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§ 30.02 FULL TIME COMMISSIONER.
   (A)   One of the members of the Board of Commissioners, selected by the Board of Commissioners, shall serve in a full time capacity.
   (B)   The selection of the member to serve as a full time Commissioner shall be made annually for a term of one year at the reorganization meeting of the County Commissioners held in January of each year.
   (C)   The selection and appointment of a full time Commissioner shall be with the agreement and consent of the person so selected.
   (D)   The selection and appointment of a full time Commissioner shall be contingent upon the approval of an appropriate salary for said position from the Common Council.
   (E)   There is no restriction on the number of one year terms that a Commissioner may occupy the position as a full time Commissioner.
   (F)   The individual filling the position as a full time Commissioner may terminate his full time status upon written notice to the Commissioners and upon said notice being presented to the County Auditor.
(BC Res. 1986-4, passed 7-7-86)
§ 30.03 COMMUNICATIONS SPECIFICATIONS.
   The communications specifications adopted by the Board of Commissioners on May 11, 1984, are hereby adopted by reference and made a part of this code as if set forth in full herein.
(BC Ord. passed 5-11-84)
§ 30.04 ELECTRONIC MEETINGS POLICY.
   (A)   Title of policy and incorporation by reference.
      (1)   This section shall be known as the "Electronic Meetings Policy" of the Board of Commissioners.
      (2)   The provisions of I.C. 3-14-1.5-1, et seq., including any and all definitions, are hereby incorporated into this policy by reference.
   (B)   Electronic participation.
      (1)   Subject to divisions (C) and (E), below, any Commissioner may participate in a meeting by any electronic means of communication that:
         (a)   Allows all Commissioners to simultaneously communicate with each other; and
         (b)   Except for a meeting that is an executive session, allows the public to simultaneously attend and observe the meeting.
      (2)   A Commissioner who participates by an electronic means of communication:
         (a)   Shall be considered present for purposes of establishing a quorum; and
         (b)   May participate in final action only if the Commissioner can be seen and heard.
      (3)   All votes taken during a meeting in which a Commissioner participates by an electronic means of communication must be taken by roll call vote.
   (C)   Attendance by electronic means.
      (1)   At least two Commissioners must be physically present at a meeting during which a Commissioner is participating by electronic means of communication. No more than one Commissioner may participate by means of electronic communication at the same meeting.
      (2)   A Commissioner shall not attend more than 50% of meetings in a calendar year by electronic means of communication, unless the Commissioner's electronic participation is due to:
         (a)   Military service;
         (b)   Illness or other medical condition;
         (c)   Death of a relative; or
         (d)   An emergency involving actual or threatened injury to persons or property.
      (3)   A Commissioner may attend two consecutive meetings by electronic communication. In the event a Commissioner attends two consecutive meetings by electronic communication, said Commissioner must be physically present at the next subsequent meeting, unless the Commissioner's absence is due to:
         (a)   Military service;
         (b)   Illness or other medical condition;
         (c)   Death of a relative; or
         (d)   An emergency involving actual or threatened injury to persons or property.
   (D)   Electronic meeting minutes. The minutes of a meeting at which a Commissioner participates by electronic means of communication shall:
      (1)   Identify each Commissioner who:
         (a)   Was physically present at the meeting;
         (b)   Participated in the meeting by electronic means of communication; and
         (c)   Was absent.
      (2)   Identify the electronic means of communication by which:
         (a)   A Commissioner participated in the meeting; and
         (b)   Members of the public attended and observed the meeting if the meeting was not an executive session.
   (E)   Final action not permitted. No Commissioner who is participating in a meeting by means of electronic communication shall participate in taking final action if the Board of Commissioners is attempting to take final action to:
      (1)   Adopt a budget;
      (2)   Make a reduction in personnel;
      (3)   Initiate a referendum;
      (4)   Impose or increase a fee;
      (5)   Impose or increase a penalty;
      (6)   Exercise the governing body's power of eminent domain; or
      (7)   Establish, impose, raise, or renew a tax.
(BC Res. 2021-07, 5-24-2021)
COUNTY COUNCIL
§ 30.15 WARRICK COUNTY COUNCIL DISTRICTS.
   (A)   The election districts for the Warrick County Council are as follows:
      (1)   District 1 shall be comprised of the following precincts: Ohio 03, Ohio 04, Ohio 08, Ohio 09, Ohio 10, Ohio 11, Ohio 15, Ohio 17, Ohio 19, Ohio 20, Ohio 22, Ohio 27, Ohio 28, Ohio 32.
      (2)   District 2 shall be comprised of the following precincts: Campbell, Ohio 06, Ohio 07, Ohio, Ohio 13, Ohio 14, Ohio 21, Ohio 23, Ohio 24, Ohio 30, Ohio 31, Ohio 34.
      (3)   District 3 shall be comprised of the following precincts: Anderson, Boon 03, Boon 10, Boon 15, Ohio 01, Ohio 02, Ohio 05, Ohio 16, Ohio 25, Ohio 26, Ohio 33.
      (4)   District 4 shall be comprised of the following precincts: Boon 05, Boon 06, Boon 07, Boon 08, Boon 09, Boon 11, Boon 12, Boon 13, Boon 14, Greer 01, Greer 02, Hart, Lane, Owen, Pigeon, Skelton.
   (B)   The remaining members of the Warrick County Council shall be “at-large members” and shall be elected by the voters of the entire Warrick County pursuant to I.C. 36-2-3-4(a).
(BC Ord. 1994-1, passed 1-1-94; Am. BC Ord. 2013-30, passed 12-9-13; Am. B.C. Ord. 2021- 42, passed 12-13-21)
§ 30.16 ELECTRONIC MEETINGS POLICY.
   (A)   General electronic participation provisions. 
      (1)   A Council member may participate electronically in a Council meeting, subject to this policy and the requirements of I.C. 5-14-1.5, only if:
         (a)   All participating Council members can simultaneously communicate;
         (b)   The public can simultaneously attend and observe the meeting, except for executive sessions; and
         (c)   At least 50% of the Council members are physically present at a meeting.
      (2)   All votes during a meeting in which a Council member participates electronically shall be taken by roll call.
      (3)   Meeting minutes for meetings at which a Council member participates electronically must include the following:
         (a)   The name of each Council member physically present;
         (b)   The name of each Council member participating electronically;
         (c)   The name of each absent Council member;
         (d)   The electronic means of communication used by Council members; and
         (e)   The electronic means of communication used by the public to attend.
      (4)   A Council member who participates electronically is considered present for purposes of establishing a quorum.
      (5)   A Council member participating electronically may participate in final action only if the Council member can be seen and heard.
      (6)   Technological failures that disrupt or prevent simultaneous communication between a Council member or a member of the public who are not physically present do not prevent the Council from conducting the meeting or taking final action as long as the Council members physically present satisfy the quorum and voting requirements.
      (7)   A Council member cannot attend more than 50% of the meetings in a year electronically, unless the electronic participation is due to:
         (a)   Military service;
         (b)   Illness or other medical condition;
         (c)   Death of a relative; or
         (d)   An emergency involving actual or threatened injury to persons or property.
      (8)   A Council member cannot attend more than two consecutive meetings by electronic participation, unless the Council member's absence is due to one of the above exceptions. Otherwise, two consecutive meetings of electronic participation shall be followed by the Council member's physical presence at the next meeting.
      (9)   Electronic participation is prohibited, and all Council members must be physically present at a meeting, for the Council to take the following final actions:
         (a)   Adopting a budget;
         (b)   Making a reduction in personnel;
         (c)   Initiating a referendum;
         (d)   Establishing or increasing a fee;
         (e)   Establishing or increasing a penalty;
         (f)   Using eminent domain authority; and
         (g)   Establishing, raising, or renewing a tax.
   (B)   Electronic participation during disaster emergency.
      (1)   These provisions apply if:
         (a)   The Governor declares a disaster emergency under I.C. 10-14-3-12; or
         (b)   The County Commissioners declare a local disaster emergency under I.C. 10-14-3-29.
      (2)   Notwithstanding the general electronic participation provisions of this policy, the Council members are not required to be physically present at a meeting until the disaster emergency or local disaster emergency is terminated.
      (3)   Council members may meet by electronic means if:
         (a)   At least a quorum participates electronically or in person;
         (b)   The public can simultaneously attend and observe the meeting, except for executive sessions; and
      (c)   The meeting memoranda includes:
         1.   The name of each Council member participating electronically;
         2.   The name of each absent Council member;
         3.   The electronic means of communication used by Council members; and
         4.   The electronic means of communication used by the public to attend.
      (4)   All votes during a meeting under this section shall be taken by roll call.
(CC Res. 2021-08, passed 6-3-21)
§ 30.17 RULES FOR INDIVIDUALS ATTENDING PUBLIC MEETINGS HELD BY THE COUNTY COUNCIL.
   (A)   The County Council hereby adopts the following rules to apply to individuals attending public meetings of the Council.
      (1)   This section does not expand or add any additional right(s) an individual may have regarding a public meeting of the Council, including attending and/or commenting on its meetings.
      (2)   Although members of the general public have no right to speak during a public meeting of the Council, the Council, at its sole discretion, may provide for a public comment period, during which time individuals may be given an opportunity to address the Council.
      (3)   Prior to addressing the Council during any public comment period, individuals wishing to speak will be required to sign a speaker registration sheet and provide their name, address, and the issue
or topic they wish to address. Individuals will be called to speak in the order in which they have signed the speaker registration sheet.
      (4)   Individuals who wish to speak and have signed the speaker registration sheet may waive their opportunity to speak once called upon. However, an individual who waives their opportunity to speak will not be permitted to speak at a later time.
      (5)   Once called upon, all speakers shall first state their name, their county of residence, and the issue upon which they wish to speak. Speakers may only speak from a podium and must speak loudly and clearly into the microphone provided.
      (6)   Any speaker wishing to provide documents to the Council at the meeting shall provide one copy for each of the seven Council members. However, speakers are encouraged to bring additional copies of any documents they intend to distribute during the meeting.
      (7)   Each speaker may only speak once and will be given a maximum of three minutes to speak unless a shorter period of time is set forth by the Council. Time may not be reserved or yielded to other speakers. Once an individual is finished speaking, their remaining time, if any, is waived.
      (8)   Each speaker will be notified when their allotted time to speak is exhausted. Any speaker that does not immediately conclude their remarks at the expiration of their allotted time will be deemed out of order and will be asked to stop.
      (9)   Comments that are duplicative or repetitive will be deemed out of order and the speaker will asked to stop.
      (10)   Any speaker who is discourteous, argumentative, accusatory, or insulting will be deemed out of order and will be asked to stop.
      (11)   Once a speaker is deemed out of order for any reason, their remaining time, if any, will be forfeited and the speaker will not be granted an opportunity to make any further comment or presentation.
      (12)   All individuals attending a public meeting will be expected to adhere to these rules. Any person failing to do so will be deemed out of order.
      (13)   The Council is authorized, and has sole discretion, to request that any person deemed out of order leave the meeting. Once requested to leave, a person must immediately leave the meeting room.
      (14)   In extreme cases, if a person refuses to leave the meeting after being asked to do so, and continues to disrupt the proceedings in a way that is obviously hostile to the purpose of the meeting, the Council may order that the person be removed by members of the County Sheriff’s Department.
   (B)   A copy of the rules stated herein shall be provided outside the Council's meeting room, and made available to the general public through the internet on the county website (https://www.warrickcounty.gov/).
(CC Res. 2024-10, passed 8-8-24)