Town of Pinedale, WY Chapter 89 Town Council

[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Council of the Town of Pinedale 1951 and 1970 by Ord. No. 3 (Ch. 2.08 of the 1983 Municipal Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]

GENERAL REFERENCES

Elections — See Ch. 34.

Officers and employees — See Ch. 58.

§ 89-1 Day and time of meetings; holidays.

[Amended 1980 by Ord. No. 71; 1993 by Ord. No. 229; 1999 by Ord. No. 337; 2002 by Ord. No. 354; 2005 by Ord. No. 375; 2-23-2015 by Ord. No. 535; 10-10-2016 by Ord. No. 588; 11-14-2019 by Ord. No. 659; 3-23-2020 by Ord. No. 663]

Regular public meetings of the Town Council shall be held on the second Monday and fourth Monday of each month at the hour of 5:00 p.m., providing that, if the meeting date shall be a legal holiday, the meeting shall not be held unless rescheduled by action of the Town Council. The Mayor may modify the time of the regular public meetings upon giving notice as required for special meetings. Special meetings may be held from time to time in accordance with the law.[1]

[1] Editor's Note: Original Sec. 2.08.020, which previously followed this section, was repealed in 1993 by Ord. No. 228.

§ 89-2 Quorum; adjournment.

[Amended 1980 by Ord. No. 71]

A majority of the Town Council shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, but a less number may adjourn from time to time.

§ 89-3 Mayor's salary.

[Amended 1984 by Ord. No. 159; 1985 by Ord. No. 185; 2002 by Ord. No. 355]

A. The person assuming the office of Mayor on or after June 1, 2002, shall thereafter receive the sum of $1,000 per month, effective with the commencement of the 2002-2003 fiscal year beginning on July 1, 2002.

B. The person assuming the office of Mayor on or after June 1, 2010, shall thereafter receive the sum of $2,000 per month, effective with the commencement of the 2010-2011 fiscal year beginning on July 1, 2010.

[Added 7-23-2007 by Ord. No. 2007-421]

§ 89-4 Council person's salary.

[Amended 1984 by Ord. No. 159; 1985 by Ord. No. 185; 2002 by Ord. No. 355; 7-23-2007 by Ord. No. 2007-419]

Those individuals assuming the office of Council person on or after June 1, 2008, shall thereafter receive the sum of $150 per regular or special Council meeting, effective with the commencement of the 2008-2009 fiscal year beginning on July 1, 2008.

§ 89-5 Vacancies in office.

[Added 1987 by Ord. No. 198]

A. It shall be the duty of the Town Council to investigate and determine whether a vacancy shall be declared to exist in the office of the Mayor or any Council member. If, after inquiry, the Council shall find that one or more of the provisions of Section 15-1-107(a) of the Wyoming Statutes Annotated, 1977 Republished Edition, as amended, are applicable, or if the Mayor or any member shall have resigned, the Council shall declare by resolution that a vacancy exists in that office.

B. If a vacancy is declared in the office of the Mayor, the Town Council shall elect one of its members to fill the unexpired term of that office, as provided in WS § 15-1-107(d).

C. A vacancy in the office of a Council member shall be filled by appointment by the Town Council. Prior to appointment, a notice of the vacancy shall be published at least twice in a newspaper of general circulation, inviting parties interested in filling the vacancy to submit a list of their qualifications therefor. The Council shall then schedule a public hearing to interview each candidate and review their qualifications. If a majority of the Council is able to agree upon a particular candidate, it shall then by resolution appoint that candidate to fill the office. Appointment shall be until the seating of officers after the next general election.

§ 89-6 Attendance at meetings by electronic means.

[Added 3-23-2020 by Ord. No. 664]

A. A member of the Town Council, including the Mayor, may attend and participate in any open or closed meeting of the Town Council 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. Any member of the Town Council, including the Mayor, shall be provided the opportunity to attend an open or closed meeting via electronic means from a remote location if a quorum is physically present at the meeting site, the quorum votes to approve the attendance by electronic means, and the requesting member meets the following conditions:

(1) The member must notify the Town Clerk at least 48 hours prior to the scheduled meeting, unless such notice is impractical, so that necessary communications equipment can be arranged. Inability to make the necessary technical arrangements will result in denial of a request for electronic attendance.

(2) The member must assert one of the three following reasons why he or she is unable to physically attend the meeting:

(a) Due to personal illness, health concerns or disability;

(b) Due to employment purposes or Town business;

(c) Due to a family emergency or other emergency.

C. Providing the above prerequisites have been met and a quorum being physically present at the meeting site, a motion shall be made and considered on whether to allow the member to remotely attend the meeting via electronic means. A vote may be taken to permit participation for a stated series of meetings if the same reason applies to each case and proper notice has been provided to the Town Clerk. Otherwise, a vote must be taken to allow each remote participation via electronic means. The motion must be approved by a vote of a majority of the Town Council physically present at the meeting site.

D. Any member participating electronically, and other members of the Town Council must be able to communicate effectively, and members of the audience must be able to hear all communications at the meeting site. Before allowing remote attendance via electronic means at any meeting, the Town Council must be satisfied that adequate remote access is available to satisfy these requirements.

E. Any member attending remotely via electronic means shall be counted as present for the meeting. The meeting minutes shall reflect and state specifically whether each member is physically present, absent, or present by electronic means and shall state the approved reason necessitating attendance via electronic means.

F. Any member permitted to participate remotely via electronic means shall be permitted 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. A member participating remotely via electronic means may leave a meeting and return as in the case of any member, provided the member attending via electronic means shall announce his or her leaving and returning to the quorum present.

G. Any costs associated with attendance and participation via electronic means, including video conferencing and other audio and video equipment, must be approved by the Town Council prior to incurring such costs.

H. If the Mayor participates remotely via electronic means, the Mayor pro tem shall preside over and perform all other functions of the Mayor at the meeting.

§ 89-7 Authority to sign.

[Added 7-13-2020 by Ord. No. 669]

The approval of any action or contract (grant, memorandum, agreement application, etc.) by the Town Council includes authority for all associated documents to be executed by the Mayor and the Town Clerk without having such authority specifically stated in the motion approving said action or contract (grant, memorandum, agreement application, etc.).