(a) Any news medium organization that desires to be given advance notification of meetings of a Municipal Body shall file with the Clerk a written or email request therefor.
Except in the event of an emergency requiring immediate official action as referred to in subsection (d) hereof, notice of a special meeting will be provided twenty-four hours in advance of the time, place and purposes of such special meeting to the news media that have requested such advance notification in accordance with subsection (b) hereof.
(b) News media requests for such advance notification of meetings shall specify: their preferred means of notification, the Municipal Body that is the subject of such request; the name of the medium; the name, phone number, fax number, email address and/or address of the person to whom notifications to the medium may be texted, emailed, faxed, mailed, or delivered; and the names, email addresses, addresses and telephone number at which such 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. The Clerk shall determine what method will be used to deliver the advance notice. The Clerk shall also determine what if any additional materials are to be sent with the meeting notification. The Clerk is authorized to direct the news media to the City webpage or other website which have links to additional information.
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 medium canceling or modifying such request, whichever is earlier. Each requesting news medium 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 completely new request with the Clerk. A request shall not be deemed to be made unless it is complete in all respects, and such request may be conclusively relied on by the City, the Municipal Body that is the subject of such request, and the Clerk.
(c) The Clerk shall give such oral notification, text notification, email notification, or written notification, or a combination of the foregoing, as the Clerk determines, to the news media that have requested such advance notification in accordance with subsection (b) hereof, of the time, place, and purposes of each special meeting, twenty-four hours prior to the time of such 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 notification thereof 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, text notification, email notification, or written notification as the person or persons giving such notification determine, of the time, place, and purposes of such special meeting to such news media that have request such advance notification 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. 020-2022. Passed 3-30-22.)