(a) Any news media organization that desires to be given advance notification of special meetings of a Municipal body shall file with the Clerk a written request therefor on a standard form to be provided by the Clerk.
Except in the event of an emergency requiring immediate official action as referred to in subsection (d) hereof, a special meeting shall not be held unless at least twenty-four hours advance notice of the time, place and purposes of such special meeting is given 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 special meetings shall specify: the Municipal body that is the subject of such request; the name of the medium; the name and address of the person to whom written notifications to the medium may be mailed, telegraphed or delivered; and 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 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.
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 complete 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 or written notification,
or both, 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, at least 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 or written notification, or both, 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 requested 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. 75-260. Passed 1-20-76.)