(a) All regular meetings, special meetings, emergency meetings, workshop meetings, and city board meetings will be called and conducted in accordance with the Texas Open Meetings Act, as codified as Government Code Chapter 551.
(b) Regular, special, workshop, and emergency meetings of the city council of the City of Big Spring are open to the public and to representatives of the media. Properly called and convened executive sessions of the city council are not open to the public, media coverage, pictures or taking for public release.
(c) No media personnel or equipment, including lights, cameras or microphones, will be located on the council dais. Media personnel shall be located along the west wall of the council chambers no closer than five feet in front of the council table, and shall not obstruct other aisles or exits. This procedure applies to all city council and appointed board meetings.
(d) Reporters and media technicians are required to structure their movements, equipment set-up, removal and adjustments, etc., in such a manner as to not disrupt any council deliberations or the ability of the audience to see and hear the proceedings.
(e) Interviews shall not be conducted inside the city council chamber during the time that the council is in session.
(f) During the time the council meeting is in session, interviews may not be conducted in the lobby adjacent to the city council room; however, interviews may be conducted in front of the building.
(g) The city secretary will furnish media representatives with a copy of the meeting agenda upon request.
(h) Subject to budget and personnel constraints, the city secretary or their designee should cause all agendas, agenda supplements, ordinances, resolutions, approved minutes, veto statements, declarations, proclamations, audio and video recordings of meetings, and other official acts and documents of the mayor and city council to be promptly published to the public city web site, or, if deemed appropriate by city manager, to another public web site. Certified agendas and recordings of executive sessions, and confidential materials are excepted from this subsection.
(i) Subject to budget and personnel constraints, the city secretary or their designee should cause all agendas, agenda supplements, resolutions, approved minutes, audio and video recordings of meetings, and other official acts and documents of city boards to be promptly published to the public city web site, or, if deemed appropriate by city manager, to another public web site. Confidential materials are excepted from this subsection.
(Prior Code, § 1-177; Ord. of 7-13-1993; Ord. No. 012-2020, § 7, 4-28-2020)