[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Speculator as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 6-12-2023 by L.L. No. 3-2023]
This article shall be referred to as "A Local Law Authorizing the Use of Videoconferencing Technology for Public Meetings."
It is the intent of this article to give the Village of Speculator's public bodies, as that term is defined in Public Officers Law § 102 (the "Open Meetings Law"), the authority to participate in meetings via videoconference technology in a manner consistent with authority granted by Public Officers Law § 103-a and the Village's videoconferencing policy.
This article is enacted by the Village Board of Trustees pursuant to its authority to adopt local laws under Article IX of the New York State Constitution, Municipal Home Rule Law § 10 and Public Officers Law § 103-a.
The Village Board hereby authorizes all members of the Village's public bodies to participate in meetings using videoconferencing technology in a manner consistent with Public Officers Law § 103-a and the Village's videoconferencing policy adopted by the Village Board. The Village's public bodies may participate in meetings via videoconference technology from locations not accessible to the public so long as a quorum of the Village Board/body participates from location(s) where the public may be physically present; and extraordinary circumstances exist that prevent the Board member from attending in-person.
A. 
Extraordinary circumstances may include:
(1) 
Disability or illness;
(2) 
Caregiving responsibilities; and
(3) 
Any other significant factor or event which precludes such member's physical attendance at such meeting at a meeting location that is open to the public.
A. 
If a court of competent jurisdiction finds any provision(s) of this article invalid, in whole or in part, the effect of such decision shall be limited to those provisions which are expressly stated the decision to be invalid, and all other provisions of this article shall continue to be separately and fully effective.
B. 
If a court of competent jurisdiction finds the application of any provision of this article to any building, other structure of tract of land to be invalid, in whole or in part, the effect of such decisions shall be limited to the person, property or situation involved in the controversy, and the application of any such provision to any other person, property or situation shall not be affected.
C. 
The provisions of this article are separable and if any provision, clause, sentence, subsection, word or part thereof is held illegal, invalid or unconstitutional, or inapplicable to any person or circumstance, such illegality, invalidity, or unconstitutionality, or inapplicability, shall not affect or impair any of the remaining provisions, clauses, sentences, subsections, words or parts of this article or their application to other persons or circumstances. It is hereby declared to be the legislative intent of the Village Board of the Village of Speculator that this article would have been adopted if such illegal, invalid or unconstitutional provision, clause, sentence, subsection, word or part had not been included therein, and if such person or circumstance to which the article or part thereof is held inapplicable had been specifically exempt therefrom.
This article shall take effect immediately when it is filed in the Office of the New York State Secretary of State in accordance with § 27 of the Municipal Home Rule Law.