109.01 Scope.
109.02 Definitions.
109.03 Notice of regular and organizational meetings.
109.04 Notice of special meetings.
109.05 Notice to news media of special meetings.
109.06 Notification of discussion of specific types of public business.
109.07 General.
CROSS REFERENCES
Open meetings - see CHTR. 2.05
State law provisions - see Ohio R.C. 121.22
This chapter is enacted for the purposes of:
(a) Establishing a reasonable method for any person to determine the time and place of all regularly scheduled meetings and the time, place, and purpose of all special meetings;
(b) Making provisions for giving advance notice of special meetings to the news media that have requested notification; and
(c) Making provisions for persons to request and obtain reasonable advance notification of all meetings at which any specific type of public business is to be discussed. The rules apply to each municipal body of this City and are in addition to any applicable legal requirements as to notices to members of a municipal body or to others in connection with specific meetings or specific subject matters.
(Res. 1975-44. Passed 12-9-75.)
For the purpose of this chapter the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
(a) “Clerk” means the Clerk of Council.
(b) “Day” means calendar day.
(c) “Meeting” means any prearranged discussion of the public business of the municipal body by a majority of the members of the municipal body.
(ORC 121.22 (B)(2))
(d) “Municipal body” means each of the following bodies listed below and committees of those municipal bodies comprised of a majority of the members of the main municipal body, or are decision making committees.
(1) Council.
(2) Planning and Zoning Commission.
(3) Boards of Building and Zoning Appeals.
(4) Civil Service Commission.
(5) Assessment Equalization Boards.
(6) Recreation Board.
(7) Any other municipal boards, committees, or commissions.
(e) “Oral notification” means notification given orally either in person or by telephone, directly to the person for whom such notification is intended, or by leaving an oral message for such person at the address, or if by telephone at the telephone number, of the person as shown on the records kept by the Clerk under this chapter.
(f) “Post” means to post in an area accessible to the public during the usual business hours on the bulletin board on which public notices are usually posted in the lobby of the Municipal Building.
(g) “Published” means published once in a newspaper having a general circulation in the municipality, as defined in Ohio R.C. 7.12, except that no portion of the newspaper need be printed in the Municipality. If at the time of any such publication there is no such newspaper of general circulation, then the publication shall be in a newspaper then determined by the Clerk to have the largest circulation in the Municipality.
(h) “Special meeting” means a meeting which is neither a regular meeting nor an adjournment of a regular or special meeting to another time or day to consider items specifically stated on the original agenda of such regular or special meeting.
(i) “Written notification” means notification in writing mailed, telegraphed, or delivered to the address of the person for whom the notification is intended as shown on the records kept by the Clerk under these rules, or in any way delivered to such person. If mailed, the notification shall be mailed by first class mail, deposited in a U.S. Postal Service mailbox no later than the second day preceding the day of the meeting to which such notification refers, provided that at least one regular mail delivery day falls between the day of mailing and the day of the meeting.
(Res. 1975-44. Passed 12-9-75)
(a) The Clerk shall post a statement of the time and place of regular meetings of each municipal body for each calendar year not later than the second day preceding the day of the first regular meeting (other than the organizational meeting) of the calendar year of that municipal body. The Clerk shall check at reasonable intervals to ensure that the statement remains so posted during the calendar year. If at any time during the calendar year the time or place of regular meetings, or of any regular meeting, is changed on a permanent or temporary basis, a statement of the time and place of such changed regular meetings shall be so posted by the Clerk at least 24 hours before the time of the first changed regular meeting.
(b) The Clerk shall post a statement of the time and place of any organizational meeting of a municipal body at least 24 hours before the time of such organizational meeting.
(c) On the adjournment of any regular or special meeting to another day, the Clerk shall promptly post notice of the time and place of such adjourned meeting.
(Res. 1975-44. Passed 12-9-75.)
(a) Except in the case of a special meeting referred to in Section 109.05(e), the Clerk shall, not later than 12 hours before the time of a special meeting of a municipal body, post a statement of the time, place, and purposes of the special meeting.
(b) The statement under this section and the notifications under Section 109.05 shall state such specific or general purpose or purposes then known to the Clerk to be intended to be considered at such special meeting, and may state, as an additional general purpose, that any other business as may properly come before the municipal body at the meeting may be considered and acted on.
(Res. 1975-44. Passed 12-9-75.)
(a) Any news medium 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 an emergency requiring immediate official action as referred to in subsection (e) hereof, a special meeting shall not be held unless at least 24 hours advance notice of the time, place, and purposes of the special meeting is given to the news media that have requested the advance notification in accordance with subsections (b) and (c) hereof.
(b) News media requests for the advance notification of special meetings shall specify:
(1) The municipal body that is the subject of the request;
(2) The name of the medium;
(3) The name and address of the person to whom written notifications to the medium may be mailed, telegraphed, or delivered;
. (4) The names, addresses, and telephone numbers (including addresses and telephone numbers at which notifications may be given either during or outside of business hours) of at least two persons to either one of whom oral notifications to the medium may be given; and
(5) 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 medium.
(c) Any request shall be effective for one year from the date of filing with the Clerk or until the Clerk receives written notice from such medium canceling or modifying such request, whichever is earlier. Each requesting news medium shall be informed of the period of effectiveness at the time it files its request. The requests may be modified or extended only by filing a complete new request with the Clerk. A request shall not be deemed to be made unless it is complete in all respects, and the request may be conclusively relied on by the City, the municipal body that is the subject of the request, and the Clerk.
(d) The Clerk shall give oral notification or written notification, or both, as the Clerk determines, to the news media that have requested the advance notification in accordance with subsections (b) and (c) hereof, of the time, place, and purposes of each special meeting, at least 24 hours prior to the time of such special meeting.
(e) In the event of any emergency requiring immediate official action, a special meeting may be held without giving 24 hours advance notification to the requesting news media. The persons 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 both, as the person or persons giving such notification determine, of the time, place, and purposes of the special meeting to the news media that have requested the advance notification in accordance with subsections (b) and (c) hereof. The minutes or the call, or both, of any special meeting shall state the general nature of the emergency requiring immediate official action.
(Res. 1975-44. Passed 12-9-75.)
Loading...