After the Henderson City Council made routine board appointments during its regular meeting on Monday evening, member Mike Rainey commented to the council about members and attendance.
Rainey said that committees have to table a lot of things because of a lack of quorum.
Quorum for a city committee such as the Zoning Board of Adjustment is three and one-third members.
Rainey asked that City Manager Ray Griffin look into appointing alternates to committees or allowing members appointed from the city’s Extra-Territorial Jurisdiction (ETJ) to vote on city matters, since they receive the same information as city members do, but are not allowed to vote.
City Attorney John Zollicoffer responded that ETJ members would not be able to vote on city business without a change in the city charter or the North Carolina General Statutes. He said, however, that the charter allows for the appointment of two alternates.
Griffin reminded members that they amended an ordinance months ago to change attendance requirements. He said those would be examined. He also suggested that the council may want to consider making changes in its appointments if people are having problems attending.
Rainey said that the absences, although they were called in, were not fair to people who come for public hearings.