If the Mayor or any one or more Alderman is/are prevented from physically attending a regular or special city council meeting because of:
(A) Personal illness or disability;
(B) Employment purposes or the business of the City; or
(C) Family or other emergency;
and provided that a quorum of the city council is physically present at the meeting, the City Council may, by a majority vote, allow the Mayor and/or any Alderman who is/are prevented from physically attending the meeting to participate and vote by audio or video conference, provided that the Mayor and/or the Alderman who is/are prevented from physically attending a City Council meeting notifies the City Clerk in advance of the meeting of the reason why the Mayor and/or the Alderman is/are prevented from physically attending the City Council meeting, unless advance notice is impractical. When the City Clerk has received the required notice from the Mayor and/or the Alderman who is/are prevented from physically attending the meeting, the City Clerk shall, at the commencement of the meeting, announce to the City Council the receipt of the notice, the identity of the Mayor and/or the Alderman who notified the City Clerk, and the reason why the Mayor and/or the Alderman is/are prevented from physically attending the meeting as set forth in the notice. Provided that a quorum of the City Council is physically present at the meeting, the presiding officer at the meeting shall thereupon call for a vote on the question of permitting the Mayor and/or the Alderman who is/are prevented from physically attending the meeting to participate and vote by audio or video conference. The vote to permit the Mayor and/or the Alderman to participate in a closed meeting by audio or video conference shall be made in the open portion of the meeting. The minutes of the meeting shall identify the Mayor and/or the Alderman participating in the meeting by audio or video conference.
(Ord. 20-9, passed 3-31-20)