(A) Generally. Members of the corporate authority of the village (defined as Village Trustees and the Village President, and referred to in this section as “members”) may participate in and vote electronically at public meetings of the Village Board, in accordance with this section.
(B) Conditions. A member may attend a meeting electronically if the member meets the following conditions.
(1) The member shall notify the Village Clerk at least six hours before the meeting, unless impractical, so that necessary communications equipment can be arranged. Inability to make the necessary technical arrangements shall result in denial of a request for remote attendance.
(2) The member shall assert one of the following three reasons why he or she is unable to physically attend the meeting:
(a) The member cannot attend because of personal illness or disability;
(b) The member cannot attend because of employment purposes or the business related to his or her duties with the village; or
(c) The member cannot attend because of a family or other major emergency.
(3) Personal trips, vacations or personal convenience shall not constitute a valid reason for electronic attendance, such actions being at variance with the intent of the Open Meetings Act (5 ILCS 120/1 et seq.).
(C) Authorization to participate.
(1) The Village Clerk, after receiving the electronic attendance request, shall promptly inform the Village President or person expected to be the presiding officer at such meeting of the request for electronic attendance.
(2) After establishing that there is a quorum physically present at a meeting where the member desires to attend electronically, the presiding officer shall state and the minutes shall record that a notice was received from the member in accordance with this section.
(3) The member shall be deemed authorized to attend the meeting electronically unless a motion objecting to the member’s electronic attendance is made, seconded and approved by two-thirds of the members physically present at the meeting. If no such motion is made and seconded, or if any such motion fails to achieve the required vote by the members physically present at the meeting, then the request by the member to attend the meeting electronically shall be deemed approved by the Village Board and the presiding officer shall declare the requesting member present. After such declaration by the presiding officer, the question of a member’s electronic attendance may not be reconsidered.
(D) Adequate equipment required. The member participating electronically and members participating in person must be able to communicate effectively. Further, the village shall make a reasonable effort to ensure that members of the audience are able to hear all communication and votes of the member. Before allowing electronic attendance at any meeting, the Village Board shall provide equipment adequate to accomplish this objective at the meeting site.
(E) Minutes. Any member attending electronically shall be considered an off-site attendee and counted as present electronically for that meeting, if the member is allowed to attend. The meeting minutes shall also reflect and state specifically whether each member is physically present or present by electronic means. A member actually attending electronically shall not count towards a quorum.
(F) Rights of remote member. A member permitted to attend electronically shall be entitled to express his or her comments during the meeting and participate in the same capacity as those members physically present, subject to all general meeting guidelines and procedures previously adopted and adhered to. The member attending electronically shall be heard, considered and counted as to any vote taken. Accordingly, the name of any member attending electronically shall be called during any vote taken, and his or her vote counted and recorded by the Village Clerk and placed in the minutes for the corresponding meeting. A member attending electronically may leave a meeting and return as in the case of any member; provided, the member attending electronically shall announce his or her leaving and returning.
(G) Attendance form. An attendance form for use as a request for electronic participation a record of the member’s e-mail, telefax or telephone request is attached to this chapter as § 30.65 of this chapter.
(Prior Code, § 30.034) (Ord. 2010-017, passed 6-7-2010)