A. Regular Meetings: The regular meetings of the village council shall be held on the second and fourth Monday of each month of the year at seven o'clock (7:00) P.M. unless otherwise ordered at a regular meeting. (Ord. O-19-98, 6-22-1998)
B. Special Meetings: Special meetings may be called at any time, by the mayor or two (2) commissioners, upon giving not less than twenty four (24) hours' notice to all members of the village council. Provided however, that if all members of the village council are present at a special meeting, no notice of such meeting shall be necessary.
C. Open Meetings: All meetings of the village council, whether regular or special, shall be open to the public. (Village code § 1-9)
D. Presiding Officer: The mayor shall preside at all meetings. In the absence of the mayor, the commissioner of the department of accounts and finances shall act as chair for the meeting.
E. Quorum: Three (3) members of the village council shall constitute a quorum, and the affirmative vote of three (3) members shall be necessary to adopt any motion, resolution or ordinance, or pass any measure, except where otherwise provided by law. (Village code § 1-10)
F. Voting; Records: Upon every vote of the yeas and nays shall be called and recorded; and every motion, resolution or ordinance shall be reduced to writing and read before a vote is taken thereon. All the commissioners, including the mayor, present at any meeting shall vote thereon. (Village code § 1-11)
G. Disorderly Conduct: In case of any disturbance or disorderly conduct, the presiding officer shall have the power to require the chambers to be cleared, as necessary. (Village code § 1-12)
H. Electronic Attendance At Meetings:
1. Rules Statement: It is the decision of the village of Forest Park that any member of the council may attend any open or closed meeting of the council via electronic means (such as by telephone, video or internet connection) provided that such attendance is in compliance with these rules and any applicable laws.
2. Prerequisites: A member of the council may attend a meeting electronically if the member meets the following conditions:
a. The member shall notify the village clerk at least forty eight (48) hours before the meeting, unless impractical, so that necessary communications equipment can be arranged. Inability to make the necessary technical arrangements will result in denial of a request for remote attendance.
b. The member must assert one of the following three (3) reasons why he or she is unable to physically attend the meeting:
(1) The member cannot attend because of personal illness or disability; or
(2) The member cannot attend because of employment purposes or the business of the village of Forest Park; or
(3) The member cannot attend because of a family or other emergency.
3. Authorization To Participate:
a. The village clerk, after receiving the electronic attendance request, shall inform the council of the request for electronic attendance.
b. After establishing that a quorum is physically present at a meeting where a member of the village of Forest Park desires to attend electronically, the presiding officer shall state that: 1) a notice was received by the member of the council in accordance with these rules, and 2) the member will be deemed authorized to attend the meeting electronically unless a motion objecting to the member's electronic attendance is made, seconded, and approved by a majority of the members of the council physically present at the meeting. If no such motion is made and seconded or if any such motion fails to achieve the required vote by the members of the council physically present at the meeting, then the request by the member to attend the meeting electronically shall be deemed approved by the council and the presiding officer shall declare the requesting member present. After such declaration by the presiding officer, the question of a member's electronic attendance may not be reconsidered.
4. Adequate Equipment Required: The member participating electronically and other members of the council must be able to communicate effectively, and members of the audience must be able to hear all communications at the meeting site. Before allowing electronic attendance at any meeting, the council shall provide equipment adequate to accomplish this objective at the meeting site.
5. Minutes: Any member attending electronically shall be considered an off site attendee and counted as present electronically for that meeting if the member is allowed to attend. The meeting minutes shall also reflect and state specifically whenever a member is present by electronic means.
6. Rights Of Remote Member: A member permitted to attend electronically 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 member attending electronically shall be heard, considered, and counted as to any vote taken. Accordingly, the name of any member attending electronically shall be called during any vote taken, and his or her vote counted and recorded by the village clerk and placed in the minutes for the corresponding meeting. A member attending electronically 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.
7. Committees, Boards And Commissions: These rules shall apply to all committees, boards and commissions established by authority of the council of the village of Forest Park. (Ord. O-05-09, 1-26-2009)