CHAPTER 105
Public Meetings

105.01   Meetings of Council, boards and commissions; minutes.

105.02   Council and committee meetings; scheduling and posting.

105.03   Executive sessions.

105.04   Notation of compliance on minutes.

105.05   Open meetings; roll call and  record.

105.06   Publication of time, date and place of meetings; notice to media of special meetings.

105.07   Advance notification fees.

105.08   Grievance procedure.

CROSS REFERENCES

      Meetings of governmental bodies to be public - see Ohio

         R.C. 121.22

105.01 MEETINGS OF COUNCIL, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS; MINUTES.

   (a)   Council, the Planning and Zoning Commission, the Architectural Board of Review, the Recreation Board, the Civil Service Commission and all other boards and commissions of the City and any committee thereof are hereby declared to be public bodies and their meetings shall be open to the public except as is hereinafter set forth. As used in this chapter "meeting" means any prearranged discussion of the public business of the public body by a majority of its members. The minutes of a regular or special meeting of any public body shall be promptly recorded and be open to the public for inspection at reasonable times. Such minutes need only reflect the general subject matter of discussion in executive sessions.

   (b)   Council determines that the Official Meeting Minutes of its body, its Committees and those of the Planning and Zoning Commission shall consist of the video recording of the meetings.  A written synopsis which details the general discussion on each agenda item, as well as the votes on all ordinances, resolutions and motions shall also be promptly prepared and kept.  In the event that the video system is not functioning during any meeting, the Clerk of Council or Secretary of the Planning and Zoning Commission shall prepare detailed written minutes of the meeting and any future meetings until the video is restored.

(Ord.  2020-78.  Passed 6-1-20.)

105.02 COUNCIL AND COMMITTEE MEETINGS; SCHEDULING AND POSTING.

   The following rule is established to inform the public of the time and place of all regularly scheduled meetings and the time, place and purpose of all special meetings. Council shall meet regularly on the first and third Mondays of each month at 7:00 p.m., unless changed pursuant to Section 121.01.  Council committee meetings shall be scheduled and posted on the City Calendar Board at least three days prior to the meeting.
(Ord.  1999-159.  Passed 11-1-99.)

105.03 EXECUTIVE SESSIONS.

   The members of the public bodies referred to in Section 105.01 are authorized to conduct executive sessions at regular or special meetings to consider the following matters without an open meeting:

   (a)   Unless the public employee, official or licensee or a student in a public educational institution otherwise requests, a public hearing to consider the appointment, employment, dismissal, discipline, promotion, demotion or compensation of a public employee or official, or the investigation of charges or complaints against a public employee, official, licensee or public school student, shall be a closed meeting. Except as otherwise provided by law, no public body shall hold an executive session for the discipline of an elected official for his conduct related to the performance of his official duties or for his removal from office.

   (b)    The purchase of property for public purposes, or the sale of property at competitive bidding, if the premature disclosure of information would give an unfair competitive or bargaining advantage to a person whose personal, private interest is adverse to the general public interest, shall be considered in a closed meeting. No member shall use this section as a subterfuge for providing covert information to prospective buyers or sellers. A purchase or sale of public property is void if the seller or buyer of the public property has received covert information from a member that has not been disclosed to the general public in sufficient time for other prospective buyers and sellers to prepare and submit offers.

   (c)    Conferences with the Law Director of the City or other attorney for the public body concerning disputes that are the subject of pending or imminent court action shall be closed.

   (d)    Preparing for, conducting or reviewing negotiations or bargaining sessions with public employees concerning their compensation or other terms and conditions of their employment shall be in closed meetings.

   (e)    Other matters required to be kept confidential by Federal law, rules or State statutes, and other matters ruled to be confidential for special circumstances determined by any of the public bodies, shall be discussed in closed meetings. Specialized details of security arrangements, where disclosure of the matters discussed might reveal information that could be used for the purpose of committing or avoiding prosecution for a violation of law, shall be discussed in closed meetings. (Ord. 1975-138. Passed 12-15-75. )

105.04 NOTATION OF COMPLIANCE ON MINUTES.

   The minutes of each public body shall state thereon whether the meeting and deliberations have been conducted in compliance with law.

(Ord. 1975-138. Passed 12-15-75.)