[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Poquott as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 6-9-2022 by L.L. No. 3-2022]
The Board of Trustees of the Village of Poquott, and any other board or committee of the Village of Poquott, may, in its discretion, use videoconferencing to conduct its meetings pursuant to the requirements of this article, provided that a minimum number of members of the Board of Trustees or other board or committee are present to fulfill the public body's quorum requirement in the same physical location or locations where the public can attend and the criteria of Public Officers Law § 103-a are met; and:
A. 
The Board of Trustees has established written procedures governing member and public attendance consistent with this article, and such written procedures shall be conspicuously posted on the Village of Poquott public website; and
B. 
The members of the quorum of the Board of Trustees or the other board or committee shall be physically present at any such meeting unless a member is unable to be physically present at any such meeting location due to extraordinary circumstances, as set forth in the resolution and written procedures adopted pursuant to Subsections A and B of this section, including disability, illness, caregiving responsibilities, or any other significant or unexpected factor or event which precludes the member's physical attendance at such meeting.
Except in the case of executive sessions conducted pursuant to § 105 of the New York State Public Officers Law, the Board of Trustees or other board or committee shall ensure that members of the public body can be heard, seen and identified, while the meeting is being conducted, including but not limited to any motions, proposals, resolutions, and any other matter formally discussed or voted upon.
The minutes of the meetings involving videoconferencing shall include which, if any, members participated remotely and shall be available to the public pursuant to Public Officers Law § 106.
If videoconferencing is used to conduct a meeting, the public notice for the meeting shall inform the public that videoconferencing will be used, where the public can view and/or participate in such meeting, where required documents and records will be posted or available, and identify the physical location or locations for the meeting where the public can attend.
The Board of Trustees or other board or committee shall provide that each meeting conducted using videoconferencing shall be recorded and such recordings posted or linked on the public website of the public body within five business days following the meeting, and shall remain so available for a minimum of five years thereafter. A recording of the meeting shall be available at the actual cost to the Village and the recordings shall be transcribed by the Village upon request, with the cost of the transcription to be paid by the requesting party.
If videoconferencing is used to conduct a meeting, the Board of Trustees or other board or committee shall provide the opportunity for members of the public to view such meeting via video, and to participate in proceedings via videoconference in real time where public comment or participation is authorized and shall ensure that videoconferencing authorizes the same public participation or testimony as in-person participation or testimony.
As provided in Public Officers Law § 103-a, the in-person participation requirements of this article shall not apply during a state disaster emergency declared by the Governor pursuant to § 28 of the Executive Law, or a local state of emergency proclaimed by the chief executive of a county, city, village or town pursuant to § 24 of the Executive Law, if the public body determines that the circumstances necessitating the emergency declaration would affect or impair the ability of the Board of Trustees to hold an in-person meeting.