§ 2-97. Remote participation policy.

(a)

Policy statement. It is the policy of the city that a member of any group associated with the city which is subject to the Open Meetings Act (covered group) may attend and participate in any open or closed meeting of that covered group from a remote location via telephone, video, or internet communication, provided that such attendance and participation is in compliance with this policy and any other applicable laws.

(b)

Prerequisites. A member of the covered group of the city shall be provided the opportunity to attend an open and/or closed meeting from a remote location, if the member meets the three (3) following conditions and a majority of a quorum of the covered body votes to approve the remote attendance:

(1)

The member must notify the secretary or clerk of the covered body at least twenty-four (24) hours before the meeting unless advance notice is impractical;

(2)

The member must meet one of three (3) reasons described herein why he or she is unable to physically attend the meeting, including either: (1) that the member cannot attend because of a personal illness, injury, or disability; (2) the member cannot attend because of employment purposes or due to the business of the city; or (3) the member cannot attend because of a family emergency or other emergency;

(3)

A quorum of the covered body must be physically present at the meeting site.

(c)

Voting procedures. After roll call, a vote of the covered body shall be taken, considering the prerequisites set forth in section 2-97(b) herein, on whether or not to allow an off-site member to participate remotely. All of the members physically present are permitted to vote on whether remote participation will be allowed. A vote may be taken to permit remote participation for a stated series of meetings if the same reason applies in each case. Otherwise, a vote must be taken to allow each remote participation.

(d)

Quorum and vote required. A quorum must be established by members physically present at any meeting before it can be considered whether to allow a member to participate in the meeting remotely. A vote of a majority of a quorum shall be necessary to decide the issue. For the meeting to continue, there shall always need to be a quorum physically present.

(e)

Minutes. The member participating remotely shall be considered an off-site participant and shall be counted as present by remote means for that meeting, if the member is allowed to participate. The meeting minutes will specifically reflect whether each member is physically present or present by remote means. The specific remote means shall be described within the minutes.

(f)

Rights of remote member. The member permitted to participate remotely will be able to express his or her comments during the meeting and participate in the same capacity as those members physically present, subject to all general meeting guidelines and procedures, as amended. The remote member shall be heard, considered, and counted as to any vote taken. Accordingly, the name of any remote member shall be called during any vote taken, and his or her vote counted and recorded by the secretary or clerk and placed in the minutes.

(g)

Meetings. The term meeting as used herein refers to any gathering, whether in person or by video or audio conference, telephone call, electronic means (such as, without limitation, electronic mail, electronic chat, text messaging, and instant messaging), or other means of contemporary interactive communication, of a majority of a quorum of the members of the public body held for the purposes of discussing public business.

(h)

Costs. A member participating remotely via telephone shall be reimbursed for the documented cost directly related to the remote participation upon a valid reimbursement request. All costs associated with the remote participation must be approved by the city in advance, unless the advance request is impractical.

(Ord. No. 25-2015, § I(Exh. A), 5-19-2015)