(a) All meetings of any municipal body are declared to be public meetings open to the public at all times.
(Ord. 1989-4. Passed 1-26-89.)
All meetings shall provide a reasonable opportunity to hear public opinion.
(Initiative petition passed by voters 11-6-01)
The minutes of a regular or special meeting of any such municipal body shall be promptly recorded and open to public inspection. The minutes need only reflect the general subject matter of discussions in executive sessions authorized under subsection (b) hereof.
(b) The members of a municipal body may hold an executive session only after a majority of a quorum of the municipal body determines, by a roll call vote, to hold such a session and only at a regular or special meeting for the sole purpose of the consideration of any of the following matters:
(1) To consider the appointment, employment, dismissal, discipline, promotion, demotion or compensation of a public employee or official, or the investigation of charges or complaints against a public employee, official, licensee or regulated individual, unless the public employee, official, licensee or regulated individual requests a public hearing. Except as otherwise provided by law, no municipal body shall hold an executive session for the discipline of an elected official for conduct related to the performance of his official duties or for his removal from office. If a municipal body holds an executive session pursuant to subsection (b)(1) hereof, the motion and vote to hold that executive session shall state which one or more of the approved purposes listed in subsection (b)(1) hereof are the purposes for which the executive session is to be held, but need not include the name of any person to be considered at the meeting.
(2) To consider the purchase of property for public purposes, or for the sale of property at competitive bidding, if premature disclosure of information would give an unfair competitive or bargaining advantage to a person whose personal, private interest is adverse to the general public interest. No member of a municipal body shall use this subsection as a subterfuge for providing covert information to prospective buyers or sellers. A purchase or sale of public property is void if the seller or buyer of the public property has received covert information from a member of a municipal body that has not been disclosed to the general public in sufficient time for other prospective buyers and sellers to prepare and submit offers.
If the minutes of the municipal body show that all meetings and deliberations of the municipal body have been conducted in compliance wit this section, any instruments executed by the municipal body purporting to convey, lease or otherwise dispose of any right, title, or interest in any public property shall be conclusively presumed to have been executed in compliance with this section insofar as title or other interest of any bona fide purchasers, lessees or transferees of the property is concerned;
(3) Conferences with an attorney for the municipal body concerning disputes involving the municipal body that are the subject of pending or imminent court action;
(4) Preparing for, conducting, or reviewing negotiations or bargaining sessions with public employees concerning their compensation or other terms and conditions of their employment;
(5) Matters required to be kept confidential by federal law or rules or State statutes;
(6) Specialized details of security arrangements where disclosure of the matters discussed might reveal information that could be used for the purpose of committing, or avoiding prosecution for, a violation of the law.
If a municipal body holds an executive session to consider any of the matters listed in subsections (b)(2) to (6) hereof, the motion and vote to hold that executive session shall state which one or more of the approved matters listed in those subsections are to be considered at the executive session. (Ord. 1988-31. Passed 8-31-88.)
(7) Notwithstanding anything contained in this chapter to the contrary, the City's Board of Building and Zoning Appeals may hold an executive session at any and all times that the Board, in its discretion, determines that an executive session is necessary. The Board may hold an executive session only after approval by a roll call vote of a majority of a quorum of the Board.
(Ord. 1989-4. Passed 1-26-89.)
(c) All resolutions, rules or formal actions of any kind shall be adopted in open meetings of municipal bodies.
(Ord. 1988-31. Passed 8-31-88.)