(A) The regular meetings of the Council shall be adopted by the City Council prior to each calendar year and shall be published according to the provisions of the Illinois Municipal Code.
(B) Any regular meeting falling upon a legal holiday shall be held on the next following secular day at the same hour and place.
(C) (1) Special meetings may be called by the Mayor or by any three members of the Council by written request or notice being filed with the Clerk at least 54 hours prior to the time specified for such meetings. At least 48 hours written notice of such special meetings shall be given by the Clerk, which notice shall specify the time, date, and purpose of such meeting and shall be posted at the Municipal Building.
(2) Notification of special meetings shall be given to the Council Members by telephone and email. All Meetings of the Council including special and adjourned meetings, except executive sessions thereof, shall be open to the public, as is required by statute. At a special meeting, no subject shall be acted upon except that specified in the call.
(3) The agenda of a special meeting shall also include a public comment section which shall allow persons to publicly comment on the agenda items of the special meeting. The public comment portion of the agenda shall before any agenda items. Any person who wishes to speak on a topic that is on the agenda of the special meeting shall sign a speaker card before the start of the meeting itself, stating name and the topic on the agenda to be discussed. Speakers shall be called by name to approach the podium by the City Clerk. A time limit of five minutes is imposed on each speaker.
(D) The Workshop Meetings of the City Council shall be adopted by the City Council prior to each calendar year and shall be published according to the provisions of the Illinois Municipal Code.
(E) Remote participation - a member of the City Council may attend and participate in the Committee of the whole or City Council open or closed meeting by other means than physical attendance and the member is prevented from physically attending the meeting because of:
(1) Personal illness or disability;
(2) Employment purposes or official city-related business; or
(3) A family or other emergency, under the following conditions:
(a) “Other means” which is by video or audio conference is available and in working order;
(b) The member notifies the City Clerk at least 48 hours before the meeting unless such advance notice is impractical; and
(c) If a quorum of the members of the City Council is physically present and by a majority vote allows the member of the City Council to attend and participate in the meeting by video or audio conference.
(Ord. 99-232, passed 10-27-99; Am. Ord. 14-009, passed 3-19-14; Am. Ord. 14-029, passed 10-1-14; Am. Ord. 18-023, passed 6-6-18)
Statutory reference:
Meetings of public agencies, see ILCS Ch. 5, Act 120, §§ 1 through 4