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TO: The Mayor and City Council
FROM: The Law Department
DATE: May 14, 2019
SUBJECT:
Attendance at public meetings by other means in limited circumstances.
PURPOSE:
The proposed amendment to Section 2-80 of the City Code would permit a member of the City Council, or one of its committees, to participate in a meeting by video or audio conference in limited situations.
BACKGROUND:
Effective January 1, 2007, the Illinois General Assembly amended the Open Meetings Act to allow members of public bodies to attend meetings by audio or video conference in limited circumstances. In order for a member to attend a meeting in this manner, quorum of the public body must be present in its usual meeting place and the public body must have adopted rules authorizing remote participation. Under the Open Meetings Act, remote participation is only available for three statutory reasons (which can be narrowed by the public body) and must be authorized on a case-by-case basis. This proposal adopts the rules required by the Open Meetings Act to authorize this process.
DISCUSSION:
The proposal before the Council provides for limited remote meeting attendance in two situations: 1. a member's illness or disability or 2 a family or other emergency. In order to participate in a meeting by video or audio conference, the member must notify the City Clerk or the committee secretary at least 24-hours in advance of the meeting to request remote access. The Council or the committee, as the case may be must vote to authorize the remote attendance, but once it does, the member can fully participate (and vote) in the meeting as if he or she was physically present. The only exception to this rule is that if the person attending remotely is the presiding officer of the Council or the committee, the Mayor pro tem or the committee vice chairperson must preside in their stead.
IMPACT STATEMENT:
This proposal will facilitate full participation in City Council and committee meetings in circ...
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