Council by ordinance hereby establishes and adopts the following rules pursuant to Ohio R.C. 121.22(F). The rules provide for advance notice to the public and to the news media of all meetings of the public bodies of the City and supplement any other requirements imposed by law pertaining to notice of meetings to be given to the members of any public body, the public or the news media.
Rule 1. As used in these rules:
(a) "Public body" means Council of the City of Salem and any committee thereof, but also includes within its definition any board, commission, committee, agency, authority or similar decision-making body of the City.
(b) "Meeting" means any prearranged discussion of the public business by any public body by a majority of its members.
(c) "Clerk" means the Clerk of Council of the City of Salem or his/her designee.
Rule 2. These rules shall not apply to an executive session held at any regular or special meeting of any public body which is conducted for the purpose of considering any of the matters set forth in Ohio R.C. 121.22(G); nor shall these rules apply to any other meeting, conference or discussion specifically exempted by law from the requirements imposed by Ohio R.C. 121.22(F).
Rule 3. All schedules and notices required to be posted pursuant to these rules shall be posted in a conspicuous place or places at the City Hall. Council may also from time to time direct the Clerk to post such schedules and notices at other designated locations.
Rule 4. The Clerk shall post and maintain complete and accurate schedules of the days, times and places of the regular meetings of Council and its committees during the calendar year. Every other public body shall be responsible for posting its own schedule of regular meetings. All changes and additions to such schedule shall be promptly posted.
Rule 5. Upon receipt of notice of a special meeting to be held by Council or any of its committees, the Clerk shall promptly post the day, time, place and purpose(s) of such meeting. Other public bodies shall provide a means to insure the prompt posting of such notices. For the purposes of these rules, an organizational meeting of any public body shall be considered a special meeting.
Rule 6. The Clerk shall also post the telephone number of the Clerk's office or the telephone number of any other office designated by Council, together with a list of the telephone numbers of the offices of all public bodies. Such numbers shall be accompanied by a statement to the effect that the Clerk's office or the other offices listed may be called during the Clerk's or other designated official's regular business hours for information concerning the day, time, place and purpose(s) of any regular or special meeting.
Rule 7. Any news media organization may request advance notification by the Clerk or official designated by a public body other than Council, of the day, time, place and purpose(s) of any special meetings of a public body. Except as provided in Rule 8, no special meeting shall be held until at least twenty-four hours after all requesting news media have received such notification or until at least twenty-four hours after the Clerk or other designated official has made a reasonable effort to give such notice during the Clerk's regular business hours. The Clerk or other designated official may require any requesting news media organization to file with him/her on a standard form information necessary to give the required notice, including but not limited to the name, address and phone number of the organization and the names of not more than two persons designated by the organization to receive notification. Notification may be given by telephone, in writing, or in person, as the Clerk or other designated official may determine.
Rule 8. In the event of an emergency requiring immediate official action, the person or persons calling a special meeting of any public body shall immediately notify or make a reasonable effort to notify the news media organizations which have requested advance notification under Rule 7 of the day, time, place and purpose(s) of such meeting. In attempting to give such notice, such person or persons may rely upon the information filed with the Clerk or other designated official pursuant to Rule 7.
Rule 9. Any person may, upon request and payment of the fee required below, obtain reasonable advance notification of all meetings at which any specific type of public business is to be discussed. The method(s) of providing such notification shall be determined by the Clerk or other designated official and may include, but are not limited to, mailing the agenda of meetings to all subscribers on a mailing list or mailing notices in self-addressed, stamped envelopes provided by the requesting person(s). Such person(s) shall file a written request on a standard form, which request shall include the following information: the person's name and the address(es) and telephone number(s) at or through which the person can be reached during the Clerk's regular business hours; the public body which is the subject of the request; the specific type of public business the discussion of which the person is requesting advance notification; and the number of calendar months, not to exceed six, during which the request is to be effective. Such request may be canceled by the requesting person at any time. The Clerk or other designated official shall collect in advance the sum of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) which sum is fixed by Council as a reasonable fee for advance notification and is non-refundable. Notification may be by telephone, in writing or in person, as the Clerk or other designated official may determine; provided, however, that notification shall be by telephone or in person if notice is to be given within forty-eight hours of a meeting.
Rule 10. The Clerk shall distribute a copy of these rules to each member of all public bodies, together with a copy of Ohio R.C. 121.22 as amended. The Clerk shall also provide each such member with instructions for the effective implementation of these rules, including but not limited to the manner in which notification of any special meeting is to be communicated to the Clerk.
Rule 11. The Clerk shall establish and maintain a complete record of all actions taken pursuant to these rules.