Quote:
Originally Posted by UsuallyLurking
A good-government suggestion: suggest that for next year that there be a separate budget workshop meeting (done by some of the other districts).
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For the last 4 years that I have served on this board, we would
always have a separate budget workshop meeting. Now, staff suggests that ->
"Currently Board Meetings are scheduled each month.
• On average, two to three meetings are cancelled each year (if approved)
due to no business to come before the Board for action.
• Staff has reviewed the timing of contracts and legal obligations of the
Board to propose an adjusted meeting schedule.
• Based on this review, there are a minimum of six (6) mandatory meetings
that must take place; however, Staff is recommending a set schedule with
seven (7) meetings annually."
My reply was this ->
"Many years ago when Janet Tutt was the District manager, I would occasionally attend the welcome Wednesday meeting as a Village resident to hear the latest news and ask questions. I was amazed that she and many other staff leaders would attend this meeting to let the average Villager personally meet those in charge. On the other hand, also I felt that it might be a slight waste of time for this leadership team to conduct these meetings for so few who were in attendance. One of the first things Richard Baier did was to end this type of meeting.
I understand that as the Villages add more CDDs, the way staff handles the management of all of the CDDs must change. Staff doesn’t have the time to personally attend all of the meetings and then still have the time to do what they must do to fulfill their job responsibilities. I get it, things must change.
Now, I am an elected official on a Village CDD board who meets with staff to conduct official business. Based on my previous four years of serving on this board, I would like to see us spent more time at board meetings rather than less. The operations of NSCUDD have grown over 30% since I first became a member. This board has a budget and serves more customers than 5 or more residential CDDs put together. To fulfill our obligation to the public,
this board needs to expand our activities not reduce them.
I would recommend that the Utility Operations manager position be elevated to that of an assistant district manager and be the engagement person for staff with both the NSCUDD and WUDD boards. I question why so many staff department heads need to attend all of our board meetings. One board meeting a year should be devoted exclusively to upgrade/training the whole board in detail on one specific NSCUDD operation. If we can’t establish a sub committee to review very large and expensive projects before being presented to us for approval, then we need more time to do so at board meetings.
For us to have fewer meetings is not the way to go.
The loss of few hundred dollars for my attending fewer meetings is not what I am talking about. I understand that changes must take place but would also like to see some consideration made by staff of the wants and needs of this elected NSCUDD board to help us better sever our constituents. "