[Ord. 2015-2246, 1/13/2015]
The purpose and intent of this Part
3 is to allow for the participation of Council members in meetings of Council from remote locations by means of telecommunication devices, such as telephones or computers which permit, at a minimum, audio communication between locations so that Council may establish a quorum and participate in meetings if a member cannot physically be present for one or more reasons set forth herein.
[Ord. 2015-2246, 1/13/2015]
Council may provide for the participation of other Council members
by means of telecommunication devices, provided that:
A. A majority of the membership of Council is physically present at the advertised meeting place within the Borough and a quorum is established at the convening or reconvening of the meeting. If, after the convening or reconvening of a meeting, a member has been disqualified from voting as a matter of law but is still physically present, Council members participating by telecommunication device in accordance with this Part
3 shall be counted to maintain a quorum.
B. The telecommunication
device used permits the member or members of Council not physically
present at the meeting to:
(1) Speak
to and hear the comments, and votes, if any, of the members of Council
who are physically present as well as other members of Council who
may not be physically present and who are also using a telecommunication
device to participate in the meeting; and
(2) Speak
to and hear the comments of the public who are physically present
at the meeting.
C. The telecommunications
device used permits the members of Council and the members of the
public who are physically present at the meeting to speak to and hear
the comments and the vote, if any, of the members of Council who are
not physically present at the meeting.
D. Council
may only authorize participation by telecommunication device for one
or more of the following reasons:
(1) Illness
or disability of the member of Council;
(2) Care
for the ill or newborn in the member’s immediate family;
(4) Family
or business travel.
E. Nothing
in this section shall be construed to limit the protections and prohibitions
contained in any law or regulation relating to the rights of the disabled.