Ground Rules

At the February 11, 2005 meeting, the Panel adopted the following operating ground rules to guide their work:

• All meetings will be open to the public. Notification of meetings will be provided to local press in the three-county region, and to all interested parties (per an email distribution list).
• A quorum (five of the seven Panel members) is necessary for a meeting. If a quorum is not expected, the meeting will be rescheduled.
• The committee will operate by consensus. Consensus is defined here as the vast majority of committee members concurring, with the remaining members able to accept the decision. Differences of opinion will be noted and passed on in any Panel findings.
• Meeting summaries will be prepared and distributed to all Panel members and will be available to the public on the Panel's web site.
• Between the scheduled Panel meetings, individual Panel members or small working groups of members may receive briefings on particular issues or studies.
• The panel's findings will be communicated in writing to the appointing authorities and Sound Transit Board and Executive Director. All Panel members will have an opportunity to review and comment on written draft findings. The Panel's findings will be available to the public by posting them on the web site.
• The Panel does not plan to take formal public testimony. However, the Panel may accept questions or comments from the public at the conclusion of each meeting, at the Chair's discretion, and as time allows.
• Members of the public will be encouraged to submit written comments to the Panel Administrator. Written comments will be forwarded to appropriate Panel members. The Administrator will work with Panel members to craft responses, as needed. Panel members will be provided with a summary of all correspondence received.
• Each Panel member has been appointed by the Governor, Chair of the Legislative Transportation Committee, and the State Secretary of Transportation. No alternates may attend a meeting in the place of an appointed member.
• The Panel is comprised of people with a variety of perspectives and interests. Differences of opinion are to be expected and will be respected. Panel discussions will be characterized by careful deliberation and civility.
• The Chair will serve as the spokesperson for the Panel with the media. The Administrator will serve as the initial point of contact for the media.
• Meetings will start and end on time.
• Meeting materials will be sent to Panel members in advance whenever possible. Any handouts will be copied and mailed to members who were not present.
• Information (studies, reports, data, etc.) requested by an individual Panel member will be made available to all Panel members on an as requested basis.