do you
Mercedes Elias
1:46:40
There's no course of action.
1:46:40
No.
Robert Holden
1:46:41
There's no that's why that's why I suggested to codify it.
Ryan Graham
1:46:44
Mhmm.
Robert Holden
1:46:44
Like, we need some that should be in the bylaws.
Mercedes Elias
1:46:47
It makes a significant difference.
1:46:48
Even the past changes How
Robert Holden
1:46:49
about you go back?
1:46:50
Because I don't wanna interfere with your bylaws.
1:46:52
I don't think the commissioner does either.
1:46:54
But how about you come up with suggestions to the bylaws?
1:46:58
Yeah.
1:46:59
In your first meeting, let's say.
1:47:01
I'm not I'm only suggesting.
1:47:02
I'm not saying you have to do that.
1:47:03
But but let's let's try to fix some of this where we come up with a process.
1:47:11
And it's, it's 1 for appointments, the second one for people that are not really participating.
1:47:19
And and how do we, you know, I know the Mayor's office could remove them, right?
1:47:25
And so can the City Council.
1:47:28
The Speaker can't.
1:47:29
So, but we need to, we need some actual, language that maybe you can control some of that.
1:47:39
Like if you feel that the person hasn't attended in 2 years, 3 years
Mercedes Elias
1:47:43
Which we have that data, it's tracked in the minutes.
1:47:45
Yeah.
1:47:45
So we can tell you who hasn't and Yeah.
Robert Holden
1:47:47
So if you could say, just put a a couple of, you know, categories in the bylaws on how do we correct some of this?
1:47:55
Because it's not helping anyone there.
1:47:57
How people just take up space.
1:48:01
So that was my other question and, let let's say collaboration with DVS.
1:48:09
I just wanna touch upon this.
1:48:10
How effectively do you feel that your board, the the VAB and DVS are working together to address veterans' issues?
1:48:19
And are there examples where a better coordination could have resulted in improved outcomes?