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• bir . Thomas A. Krieger Page 2 January 12, 1988 "Review the general plan, its amendments and other plans ana modifications thereof and transmit such plans with recommendations thereon through the mayor to the council for consideration and action. The commission shall recommend approval, in whole or in part, with or without modifications, or rejection of such plans. " According to these charter sections, the commission is required to (1) recommend approval with or without amendments , or (2) recommend rejection. No alternatives are presented. In relevant part, section 13-4 (c) describes the vote necessary 'to make the required recommendation as follows: "The affirmative vote of a majority of the entire membership shall be necessary to make any action of a board or commission valid; . . . . " • A valid vote of the planning commission requires five votes. This five-vote requirement is based on the assumption that commission members will satisfy their commission duties by attending meetings regularly. Since it may be difficult to get five votes on an issue, if only a majority of planning commission members attend, members who have accepted the responsibility of service on the commission should make every effort to attend each meeting of the commission. If the commission has to re-vote on issues because of a lack of a majority, it is inconvenient and results in unnecessary time delays on these important issues. Commission members should attend all meetings unless excused by the chair. As lack of attendance presents a problem, the commission should consider amending its rules of procedure to make unexcusea absences a cause for the commission to recommend removal of the offending member to the mayor . I am available to assist you in drafting such a rule. 2. Propriety of a member abstaining from voting . Another obstacle to obtaining the necessary five-vote majority is presented when members who have participated in the 749