[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Poughkeepsie 6-1-2022 by L.L. No. 4-2022. Amendments noted where applicable.]
It is the intent of this chapter to give the Town of Poughkeepsie's
public bodies, as the term is defined in Public Officers Law § 103-a,
and their members the authority to participate in meetings, excluding
committee and subcommittee meetings, via videoconference in a manner
consistent with Public Officers Law § 103-a and the Town's
Videoconferencing and Public Participation Policy (the "Policy") as
adopted and amended. It is also intended to allow members of the public
to attend and participate in the public portions of Town Board, Planning
Board and Zoning Board of Appeals meetings and hearings by videoconferencing
conducted consistent with § 103-a and the Policy.
This chapter is adopted pursuant to Public Officers Law § 103-a
which expressly authorizes the Town Board to adopt a local law giving
the Town's public bodies the authority in exceptional circumstances
to participate in meetings via videoconference from locations not
accessible to the public so long as a quorum of the board/body participates
from locations where the public may be physically present and other
conditions are met.
The Town Board of the Town of Poughkeepsie hereby authorizes
all members of the Town's public bodies, excluding their committees
and subcommittees, to participate in meetings using videoconferencing
technology in a manner consistent with Public Officers Law § 103-a
and the Town's Videoconferencing and Public Participation Policy
as adopted by the Town Board.
The Town Board further authorizes the public to attend public
meetings of the Town Board, the Planning Board and the Zoning Board
of Appeals, but not their committees or subcommittees and subject
to board policies, to participate remotely in public meetings and
public hearings conducted by those boards, provided it is done in
a manner consistent with Public Officers Law § 103-a and
the Town's Videoconferencing and Public Participation Policy
as adopted.
If any clause, sentence, paragraph, subdivision, or part of
this chapter or the application thereof to any person, firm or corporation,
or circumstance, shall be adjudged by any court of competent jurisdiction
to be invalid or unconstitutional, such order or judgment shall not
affect, impair, or invalidate the remainder thereof, but shall be
confined in its operation to the clause, sentence, paragraph, subdivision,
or part of this chapter or in its application to the person, individual,
firm or corporation or circumstance, directly involved in the controversy
in which such judgment or order shall be rendered.
This chapter shall take effect immediately upon filing with
the Secretary of State.
