(A) Findings. Public Act 94-1058, effective January 1, 2007, amends the Open Meetings Act (5 ILCS 120/1 et seq.) to allow municipalities to adopt rules and procedures that permit appointed and elected members of boards, commissions and committees to attend, participate and vote at open and closed public meetings through the use of telephone conference calls or other electronic means. The corporate authorities of the Village find that it is in the public interest to adopt a set of rules and procedures that allow appointed and elected members of Village boards, commissions and committees to attend, participate in and vote at open and closed public meetings through the use of telephone conference calls or other electronic means (e.g., video or audio conference).
(B) Definitions. The definitions of the terms MEETING, PUBLIC BODY, OTHER MEANS, QUORUM or any other defined term used in this section, which is also found in the Open Meetings Act, shall have the same definitions as contained in the Open Meetings Act (5 ILCS 120/1 et seq.), as amended.
(C) Rules and procedures.
(1) Village boards, committees and commissions must comply with all of the applicable requirements of the Open Meetings Act (5 ILCS 120/1 et seq.), as amended.
(2) Village boards, committees and commissions are prohibited from establishing a quorum to conduct business at an open or closed meeting through the attendance of board members by the use of telephone conference calls or other electronic means. A quorum of members of a Village board, commission or committee must be physically present at the location of an open or closed meeting.
(3) Village officials who wish to attend a meeting electronically must give notice before the commencement of the meeting to the recording secretary or the Village Clerk (or Deputy Clerk), unless advance notice is impractical.
(4) Meeting minutes must reflect whether a member is present physically or electronically, regardless of whether any members are attending through the use of a telephone conference call or other electronic means.
(5) Provided that the audio, telephone or video conference connection allows the voice of an absent member to be clearly heard by the attendees of the meeting (including the public) and the absent member can clearly hear the voices of the attendees who participate in the meeting, a member of a Village board, committee and commission may attend, participate and vote at an open or closed meeting through the use of a telephone conference call or other electronic means if the member is prevented from physically attending because of:
(a) Personal illness or disability;
(b) Employment purposes or the business of the public body; or
(c) A family or other emergency.
(6) Where 1 or more members of a Village board, committee and commission is attending the meeting by use of a telephone conference call or other electronic means, the presiding officer shall, immediately after convening of the meeting, announce to the public which member is attending the meeting by use of a telephone conference call or other electronic means, identify the method of attendance and the reason why the absent member is participating by such means.
(7) If the presiding officer attends the meeting through the use of a telephone conference call or other electronic means, he or she shall not be required to vacate the chair and may act in his or her capacity as the presiding officer for the purposes of the meeting despite not being physically present.
(8) The voice of the absent member participating by telephone conference call or other electronic means, after being identified by the other Village board, committee and commission members as belonging to the absent member, shall be simultaneously broadcast to the public present at the meeting so that his or her voice can be heard, and the member shall also be able to hear any discussions of the other members and the public comment regarding any issue discussed at the meeting before a vote is taken.
(Ord. C0-06-44, passed 11-8-2006)