(A) It is the policy of the city that a member of any public body associated with this unit of government which is subject to the provisions of the Open Meetings Act may attend and participate in any open or closed meeting of that public body from a remote location via telephone, video, or internet connection, provided that such attendance and participation is in compliance with this policy and any other applicable laws, including Illinois’ Open Meetings Act, and is logistically feasible for the public body’s meeting which the member wishes to attend remotely.
(B) Remote attendance opportunities shall be only if the member meets the statutory conditions of Illinois’ Open Meetings Act, the requirements of this policy, and the majority of the members of the public body physically present vote to approve remote attendance.
(1) No later than 48 hours prior to the meeting, unless advance notice is impractical, notify the City Clerk, or recording secretary of the public body that the member is requesting remote attendance; and
(2) The member must specify which statutory exception for remote attendance applies for the member to attend remotely. The valid statutory exceptions are:
(a) Personal illness or disability;
(b) Employment purposes or the business of the public body; or
(c) A family or other emergency.
(C) For remote participation to be approved, a quorum of the public body must be physically present. The member not physically present cannot be counted for quorum purposes.
(D) After roll call, but prior to proceeding to other business, a vote of the public body shall be taken on whether to allow the member to participate remotely for the meeting. All members physically present are permitted to vote on whether remote participation will be allowed.
(E) A quorum must be established by members physically present at any meeting before it can be considered whether to allow a member to participate in the meeting remotely.
(F) A vote of a majority of a quorum shall be necessary to decide the issue.
(G) For the meeting to continue, there shall always need to be a quorum physically present.
(H) Limitations on remote participation.
(1) For a member to participate remotely, the member must meet the requirements of Illinois’ Open Meetings Act and this policy.
(2) Only one member from a public body shall be allowed to attend a meeting remotely at any one time. No public body shall approve remote attendance for two or more members simultaneously.
(3) No member shall be approved to attend a meeting remotely more than four times per calendar year.
(I) Rights of remote participants.
(1) The member participating remotely shall be considered an offsite participant and counted present by means of video or audio conference for the meeting if the member is allowed to participate. The meeting minutes of the public body shall also reflect and state specifically whether each member is physically present, present by video, or present by audio means.
(2) The member participating remotely shall be permitted to participate in the same capacity as those members physically present and is subject to all general meeting guidelines and procedures previously adopted and adhered to by the public body. The remote member shall be heard, considered, and counted as to any vote taken. The name of any remote member shall be called during any vote taken, and the remote member’s vote counted and recounted and placed in the minutes for the corresponding meeting. A member participating remotely may leave a meeting and return as in the case of any member; however, the remote participant must announce when the remote participant leaves and returns to the meeting.
(3) Any member approved to participate remotely shall be allowed to participate in any closed meeting the member would be entitled to participate in if the member where physically present. The same rights and limitations apply to closed meetings as open meetings, except that no votes shall be taken in closed meetings. If a member who has not been approved for remote participation wishes to remotely participate in a closed session meeting, the prerequisites for approval must be satisfied and a vote for the allowance of remote participation taken in open session.
(J) Costs of remote participation.
(1) Any cost associated with remote participation incurred by the member must be submitted to the public body via valid receipt and approved by the public body for reimbursement, or if the public body does not have the power to approve reimbursement, by the unit of government responsible for approval of the reimbursement; and
(2) No per diem nor mileage will be paid to any member of a public body for any meeting the member participated in remotely.
(K) Disaster declarations.
(1) Nothing herein shall limit the ability of the public body to meet electronically, as permitted by ILCS Ch. 5, Act 120, § 7(e).
(L) Open meetings.
(1) Should Illinois’ Open Meetings Act come into conflict with any of the provisions herein, Illinois’ Open Meetings Act shall govern.
(Ord. 23-3713, passed 10-2-2023)