Chapter 25 - Miscellaneous
Division 5 - Adoption of Procedures for Remote Participation
Sec. 25.5-1. DEFINITION OF MEETING. The term “meeting” as applied to any Town of Normal public body as defined in the Illinois Open Meetings Act shall be defined to mean “Any gathering, whether in person or by video or audio conference, telephone calls, electronic means (such as, without limitation, electronic mail, electronic chat and instant messaging), or other means of contemporary interactive communication, of a majority of a quorum of the members of a public body held for the purpose of discussing public business” or such other definition as shall be contained within the Illinois Open Meetings Act as amended from time to time.
Sec. 25.5-2. REMOTE PARTICIPATION POLICY. Any member of a Town of Normal public body may attend and participate in any meeting of such public body as defined in the Open Meetings Act from a remote location via telephone, video or internet connection provided that such attendance and participation is in compliance with the Remote Participation Policy set forth in this Division and any applicable laws.
- Policy Statement. It is the policy of the Town of
Normal that a member of any group associated with this unit
of government which is subject to the provisions of the Open
Meetings Act (Covered Group) may attend and participate in
any open or closed meeting of that Covered Group 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.
- Prerequisites. A member of the Covered Group of
the Town of Normal shall be provided the opportunity to
attend an open and closed meeting or only one of such
meetings from a remote location if the member meets the
following conditions and a majority of the members present
of the Covered Body votes to approve the remote attendance.
- the member must notify the recording secretary or
clerk of the Covered Body at least 24 hours before the
meeting unless advance notice is impractical.
- the member must assert one of three reasons
described herein why he or she is unable to physically
attend the meeting, including either (1) that the member
cannot attend because of personal illness or disability;
(2) the member cannot attend because of employment
purposes or the business of Town of Normal; or (3) the
member cannot attend because of a family or other
emergency; and
- a quorum of the Covered Body must be physically
present.
- the member must notify the recording secretary or
clerk of the Covered Body at least 24 hours before the
meeting unless advance notice is impractical.
- Voting Procedures. After roll call, a vote for
the Covered Body shall be taken, considering the
prerequisites set forth in Section B(2) above, on whether to
allow an off-site board member to participate remotely. All
of the members physically present are permitted to vote on
whether remote participation will be allowed. A vote may be
taken to permit remote participation for a stated series of
meetings if the same reason applies to each case. Otherwise,
a vote must be taken to allow each remote participation.
- Quorum and Vote Required. A quorum must be
established by members physically present at any meeting
before it can be considered whether to allow a member to
participate in the meeting remotely. A vote of a majority of
the members present shall be necessary to decide the issue.
For the meeting to continue, there shall always need to be a
quorum physically present.
- Minutes. The member participating remotely shall
be considered an off-site participant and counted as present
by means of video or audio conference for that meeting if
the member is allowed to participate. The meeting minutes of
the Town of Normal shall also reflect and state specifically
whether each member is physically present, present by video,
or present by audio means.
- Rights of Remote Member. The member permitted to
participate remotely will be able 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. Accordingly,
the name of any remote member shall be called during any
vote taken, and his or her vote counted and recorded by the
Secretary and placed in the minutes for the corresponding
meeting. A member participating remotely may leave a meeting
and return as in the case of any member, provided the member
attending electronically shall announce his or her leaving
and returning.
- Closed Meetings. A quorum of the Town of Normal’s
members must be physically present at any closed meeting.
Members participating remotely shall otherwise be entitled
to participate in closed meetings by video or audio
conference as provided above.
- Costs. A member participating remotely via telephone shall be reimbursed for the cost of the telephone call upon a valid receipt shown. Any other costs associated with remote participation, including video conferencing and other audio and video equipment, must be approved by the Town of Normal.
Entire Division 5 Added 1/16/07 by Ord. No. 5111