(A) Purpose; application of the rules. Council has adopted rules pursuant to Ohio R.C. 121.22 for the purposes of establishing a reasonable method for every person to determine the time and place of regularly scheduled meetings and the time and place of special meetings; the making of provisions for giving advance notices of special meetings to the news media that have requested notification; and 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. These rules apply to each municipal body, or committee thereof, of the village and are in addition to any applicable legal requirements as to notices to members of the municipal body or others in connection with specific meetings or specific matters.
(B) Definitions. For the purpose of this section the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
(1) CLERK-TREASURER. Clerk of Council of the Village of Minster, or secretary of other municipal body, or committee thereof, required to have open meetings.
(2) DAY. A calendar day.
(3) MEETING. Any prearranged discussion of public business of a municipal body, or committee thereof, by a majority of members of such municipal body, or committee thereof.
(4) MUNICIPAL BODY. Each of the following: Council, Board of Zoning Appeals, and such other boards and commissions that the village may have for the purposes of operating its governmental business, and committees of such municipal bodies.
(5) ORAL NOTIFICATION. A notification given orally, either in person or by telephone directly to the person to whom such notification is intended or by leaving the oral message at the address or at the telephone number of such person as shown in the records of the initial request for notification.
(6) POSTING. To post in an area accessible to the public, during usual business hours in the office of the Clerk-Treasurer, which means the Administrative Building.
(7) PUBLISH. Published once in a newspaper having a general circulation in the village.
(8) SPECIAL MEETING. A meeting which is neither a regular meeting nor an adjournment of a regular meeting to another time or day, to consider items specifically stated in the original agenda of the regular meeting.
(9) WRITTEN NOTIFICATION Notification in writing, mailed or hand delivered to the address of the person for whom such notification is intended as shown on the records kept by the Clerk- Treasurer or the person responsible for delivering such notification.
(C) Notice of regular and organizational meetings.
(1) The Clerk-Treasurer shall post a statement of the times and places of the regular meetings of Council and the Clerk of each body shall have the responsibility of posting times and places of the meetings of their bodies. Notification posted shall be as nearly as practical for a full calendar year of regular meetings, indicating the times and places. The Clerk-Treasurer shall check at reasonable intervals to insure that the statement remains so posted during the calendar year. In the event that the time and place of regular meetings is changed on a permanent or temporary basis, a statement of the time and places where the meetings have been changed to, shall be posted at least 24 hours before the time of the first changed regular meeting.
(2) The Clerk of each municipal body, including Council, or committee thereof, shall have posted the time and place of any organizational meeting of such municipal body at least 24 hours before the organizational meeting is held.
(3) Upon the adjournment of any regular special meeting to another day, the Clerk-Treasurer shall promptly post notice of the time and place of such adjournment.
(D) Notice of special meetings.
(1) Except in the case of an emergency meeting, the Clerk-Treasurer shall, no later than 24 hours before the time of the special meeting of a municipal body, post a statement of the time, place and purposes of such special meeting.
(2) A statement under this section in the notifications, shall state such specific or general purpose or purposes then known to the Clerk-Treasurer to be intended to be considered at the special meeting, may state such other items of business that may be properly brought before the body at that time.
(E) Notice to news media of special meetings.
(1) Any news media organization that desires to be given advance notification of special meetings of a municipal body, shall file with the Clerk-Treasurer written request thereof. Further, except in the event of an emergency requiring immediate official action, a special meeting shall not be held unless 24 hours advance notice of the time, place and purposes of the special meeting is given to the news media that have requested such notification.
(2) A news media request for such advance notification of a special meeting shall specify the municipal body that is subject to the request, the name of the media, the name and address of the person to whom written notification to the media may be mailed or delivered, and the names, addresses and telephone numbers of at least two persons to either one of whom oral notifications of the meeting may be given. Any such request shall be effective for a period of one year from the date of filing with the Clerk-Treasurer or until the Clerk-Treasurer receives a written notification of such media in canceling or modifying the request.
(3) The Clerk-Treasurer shall give such oral notification or written notification or both as the Clerk-Treasurer determines to the news media that have requested such advance notification of time, place and purposes of a special meeting at least 24 hours prior to the time of such special meeting.
(4) In the event of an emergency requiring immediate official action, a special meeting may be called without giving 24 hours advance notification thereof to the requesting news media. The persons calling such meeting or any one of such persons or the Clerk-Treasurer, on their behalf, shall immediately give oral notification or written notification or both, to the person or persons giving such notification, determining the time, place and purpose of such special meeting to the news media that have requested the advance notification in accordance with these rules.
(F) Minutes. The Clerk-Treasurer shall promptly prepare, file, and maintain the minutes of a municipal body, and said minutes shall be open for public inspection.
(Ord. 94-4-2, passed - -94)