(A) Document size. All ordinances and monthly minutes are to be recorded on a paper size not to exceed eight and one-half inches by 11 inches.
(B) Ordinance development.
(1) The numbering system for recording any ordinances beginning January 1, 2009 shall be as follows.
(a) The first four digits of any ordinance shall begin with the year it is passed or proposed with a hyphen behind. Example: the year of the writing of this ordinance is 2009-. Next year would begin with 2010-, so on and so forth.
(b) The next digit in the ordinance will be a letter. The letters used will be as follows.
1. TO = Town Ordinance.
2. TSO = Town Salary Ordinance.
3. TR = Town Resolution.
4. MO = Marshal Ordinance.
5. MSO = Marshal Salary Ordinance.
6. MR = Marshal Resolutions.
7. WO = Water Utility Ordinance.
8. WSO = Water Utility Salary Ordinance.
9. WR = Water Utility Resolution.
10. BPR = Building Permit Resolution.
(c) The last three digits of any ordinance shall begin with 001 through 999 for that year. At the end of any given year the last three digits will begin over again with 001 through 999. The last three digits will not be used for any other ordinance whether the middle letter is T, W, R or M. Example: an ordinance which is numbered 2009-TO-001 can not also have a number of 2009-WO-001, 2009-TR-001 or 2009-MO-001. The proper way for these to be numbered would be: 2009-TR-001, 2009-WO-002, 2009-TR-003 and 2009-MO-004.
(2) The next lines are to contain the official title of the ordinance being proposed for passage. See example:
ORDINANCE TO ESTABLISH THE PROCEDURE TO BE FOLLOWED FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND REQUIREMENTS OF WRITTEN ORDINANCES AND WRITE MONTHLY MEETINGS MINUTES AND THE PROCEDURE FOR RECORDING OR AND KEEPING OF, THESE DOCUMENTS FOR THE TOWN OF GREENVILLE. INDIANA
(3) The next line is to contain the following information as per this example:
WHEREAS, the Town Council for the Town of Greenville, Indiana, in the interest of public records keeping, find it necessary that the Town develop an Ordinance for the procedure and information required for written ordinances and written monthly minutes and record keeping for the Town of Greenville, Indiana;
(4) The next line is to contain the following information as per this example:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF GREENVILLE, INDIANA, AS FOLLOWS:
(5) The next line is to contain the section topic information as per this example:
ORDINANCE DEVELOPMENT:
(6) The information under each section is a legal description of the content of the ordinance as written for this section.
(7) All pages of the ordinance are to be numbered in the lower right hand corner, one through and the like. All ordinances are to have the title at the top of each page. See example.
(8) After completion of the body of the ordinance, the ordinance will end with the adoption day, month, year, who prepared the ordinance and appropriate signatures required. The only signatures required on the ordinance will be the presiding Town Council officer and attested to by the Town Clerk- Treasurer. See example below:
ADOPTED BY THE TOWN COUNCIL OF GREENVILLE, INDIANA, ON THE 12th DAY OF JANUARY, 2009.
__________________________________ _________________________________
DAFFY DUCK, CLERK-TREASURER PRESIDENT OF THE TOWN COUNCIL
OF GREENVILLE, INDIANA
_____________________________ _________________________________
PREPARED BY: BUGS BUNNY ELMER FUDD
(9) If an ordinance that is being considered for adoption by the Town Council is to replace an existing ordinance or revise an ordinance, that ordinance number is to appear in the new ordinance with a copy of that ordinance attached to the new ordinance. Those ordinances replaced or revised are to be mentioned as voided and those ordinances are to be removed from the active ordinance file and placed in the inactive or voided ordinance file. Under no circumstances should an existing ordinance number be reused by adding the letter A or R. Any ordinance being revised or changed will require a new ordinance number complying with this ordinance.
(10) If a reference to any state or county code in an ordinance, a copy of that code must be attached to any ordinance being considered for adoption. Any additional information that would be helpful in supporting a new ordinance would be recommended but not required.
(11) An ordinance can be generated for consideration by any Council member, the Town Clerk- Treasurer or the Town Marshal for review and consideration for passage by the Town Council. All new ordinances to be considered are to be submitted to all Council members two weeks prior to when such new ordinance is to be considered for passage to allow a period of time for review and comments by other Council members. It will be the responsibility of the ordinance originator to provide the information to the other Council members either in the form of a written or electronic copy.
(12) All new ordinances are to be submitted to the Town Attorney for a legal review two weeks prior to the new ordinance being considered for passage by the Town Council.
(13) New ordinances require only the signature of the presiding Town Official Council President or acting Council President in the case that the elected Town Council President is incapacitated. An ordinance is valid only by the recorded vote that is taken in the monthly or special meeting. Pursuant to I.C. 36-5-2-10, an ordinance, order or resolution passed by the legislative body is considered adopted when it is signed by the executive.
(C) Definition of record book to be kept by town as described below in ordinance record-keeping; recording of town monthly town minutes and monthly minutes record-keeping.
(1) Ordinance record-keeping.
(a) After the ordinance has been voted on and signed by the executive, the signed copy of that ordinance is to be scanned into an electronic PDF file (continuous to contain all documents in the same file) and transferred into the appropriate electronic file folder for the year it was written. The original ordinance signed copy is to be placed in a secured fire- and water-proof environment to protect it as the official town ordinance document. The electronic PDF file is to be maintained on the town’s official CPU and copied onto an electronic flash key using the town’s computer USB port. This flash key is to be stored in the town’s fire-proof safe. This flash key will be updated within a reasonable time following the approval of the monthly meeting minutes. Town Council members may request a copy of the electronic file for their records from the Town Clerk-Treasurer. The Town Clerk-Treasurer may through e-mail forward this information to the Council member through either their written or verbal request. This electronic information is for elected town officials or the Town Marshal only. The PDF files of the ordinance may be posted on the town website for citizen consumption. A copy of the signed ordinance shall be kept in a binder system in the Town Hall. Any voided ordinances in this binder system are to be marked as voided and replacing ordinance number noted on voided ordinance.
(b) A register of documents is always crucial in the locating and retrieving of any documents. An electronic Excel spreadsheet is to be kept on all ordinances. This will require two spreadsheets. One spreadsheet will be the ordinance numbering log. It will consist of listing the ordinance date in the first column, ordinance number in the second column and ordinance title in the third column and be referred to as the ordinance numbering Log. This log is to be updated within a reasonable time of a new ordinance being approved by the Council and signed and validated by the signing of the ordinance by the executive. A printed copy of this log is to be kept in a binder by the town at the Town Hall. The second log is to be an Excel spreadsheet called ordinance description log. This log is to contain in the first column a description of what is covered under that ordinance; the second column is to contain the ordinance number. The third column is to have the ordinance date.
(c) This log is to be updated within a reasonable time of the ordinance being approved and a printed copy of this log is to be kept in a binder in the Town Hall in accordance with I.C. 36-5-2-10.2. These electronic Excel spreadsheets are to be added to the flash key containing the town ordinances and updated when ordinances are added to the file within a reasonable period of time. All ordinance numbers, whether approved or denied, will be entered on both spreadsheets. If an ordinance is a denied or withdrawn ordinance, enter the word “denied” or “withdrawn” in the title column. This is so all numbers can be accounted for.
(2) Recording of town monthly town minutes.
(a) The Town Clerk-Treasurer is to take notes to produce a computer word document of the town monthly minutes. The minimum requirements for this document are the following:
1. Date and time of meeting;
2. Record what Council members are present;
3. Record all votes taken on any subject brought before the Council;
4. Record basic subject matter discussed by the Council;
5. Note if any executive meetings were held since last monthly Council meeting;
6. Record when meeting was adjourned;
7. State when next meeting will be held;
8. These minutes are also to contain as an attachment any ordinances that will be approved by acceptance of the monthly minutes; and
9. Agenda for that month or any special posting for additional meetings for that month.
(b) The Town Council may require that a Council meeting be taped. This tape does not have to be used to produce the monthly minutes nor does it have to be transcribed into a written form. This tape is to become part of the town records and to be stored in a fire- and water-proof environmentally safe place at the Town Hall for future reference and clarification of written minutes.
(c) The Town Clerk-Treasurer is to provide an electronic copy of the monthly minutes within a reasonable time following the monthly meeting for review by all Council members prior to the next meeting. Council members have the right to revise any monthly minutes to reflect what they may consider to be important issues to clarify a subject discussed or protect the interest of the town. These revisions or comments must be made within a reasonable time prior to the next Council meeting and submitted to other Council members and to the Town Clerk-Treasurer. This may be done through electronic mail.
(d) The Presiding Town Council Officer is to request of the Council members if they have reviewed the monthly minutes. He or she is to request if any member wishes to have the minutes read or discussed prior to voting to accept the monthly minutes.
(e) After voting on the monthly meeting minutes, these minutes are to be signed by the presiding town official (Town Council President or Acting President) and attested to by the Town Clerk- Treasurer. If the minutes require amendments, those amendments must be made before minutes are signed.
(3) Monthly minutes record keeping.
(a) After the monthly minutes have been voted on and accepted, the monthly minutes are to be scanned into an electronic PDF file (continuous to contain all documents in the same file) along with any supportive documents such as agenda for that month, ordinances, financial statements, water company reports, Marshal reports, budget reports, special postings for that month and the like (any document mentioned in the minutes) and transferred into the appropriate electronic file folder for the year it was written. The original monthly minutes signed copy is to be placed in a secured fire- and water- proof environment to protect it as the official town monthly minutes document. The electronic PDF file is to be maintained on the town’s official CPU and copied onto an electronic flash key using the town’s computer USB port. This flash key is to be stored in the town’s fire-proof safe. This flash key will be updated within a reasonable time following the approval of the monthly meeting minutes. Town Council members may request a copy of the electronic file for their records from the Town Clerk-Treasurer. The Town Clerk-Treasurer may through e-mail forward this information to the Council member through his or her their written or verbal request. This electronic information is for elected town officials or the Town Marshal only. The PDF files of the monthly minutes may be posted on the town website for citizen consumption. A copy of the signed monthly minutes shall be kept in a binder system in the Town Hall by the town.
(b) A register of monthly minutes is always crucial in the locating and retrieving of any documents. An electronic Excel spreadsheet is to be kept on all monthly minutes. The monthly minutes file name is to consist of the month, day, year preceded by the letters MM (example: the monthly minutes for this meeting would be MM 01-12-2009).
(D) Providing copies of ordinances and monthly minutes to citizens under state code open door policy.
(1) The public shall have the right to inspect and copy public agency records, all requests shall be in written form as pursuant I.C. 5-14-3-3(a)(2) and 5-14-3-3(I).
(2) The cost of making any public record shall be at the requesting party’s expense. Therefore, a standard fee shall be assessed and paid in advance before production of those requested records as pursuant to I.C. 5-14-3-8(C).
(3) Fees:
(a) The fee for document copies shall be $0.10 per one sided page; and
(b) The fee for non-standard copies shall be 105% of the cost of reproduction per one sided page.
(4) Requests shall be recorded into a journal which shall stay at the site and be available for viewing upon request. The person recording shall note all required information into the journal and be responsible for notifying the appropriate responder.
(a) A flash key with all current ordinance and monthly meeting minutes to be provided to the Town Water Company Clerk. This is to allow the water company clerk to provide requested copies of these documents in the absence of the Town Clerk-Treasurer.
(b) This flash key is to be updated within a reasonable time following the approval of monthly minutes and ordinances approved.
(Ord. 2009-T-001, passed 3-9-2009; Ord. 2010-R-082, passed 11-8-2010)