I have been using photographs and examples as attachments more and more with staff reports. Does anyone put photos, tables, etc. into the actual staff report document?
I have usually just referenced the attachments, but it is getting old fast, and I end up having numerous attachments. Is it bad form to just put the photo, table, etc. into the actual report?
Anyone have issues with this?
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I put all sorts of things in my staff reports. I prefer it that way, as opposed to attachments.
However, for certain images, photos, etc. I will include them as attachments for quality purposes.
"I'm very important. I have many leather-bound books and my apartment smells of rich mahogany"
I've gone to integrating tables, graphics, photos, etc. into the report rather than as attachments. I find the reports flow a little better and I get fewer questions. My Commissioners seem to prefer it, as it avoids them having to flip back to the attachments constantly in the course of reading the report. It also avoids accidentally leaving out an attachment or misnumbering the attachments.
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It depends. As Btrage says, I put all types of things in staff reports. I also have "exhibits" at the end of a staff report. Typically these are elevations and floor plans. I typically use a "blow-up" section of the floor plan or elevation that i am highlighting in the staff report as an example.
Again, I typically reserve attachments for things that can stand on their own like a map, elevation, or site plan. The rest just go in the staff report to break up the blank facade of reading planning garbage.
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Our Board meetings are paperless, so I create pdf portfolios for the Board members, so that they can move from document to document (including plans) electronically. All of the files are in a column to the left, and members click on the file they want, and it displays in the main window.
Has been working very well for the past 5 years.
Screenshots:
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As a planning director I used to put together power point presentations for the council meetings based on the staff reports. We then started putting the display up on a screen so the public could see what was being discussed.
Here is an example of what Charleston County, SC does. They present a ton of information for rezonings but you can get some ideas from this.
http://www.charlestoncounty.org/depa...sion/10748.pdf
http://www.charlestoncounty.org/depa...on/agendas.htm
We do the same as Tide, for about 8-10 years now, been working fine...........One board I send email with staff reports, and the other board hard copies.........
Implementing staff reports with no staff recommendation?
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