By Rich Pollack
Rules governing the Boca Raton Airport Authority could soon be a bit more relaxed if bylaw changes hammered out last month receive final approval.
In a meeting that had the potential to be contentious, Boca Raton Airport Authority members worked collaboratively to make significant changes to the board’s bylaws, which some members — as well as City Council members — had claimed were too restrictive.
The bylaws became a focus of the authority last month after one of two new members to the authority, Boca Raton Vice Mayor Robert Weinroth, recommended a series of changes that he said would improve communications with the public and the Boca Raton City Council.
“There was a degree of formality in the bylaws that this new board found a little bit stifling to its processes,” Clara Bennett, the airport authority’s executive director, said.
In a meeting that lasted more than three hours, authority members weeded out some of that formality and agreed that some rules addressing how members represent themselves on behalf of the governing body would be best pulled from the bylaws and placed in a less binding document.
What specifically that document would be or what it would be called was not determined, but the focus seemed to be taking some of the teeth out of the bylaws while asking each member to act responsibly when representing the board.
“It is the difference between a mandate and a guideline,” said board member Cheryl Budd.
During the discussions, authority members agreed that they each have a duty to act professionally when representing the board and that overly restrictive bylaws aren’t necessary.
“We shouldn’t feel constrained,” Weinroth said. “We have to trust the people on the board to act responsibly.”
One section of the bylaws that was the topic of much discussion — and much change — dealt with rules requiring authority members to notify the executive director when they spoke to a member of the public regarding an item that was on the authority’s agenda or could possibly be on a future agenda. The executive director is required to keep a log that is classified as public record and open to public inspection.
In an effort to balance transparency with open communication, the authority members agreed to work on language to be presented at the next meeting that would publicly identify conversations with professional lobbyists without limiting conversations with the public.
Board members also have proposed changes to a section of the bylaws that required them to notify the executive director when they are invited to speak on behalf of the authority and submit any remarks they plan to make so they can be reviewed for accuracy and completeness.
“I don’t think we should have to ask permission,” Weinroth said.
During the meeting, Weinroth suggested the board change references within the bylaws that give authority to the chairman to make decisions or represent the board as a whole. “The common theme is that all seven of us are equal,” he said.
The bylaws will be discussed again when the board meets on Aug. 19.
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