Santa Monica Policy on Attendance to Be Sought

Members of all Santa Monica commissions and some city agencies would be forced to adhere to strict attendance policies under a plan that Councilman Alan Katz will put before the council on Tuesday.

Katz will suggest that the council review the job performance of any commissioner who misses two or more meetings out of six. The plan contains a grandfather clause protecting commissioners who have missed past meetings.

“I think we need to place the commissions and the commissioners on a more business-like basis,” Katz said. “People not only have the privilege of serving on these commissions, they have a responsibility. This will give the council objective criteria for measuring their performance.”

Complaints From Chairmen

Katz said he expects the plan to receive support from the majority of the seven City Council members. He said he devised the plan after the chairmen of several commissions complained to him about attendance problems.

“I asked the staff to review the attendance on all of the commissions,” Katz said. “It was clear there are people who are not meeting their responsibilities. This is important for the welfare of the city.”

Katz did not release specific attendance records, but claimed that absences are threatening the effectiveness of several city commissions.

There are 16 city commissions in Santa Monica. They include the Planning Commission, Airport Commission, Building and Safety Commission, Housing Commission and Recreation and Parks Commission, which are among the major ones.

Most Meet Monthly

Each commission has between five and 10 members. The commissioners are appointed by the City Council, and most commissions meet once a month. Commission members review plans for the city and act as advisory agencies for the council. The Planning Commission, which often meets once a week, is the busiest.

Katz said he would propose that his plan also cover the Pier Restoration Corp. and the Third Street Development Corp., two nonprofit agencies that were created to restore the pier and renovate the Third Street Mall. Both report to the City Council. Katz said the city has no formula for measuring the quality of work done by its commissioners.

Under Katz’s plan, the council would automatically review the performance of any commissioner who violates the attendance rules. Five votes are required to remove a commissioner from his or her post.

The City Council is the only group now covered by such regulations. A council member cannot have more than three unexcused absences in a row.