The “Consent Agenda” - Pros & Cons

If you attended (or watched) recent Newtown Township Board of Supervisors (BOS) meetings, you’ve probably heard the phrase “Consent Agenda”—often followed by a quick motion, a unanimous vote, and a move to the next item. Efficient? Yes. But it’s also worth understanding what’s being bundled together and why.

In Pennsylvania Second Class townships, consent agendas are a commonly used procedural tool. They can be perfectly appropriate—but how they’re used matters for transparency, accountability, and public trust.

What Is a Consent Agenda?

A Consent Agenda (sometimes called a “Consent Calendar”) is a portion of a public meeting agenda that groups routine, non-controversial items so they can be approved with one motion and one vote, rather than discussing and voting on each item separately.

The agenda for the 14 January 2026 BOS meeting, for example, includes ALL these items:

• Consider approval of minutes of December 10, 2025 meeting
• Consider approval of minutes of January 5, 2026 Reorganization meeting
• Consider payment of the December 22, 2025 bills list in the amount of $575,742.34 and transfers in the amount of $10,246.55
• Consider payment of the January 14, 2026 bills list in the amount of $401,380.65 and transfers in the amount of $229,865.07
• Pedestrian upgrades and Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon – Change order #2
• Pedestrian upgrades and Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon – Payment Certificate #2, Final
• 2025 Liquid Fuels Road Program – Payment Certificate #4

While the Second Class Township Code doesn’t specifically define consent agendas, Boards can generally adopt meeting procedures—as long as actions comply with Pennsylvania’s Sunshine Act. That means votes must occur publicly, and residents must be able to see what is being approved.

What Typically Belongs on a Consent Agenda

In a PA 2nd Class township, appropriate consent items often include:

• Approval of prior meeting minutes
• Routine bills lists (Note 1) / accounts payable
• Standard (Note 2) professional invoices (engineer, solicitor, planner)
• Acceptance of routine department reports
• Minor administrative resolutions with no policy impact

These items are usually considered “consent” because they are expected to be straightforward, already reviewed, and unlikely to require debate.

How It’s Supposed to Work

A properly run consent agenda is simple—but includes an important safeguard:

1. Each item is listed individually on the agenda or in the packet.
2. The Chair asks whether any Supervisor wants to pull an item for separate discussion. As an example, the Consent Agenda in the draft agenda for the 25 November 2025 BOS meeting included this item: "Authorization to purchase Drug Education Vehicle and upfitting in the amount of $110,000 through CoStars using opioid settlement funds." This obviously was an inappropriate item to include in a Consent Agenda as was pointed out by me and Supervisor Dennis Fisher. At the last minute, the item was removed from the agenda. The BOS Chair at the time - Elen Snyder - said it this would be reconsidered in January 2026 when Mr. Mack and Mr. Fisher, both of whom had issues with this idea, will no longer be on the Board. [For more about this, read "This is NOT a Drug Education Vehicle!".]
3. The Board approves the remaining items with one motion and one vote.
4. Any pulled item is handled later as a regular agenda item.

This keeps meetings efficient while preserving each Supervisor’s right to deliberate—and the public’s ability to follow the decisions being made.

The Pros

• Efficiency: Reduces repetitive motions and saves time, especially when agendas are long.
• Focus on substance: Frees up meeting time for hearings, policy questions, and resident concerns.
• Predictability: Helps staff and residents distinguish routine business from items needing debate.

The Cons (and Risks)

• Transparency can suffer: If used too broadly, meaningful spending or decisions can be “rubber-stamped.” An example of this was seen in the case of the "Drug Education" vehicle (see above).
• Public awareness drops: Residents may not realize what’s being approved—especially when descriptions are vague. Note 1: A good example of this are Bills Lists that may hide significant expenses. When I was Supervisor and Ass't Treasurer, I was able to ask questions about certain bills BEFORE a vote was taken (for example, why are we paying over $300,000 per year to Barry Isset & Associates? This gave the public at least some idea of the often hidden costs of running a township.
• Accountability gets blurry: One vote covers multiple actions, making it harder to track responsibility item-by-item.
• Scope creep: Over time, more significant items may quietly migrate into the consent portion of the agenda such as the (Note 2) Pedestrian upgrades and Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon payment mentioned in the 14 January 2026 agenda.

Best Practices That Build Public Trust

Consent agendas work best when Boards follow clear guardrails:

• List each consent item clearly (no vague labels like “miscellaneous”)
• Publish backup materials in advance
• Allow public comment before the consent vote (or at minimum ensure comment timing doesn’t block input)
• Encourage Supervisors to pull items freely—no stigma, no eye-rolls
• Keep land-use, personnel, and major policy matters off the consent agenda
• Periodically review what qualifies as “routine”

Bottom Line

A consent agenda is a tool—not a shortcut around transparency.

Used properly, it respects everyone’s time and keeps meetings moving. Used carelessly, it can erode public confidence by limiting discussion of decisions that deserve attention.

Public business requires public trust.

Want to see how this is being used locally? Watch your township’s agenda language closely: what gets bundled, how clearly it’s described, and whether items are routinely pulled for discussion.