New NAC guidelines set

The failure by Neighborhood Advisory Committees to meet due to a lack of a quorum received special attention from Kevin Freeman, county community development director and liaison to the Community Redevelopment Agency, at the February meeting of the CRA in Stuart. Freeman reported to the CRA that the Feb. 10 meeting of the Hobe Sound NAC had been canceled the same day it was due to be held.

A cancellation note was posted on the door of the Hobe Sound Community Building during the county’s workshop with Bridge Road businesses and property owners earlier in the day. (The meeting since has been rescheduled to Tuesday, March 22, at 6pm, at the Hobe Sound Community Building, according to Michael Ennis, chairman of the Hobe Sound NAC.)

Freeman told the CRA members at its meeting that such last-minute cancellations damage the credibility of county officials and others in community redevelopment. (A quorum requires one more than half the members to be present.) Freeman sought and received approval from the CRA to establish a procedure whereby all the NAC’s will confirm with county officials their intended meeting date 10 days prior to the meeting, and will include a list of the items to be discussed. Then seven days prior to the meeting, the NAC will prepare an agenda for posting on the county Community Development website.

At that point, if no quorum of members can be assured, then the meeting is canceled and a cancellation notice is posted on the website. When the NACs determine that the meeting will proceed as planned, then five days prior to the meeting date, the agenda and minutes of the previous meeting will be emailed to committee members and other interested parties who have requested copies. Each NAC determines the frequency of its meetings.

UPDATE MEETING LOCATION CHANGED –
The location of the Hobe Sound Neighborhood Advisory Committee meeting has been changed, according to a notice by the county’s Community Development Department. The NAC members will convene at 6pm on Tuesday, March 22, at the Hobe Sound Library on Federal Highway.