CHAPTER 107
Public Meetings
107.01   Meetings of decision making bodies.
107.02   Public notification.
107.03   Personal notification.
107.04   Minutes of meetings.
CROSS REFERENCES
      Organization and meetings of Council - see CHTR. §§3.06, 3.07 
      Public hearings by Council on zoning and building regulations - see CHTR. Sec. 13.05
      Open public meetings - see Ohio R. C. 121.22
   107.01 MEETINGS OF DECISION MAKING BODIES.
   (a)    Unless otherwise provided in the Codified Ordinances, all meetings of City Council, all boards, commissions or committees of the City and other similar public bodies of the City shall be open to the public, unless the meeting is an executive session as expressly authorized under the applicable provisions of state law.
   (b)    "Open to the public" means accessible by members of the public, in a physical location where the public body convenes in person together. "Open to the public" may also mean by teleconference or video conference where circumstances warrant it due to an emergency, including but not limited to a danger to public health or a national disaster, or due to special circumstances.
   (c)    Such determination of holding a meeting by teleconference or video conference shall be made with respect to a City Council meeting, or any of its committees, by the presiding officer of City Council or a majority of its members, and with respect to all other city boards, committees and commissions, by the Mayor or his/her designee. The meeting by teleconference or video conference shall be subject to the following conditions:
      (1)   The public body shall provide the public with access to the meeting, commensurate with the method in which the meeting is being conducted, including but not limited to live-streaming or live broadcasting by means of the internet, local radio, television, cable or public access channels, offering call-in information, or granting access by means of any other similar electronic technology.
      (2)   The public body shall ensure that the public can observe and hear the discussions and deliberations of all the members of the public body, whether the member is participating in person or electronically.
      (3)   The presiding officer of a teleconference or video conference meeting shall ensure that all members conduct themselves with the same decorum as if the meeting were being conducted in person.
      (4)   Meetings by teleconference where members can be heard but not seen may be permitted only when it is impossible or impracticable to convene through video conference or other similar means.
      (5)   A member of the public body need not be present in person and shall be considered present for purposes of voting and determining a quorum where the public meeting is held via teleconference or video conference.
   (d)    Nothing herein contained shall mandate any public body to permit public participation in such meetings unless specifically required by the provisions of the Charter, Codified Ordinances, or rules of City Council. (Ord. 2022-164. Passed 10-10-22.)
   107.02 PUBLIC NOTIFICATION.
   (a)    Regular Meetings. The time and place of all regular meetings of Council, Council committees, commissions, boards, citizen advisory committees to Council and other similar decision making bodies of the City shall be noted in a calendar of monthly meetings. This calendar shall be posted at the five most public places in the City as declared by ordinance of Council and published in a newspaper of general circulation at least five days prior to the first day of the month in which such meetings will be held.
   (b)    Special Meetings. Notification of any special meeting of Council, Council committees, commissions, boards or citizen advisory committees to Council and other similar decision making bodies of the City shall be made twenty-four hours prior to the time of such meetings to any news media requesting such notification. This notification shall include the time, place and purpose of the special meeting.
   (c)    Emergency Meetings. In the event of an emergency meeting, on a subject requiring immediate official action, notice of such emergency meeting shall be communicated to the news media that have requested notification of the time, place and purpose of the emergency meeting.
(Ord. 1975-39. Passed 12-8-75.)
   107.03 PERSONAL NOTIFICATION.
   (a)    Any person, organization or group of persons is entitled to mail notice of the calendar of monthly meetings. To obtain this notice, such persons are required to fill out a form provided by the Clerk of Council for such purpose and provide self-addressed stamped envelopes for the number of calendars requested.
   (b)    Any requesting person, organization or group of persons shall receive advance notice of all meetings at which any specific type of public business will be discussed and/or acted upon. To obtain this notice such persons are required to fill out a form provided by the Clerk of Council for such purpose and provide self-addressed stamped envelopes for the number of notifications requested.
(Ord. 1975-39. Passed 12-8-75. )
   107.04 MINUTES OF MEETINGS.
   (a)    Recording of Minutes. Minutes of all regular and special meetings of Council, Council committees, commissions, boards, citizen advisory committees and other similar decision making bodies of the City shall promptly be recorded in writing and open to the public for inspection. Minutes of executive sessions of public bodies need only reflect the general subject matter of discussion in such executive session.
   (b)    Location of Minute Books. The Clerk of Council shall keep a minute book for each public body. The minute book shall contain the minutes of all meetings of each public body. The public may inspect the minute books at all reasonable times.
(Ord. 1975-39. Passed 12-8-75.)