(A) Findings. Public Act 94-1058, effective January 1, 2007, amends the Open Meetings Act (ILCS Ch. 5, Act 120, §§ 1 et seq.) to allow municipalities to adopt rules and procedures that permit appointed and elected members of boards, commissions and committees to attend, participate and vote at open and closed public meetings through the use of telephone conference calls or other electronic means. The corporate authorities of the village find that it is in the public interest to adopt a set of rules and procedures that allow appointed and elected members of Village boards, commissions and committees to attend, participate in and vote at open and closed public meetings through the use of telephone conference calls or other electronic means (e.g., video or audio conference).
(B) Definitions. The definitions of the terms “MEETING,” “PUBLIC BODY,” “OTHER MEANS,” “QUORUM” or any other defined term used in this section, which is also found in the Open Meetings Act, shall have the same definitions as contained in the Open Meetings Act (ILCS Ch. 5, Act 120, SS 1 et seq.), as amended.
(C) Rules and procedures.
(1) Village boards, committees and commissions must comply with all of the applicable requirements of the Open Meetings Act (ILCS Ch. 5, Act 120, §§ 1 et seq.), as amended.
(2) Village boards, committees and commissions are prohibited from establishing a quorum to conduct business at an open or closed meeting through the attendance of board members by the use of telephone conference calls or other electronic means. A quorum of members of a village board, commission or committee must be physically present at the location of an open or closed meeting.
(3) Village officials who wish to attend a meeting electronically must give notice 48 hours before the commencement of the meeting to the recording secretary or the Village Clerk (or Deputy Clerk), unless advance notice is impractical.
(4) Meeting minutes must reflect whether a member is present physically or electronically, regardless of whether any members are attending through the use of a telephone conference call or other electronic means.
(5) Provided that the audio, telephone or video conference connection allows the voice of an absent member to be clearly heard by the attendees of the meeting (including the public) and the absent member can clearly hear the voices of the attendees who participate in the meeting, a member of a village board, committee or commission may attend, participate and vote at an open or closed meeting through the use of a telephone conference call or other electronic means if the member is prevented from physically attending because of:
(a) Personal illness or disability;
(b) Employment purposes or the business of the public body; or
(c) A family or other emergency.
(6) Where one member of a village board, committee or commission is attending the meeting by use of a telephone conference call or other electronic means, the presiding officer shall, immediately after convening of the meeting, announce to the public which member is attending the meeting by use of a telephone conference call or other electronic means, identify the method of attendance and the reason why the absent member is participating by such means.
(7) If the presiding officer attends the meeting through the use of a telephone conference call or other electronic means, he or she shall vacate the chair and may not act in his or her capacity as the presiding officer.
(8) The voice of the absent member participating by telephone conference call or other electronic means, after being identified by the other village board, committee or commission members as belonging to the absent member, shall be simultaneously broadcast to the public present at the meeting so that his or her voice can be heard, and the member shall also be able to hear any discussions of the other members and the public comment regarding any issue discussed at the meeting before a vote is taken.
(9) The reasons for which an absent member of a village board, committee or commission may participate in a meeting by use of a telephone conference call or other electronic means are limited to those reasons set forth in division (C)(5) above, and do not include vacations or other personal business. Any absent member participating in a meeting by use of a telephone conference call or other electronic means shall publicly state the reason(s) for his or her absence and the reason(s) shall be made part of the record of the meeting.
(10) Only one member of the Village Board shall be allowed to participate in any meeting by use of telephone conference call or other electronic means at a time. Up to two members of any village committee or commission, other than the Village Board, shall be allowed to participate in any meeting by use of telephone conference call or other electronic means at a time.
(11) No member of any village board, committee or commission shall be allowed to participate in any meeting by telephone conference call or other electronic means more than three times in a fiscal year, except for members of the Village Board who are serving as non-voting liaison to a committee or commission.
(12) All requests to remotely attend closed session meetings, including those made pursuant to ILCS Ch. 5, Act 120, § 7(e), shall be included in the open meeting’s agenda and approved, by motion, during the open meeting, regardless if the open meeting is being conducted pursuant to ILCS Ch. 5, Act 120, § 7(e).
(Ord. 2007-O-031, passed 5-22-07; Am. Ord. 2007-O-038, passed 5-22- 07; Am. Ord. 2007-O-058, passed 9-18-07; Am. Ord. 2020-O-067, passed 10-20-20)