(a) Any news media organization that desires to be given advance notification of special meetings of a Municipal Body shall file with the Clerk a written request therefor. Except in the event of any emergency requiring immediate official action as referred to in subsection (d) hereof, a special meeting shall not be held unless at least twenty-four hours advance notice of the time, place and purpose of such special meeting is given to the news media that have requested such advance notification in accordance with subsection (b) hereof.
(Ord. 1976-33. Passed 3-3-76.)
(b) News media requests for such advance notification of special meetings shall specify: the Municipal Body that is the subject of such request; the name of the media; the name and address of the person to whom written notification to the media may be mailed, faxed, emailed or sent by any other appropriate electronic format or delivered, and the name, address and telephone number, including the address and telephone number at which notification may be given either during or after business hours, of at least two people to either one of whom oral notification to the media may be given, and at least one telephone number which the request identifies as being manned, and which can be called at any hour for the purpose of giving oral notification to such media.
Any such request shall be effective for one year from the date of filing with the Clerk or until the Clerk receives written notice from such media canceling or modifying such request, whichever is earlier. Each requesting news media shall be informed of such period of effectiveness at the time it files its request. Such requests may be modified or extended only by filing a complete new request with the Clerk. A request shall not be considered made unless it is complete in all respects as specified in this chapter, and such request may be conclusively relied upon by the City, the Clerk and the Municipal Body that is the subject of such request.
(c) The Clerk shall give such oral notice, written notice, or other appropriate electronic notice, including but not limited to, fax or email, as the Clerk determines to the news media that have requested such advanced notice in accordance with subsection (b) hereof, of the time, place and purpose of each special meeting at least twenty four hours prior to the time of the special meeting.
(d) In the event of an emergency requiring immediate official action, a special meeting may be held without giving twenty four hours advance notice thereof to the requesting news media. The person calling such meeting, or any one or more of such persons or the Clerk on their behalf, shall immediately give oral notification, or written notification, or other appropriate electronic notice, including but not limited to, fax or email, as the person giving such notice determines, of the time, place and purpose of such special meeting to the news media that have requested such advance notice in accordance with subsection (b) hereof. The minutes or the call, or both, of any such special meeting shall state the general nature of the emergency requiring immediate official action.
(Ord. 2016-18. Passed 3-16-16.)