City of Lexington, IL Chapter 99 Meetings

[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Lexington as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]

GENERAL REFERENCES

Administration and personnel — See Ch. A.

Article I Remote Participation

[Adopted 8-22-2011 by Ord. No. 2011-8]

§ 99-1 "Meetings" defined.

The term "meetings" as applied to any City of Lexington public body as defined in the Illinois Open Meetings Act[1] shall include any gathering, whether in person or by video or audio conference, telephone calls, electronic means (such as, without limitation, electronic mail, electronic chat and instant messaging) or other means of contemporary interactive communication, of a majority of a quorum of the members of a public body, for the purpose of discussing public business, or any other definition contained in the Illinois Open Meetings Act as it may be amended.

[1] Editor's Note: See 5 ILCS 120/1 et seq.

§ 99-2 Remote participation policy.

Any member of a City of Lexington public body may attend and participate in any meeting of such public body as defined in the Illinois Open Meetings Act[1] from a remote location via telephone, video or Internet connection provided that such attendance and participation is in compliance with the Remote Participation Policy set forth in this section and any applicable laws.

A. Policy statement. It is the policy of the City of Lexington that a member of any group associated with this unit of government which is subject to the provisions of the Illinois 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 connection, 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 of Lexington shall be provided the opportunity to attend an open and closed meeting or only one of such meetings from a remote location if the member meets the following conditions and a majority of the members present of the covered body votes to approve the remote attendance.

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

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

(3) A quorum of the covered body must be physically present.

C. Voting procedures. After roll call, a vote for the covered body shall be taken, considering the prerequisites set forth in Subsection B(2) above, on whether to allow an off-site board 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 to 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 the members present 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 counted as present by means of video or audio conference for that meeting if the member is allowed to participate. The meeting minutes of the City of Lexington shall also reflect and state specifically whether each member is physically present, present by video, or present by audio means.

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 previously adopted and adhered to. 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 and placed in the minutes for the corresponding meeting. A member participating remotely may leave a meeting and return as in the case of any member, provided the member attending electronically shall announce his or her leaving and returning.

G. Closed meetings. A quorum of the City of Lexington's members must be physically present at any closed meeting. Members participating remotely shall otherwise be entitled to participate in closed meetings by video or audio conference as provided above.

H. Costs. A member participating remotely via telephone shall be reimbursed for the cost of the telephone call upon a valid receipt shown. Any other costs associated with remote participation, including video conferencing and other audio and video equipment, must be approved by the City of Lexington.

[1] Editor's Note: See 5 ILCS 120/1 et seq.