Wow, this is great. Get yourself on a board or get a job with an agency then hire a lawyer and sit back and let them take the heat, the boredom of listening to conflicting or "stupid" testimony, all the while practicing your putting strokes or whatever. Nowadays I have seen legislators, members of boards and even attendees playing with their tablets and smart phones during the tedious hearing hours. I guess that is how we are.  But for some reason I find it offensive that people and staff who are on boards or who work for agencies "cop out" of the arduous "duty" to sit there and listen. Why have a public meeting if you are unwilling to be there? And to think that a lawyer's "transcript" or recording will impart the emotion of a public meeting is just plain ignorant. Or, did you not want the emotion to reach you in your ivory tower? If you don't want to spend time with the public, then get off the board. And if you work for an agency then it should be your work hours duties to attend!