A. Open Meetings; Information Required Of Attending Public:
1. All meetings of the governing body and all other boards, commissions and agencies of the Municipality shall be open to the public at all times, except as provided in subsection B of this section. No action of such a body shall be taken except during a public meeting.
2. A member of the public shall not be required, as a condition of attendance of any meeting, to register his name, to supply information, to complete a questionnaire, or fulfill any other condition precedent to his attendance, except that a person seeking recognition may be required to give his name and affiliation.
(1982 Code § 2.03.010)
B. Executive Sessions: Executive sessions, not open to the public, of the governing body and all other boards, commissions and agencies of the Municipality may be held:
1. With the Prosecuting Attorney, Municipal Attorney, Chief of Police or their respective deputies, or other officers of the law, on matters posing a threat to the security of public or private property or a threat to the public’s right of access;
2. To consider the appointment, employment, right to practice or dismissal of a public officer, professional person or employee, or to hear complaints or charges brought against an employee, professional person or officer, unless the employee, professional person or officer requests a public hearing. The governing body may exclude from any public or private hearing during the examination of a witness, any or all other witnesses in the matter being investigated. Following the hearing or executive session, the governing body may deliberate on its decision in executive sessions;
3. On matters concerning litigation to which the governing body is a party or proposed litigation to which the governing body may be a party;
4. When the agency is a licensing agency while preparing, administering or grading examinations;
5. To consider the selection of a site or the purchase of real estate when the publicity regarding the consideration would cause a likelihood of an increase in price;
6. To consider acceptance of gifts, donations and bequests which the donor has requested in writing be kept confidential;
7. To consider or receive any information classified as confidential by law;
8. To consider accepting or tendering offers concerning wages, salaries, benefits and terms of employment during all such negotiations.
(1982 Code § 2.03.020)
C. Disruption Of Meeting: If any public meeting is wilfully disrupted by a person or group of persons so as to render the orderly conduct of the meeting unfeasible, and order cannot be restored by the removal of the person or persons who are wilfully interrupting the meeting, the removal of such person or group from the meeting room may be ordered and the meeting continued, or the meeting may be recessed and reconvened at another location. Only matters appearing on the agenda may be acted upon in a meeting recessed to another location. Procedures for readmitting an individual or individuals not responsible for disturbing the conduct of a meeting shall be established by the body conducting such meeting. Duly accredited members of the press or other news media except those who participated in a disturbance, shall be allowed to attend any meeting permitted by this section.
(1982 Code § 2.03.030)
D. Date And Time Of Regular Meetings: Regular meetings of the governing body shall be held each month on the day of the month and at the time designated by the governing body; provided, that in all instances that such day is observed as a legal holiday for Municipal offices, the regular meeting of the governing body shall be held on the following day.
(1982 Code § 2.03.040)
E. Special Meetings: Special meetings of the governing body may be called from time to time by the presiding officer of the governing body or any two (2) members of the governing body. The subject for the special meeting shall be submitted to the governing body in writing, and the disposition thereof entered upon the journal of the governing body by the Town Clerk. The action of the governing body at each special session shall be confined to the subject submitted in writing to the governing body.
(1982 Code § 2.03.050)
F. Adjourned Or Recessed Meetings: Adjourned or recessed meetings of the governing body may be held at such time as the governing body may determine.
(1982 Code § 2.03.060)
G. Presiding Officer: The Mayor shall preside at all meetings of the governing body; provided, that in the absence of the Mayor, the member of the governing body appointed by the governing body as the Mayor Pro Tem shall preside.
(1982 Code § 2.03.070)
H. Duties Of Clerk As To Journal: It shall be the duty of the City Clerk to keep the journal of the governing body. The City Clerk shall publish the minutes of any meeting of the governing body according to state statute. Such copy shall include every bill presented to the governing body showing the amount of the bill, what the bill was for and by whom claimed. In addition, the Clerk shall be responsible for the safekeeping of such journal and providing for the exhibition of such journal to the public when so requested.
(1982 Code § 2.03.080)
Statutory reference:
Statute authority, see WS § 15-1-105, 16-4-401 et seq.