Policy 1.09

Advisory Committees to the Board

1. Advisory committees may be created to advise the board on specific matters which require extensive study and discussion. All committees shall be created by written charter and no advisory committee charter shall conflict with the charter or any other advisory committee created to advise the board. This policy governs board advisory committees unless a specific policy governing the committee contains contrary language, in which event the specific policy controls and supersedes this policy. All charters shall include the following:

   1. An explicit statement of the committee's mission.

   2. Uniform rules of parliamentary procedure, such as Roberts' Rules, under which the committee will conduct its meetings.

   3. Qualifications for membership and terms of membership.

   4. Procedure for appointment/reappointment of members.

   5. A provision which permits the board to modify or terminate the charter before its expiration date upon recommendation of the superintendent with stated cause.

   6. Expiration date of the charter, if any.

2. For charters which extend beyond one (1) year, the board, upon recommendation by the Superintendent, may review the viability of the charter.

3. The committee shall, at its initial organizational meeting, select a chairperson and adopt standing rules which shall include meeting dates and times.

4. Advisory committee members shall serve only in a voluntary capacity. All advisory committee members shall be residents of Palm Beach County.

5. Unless otherwise specified in the charter, a member who was nominated by a board member shall be entitled to remain a committee member as long as the nominating board member serves on the board. However, the nominating board member may exercise his/her discretion to remove such committee member at any time. The board shall address all pending vacancies in a reasonable period of time. A committee member may be reappointed on recommendation of the appointing person or entity, as approved by the board, unless the charter of the committee provides otherwise. If a vacancy exists as to the position of an appointing Board member for a particular district, the Committee members appointed by that Board member may continue to serve as voting members on the Committee until and unless the new Board member for that district decides to remove that Committee member at any time.

6. Advisory committees should not be appointed to advise on matters requiring decision by the board unless adequate time is available for a thorough study by the committee.

7. Upon the board's approval of nomination, the board shall appoint as voting members of advisory committees from names submitted by the superintendent, board members, or any other source the board deems appropriate as set forth in the committee's charter. If there are staff members on the committee, they shall constitute a minority of committee membership. Board members may serve in a non-voting capacity on advisory committees. The board attorney/designee may be invited to attend committee meetings and render legal advice.

8. Members of advisory committees should be representative of the entire community. A lay member shall serve as chair.

9. Members of advisory committees are subject to the conflict of interest rules in Chapter 112, Fla. Stat.

10. During the time a person is a voting member of an advisory committee, that committee member or any company in which the member may have a direct financial interest, shall not do business with the district,and shall not have a conflicting employment relationship with the district, as the Committee member is subject to those standards within Fla. Stat. § 112.313, and relevant ethics opinions issued by the Florida Commission on Ethics.

11. All documents maintained as public records by persons in their capacity as committee members are subject to public disclosure as required by Chapter 119, F. S., unless exempt under Fla. Stat § 119.071 or other statutes.

12. All advisory committee meetings shall be subject to the open meeting Sunshine provisions of § 286.011, F. S.

13. The board shall appoint one of its members to provide liaison with and serve as a non-voting ex-officio member of each of its committees; however, all board members shall be encouraged to attend meetings of various committees at their convenience.

14. The superintendent shall appoint one or two staff members to serve as liaison between the superintendent and board committees, and serve as non-voting ex-officio members. The person(s) serving in this capacity shall meet or communication with committees, keep informed as to committee activities, provide for the use of resources, and advise in the preparation of reports. The staff member(s) shall report all committee activities directly to the superintendent. The Superintendent shall designate staff to provide administrative support to the committee. This support staff will be responsible for scheduling meetings, taking meeting minutes and maintaining the records of the committee.

15. Correspondence between the board and its committees shall be conducted by the board chairman.

16. The committee shall serve only as an advisory body. No voting committee member shall direct staff. Any requests for services shall be directed to the superintendent.

17. The board shall see that the public is made aware of the services and recommendations rendered by advisory committees as required by law.

18. Reports of the findings, conclusions, or recommendations of advisory committees shall be made to the School Board, superintendent and staff on an annual basis or more often if required.

19. The superintendent shall maintain a record of all existing advisory committees and their chairs.

20. Voting Members will be removed automatically should they miss three consecutive regular meetings, unless, by request of the member, the Chair grants compassionate leave due to personal, business, or familial exigency. A quarterly report will be made to the Board regarding the attendance of appointed committee members.

21. Under the following circumstance, voting Committee members may attend meetings and participate at meetings through the use of an interactive video and/or telephone systems, as long as a quorum of voting Committee members are physically present at the meeting. Voting members of the Committee may participate and vote by use of electronic media technology to allow a member of the Committee who is not physically present to attend the meeting, in those instances where the Committee member is confined to home or hospital due to illness or accident or in those situations where the Committee member's absence is due to a death or serious illness of an immediate family member. Any other situations which cause a Committee member to be absent from a meeting will require a vote by majority of the Committee, based only on extraordinary circumstances as required by law, to allow the Committee member to participate by the above referenced technology.

22. A unanimous vote will be considered if all Committee members voting (not abstaining due to potential conflict of interest) audibly vote "yes", show by hands a "yes," or all those who are voting and present have indicated a "yes" vote on the e-agenda system, or if they remain silent it will also mean consent (unless they abstained due to a potential conflict of interest.) However, if a member votes "no' on the e-agenda, audibly, or by a show of hands, it will then be considered a split vote. If a vote is evenly tied for and against a measure, such tie vote shall defeat the measure, For each vote, the Chair or acting chair shall announce the vote, and the names of any member in dissent, after it is tabulated.