The Village Council of the Village of Ridgewood recognizes that it is fortunate to have Ridgewood residents and other individuals who are willing to volunteer their time and lend their expertise to serve on Village of Ridgewood Boards, Committees, and Commissions. It is important that the volunteers who have been appointed to Ridgewood Boards, Committees, and Commissions actually attend the meetings and participate, so that the efficiency and productivity of the Boards, Committees, and Commissions are maintained and that applications are heard and voted on, in a timely manner. The purpose of this article is to set forth an absence policy for volunteer members serving on Ridgewood Boards, Committees, and Commissions.
[Added 6-8-2022 by Ord. No. 3907]
The absence policy for all volunteer members (hereinafter members or member) of Ridgewood Boards, Committees and Commissions (hereinafter Boards or Board) shall be as follows:
A.
Members on Ridgewood Boards shall be responsible to attend the meetings of the Board to which they have been appointed.
B.
If a member of a Board is unable to attend a Board meeting, the member must notify the Chair of the Board or the Secretary of the Board or the Village Council liaison to the Board, prior to the Board meeting being held.
C.
If a member of a Board is absent for more than three consecutive meetings or is absent for 25% of the meetings of the Board, the Village Council liaison shall reach out to that member to determine if the member wishes to continue serving on the Board.
D.
If the member no longer wishes to continue serving on the Board, the Village Council liaison will ask the member to submit a resignation to the Board.
E.
If the member indicates that he/she wishes to continue serving on the Board, no action will be taken, unless there are additional absences. In the case of additional absences, the Village Council liaison will reach out to the member again, to determine if the member still wishes to serve on the Board, and the cause of the continued absences. This matter will then be discussed by the Village Council, in closed session, to determine next steps and whether or not to ask for the member's resignation from the Board.
F.
If the member wishes to continue serving on the Board, but the member has an emergent issue, a health challenge or other matter which prevents the member from attending the Board meetings, and the Village Council liaison to the Board is given a reasonable timeframe within which the member can return to the Board meetings, the member will continue serving on the Board. If the reasonable timeframe has expired and the member is still unable to return to the Board meetings, the Village Council liaison shall bring this matter to the Village Council, in closed session, to determine next steps and whether or not to ask for the member's resignation from the Board.
G.
It shall always be understood by the members of the Boards who are absent, and the Village Council, that the purpose of the absence policy is not meant to be punitive, but rather is established to ensure that Ridgewood Boards, Committees, and Commissions have quorums and are able to conduct their business in a productive, efficient, and timely manner.