(A) Policy considerations. It is the policy of the Corporate Authorities of Winthrop Harbor that the presence of the elected officials at all public meetings is highly desirable. The public's ability to view actions being taken by elected officials and to make meaningful input into the decision-making process will be materially impaired by the lack of direct access to elected officials in the public forum provided by meetings of the Board of Trustees. Accordingly, the provisions for remote attendance at meetings set forth in this section are intended to provide for the public's good, not necessarily for the convenience or ease of the elected officials. As such, this policy should be used sparingly and in strict conformance with the provisions described herein.
(B) Definitions. For purposes of this policy, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(1) ATTEND BY ELECTRONIC MEANS. Attending by audio or video conference.
(2) MEETING. Any gathering, whether in person or by video or audio conference, telephone call, electronic means (such as, without limitation electronic mail, electronic chat, and instant messaging), or other means of contemporaneous interactive communications, of a majority of a quorum of the members of the Board of Trustees held for the purposes of discussing public business.
(3) PUBLIC BUILDING. Any building or portion thereof owned or leased by any public body.
(C) Electronic participation. If a quorum of the members of the Board of Trustees is physically present as required by ILCS Ch. 5, Act 120, § 7, a majority of those members present may allow the Mayor or a Trustee to attend the meeting by means of video or audio conference if such a person is prevented from physically attending because of the following exclusive reasons and no others:
(1) Personal illness or disability;
(2) Employment purposes;
(3) Business of the public body; or
(4) A family or other emergency.
(D) Notification requirements. If the Mayor or a Trustee wishes to attend a meeting by audio or video conference, then the member must notify the Clerk before the meeting unless such advance notice is impractical.
(E) Consideration of request for electronic participation.
(1) Consideration of a request for electronic participation shall occur under the agenda item titled "Absent Officials Wishing to Attend Remotely".
(2) Any Trustee physically present may state an objection to allowing remote attendance. In the absence of any such objection, the remote attendance shall be deemed to be allowed without objection.
(3) Upon the making of an objection, those Trustees physically present shall consider whether any such request meets the requirements of division (C), and vote regarding whether the requestor may be allowed to participate electronically or whether the objection should be upheld.
(4) An objection shall be upheld only where there is an affirmative majority vote of the Trustees physically present.
(5) Any official requesting to attend the meeting by electronic means may participate in the debate on such question but may not vote on the approval of their own request.
(6) If more than one official requests to attend the meeting by electronic means, such requests will be considered in the order in which notification was received by the Clerk as required in division (D).
(7) Any official whose request to attend the meeting by electronic means is approved may not vote on the approval of any other member's request considered during that meeting, but may participate in any debate on the question.
(8) Any official whose request for attendance by electronic means is denied may continue to listen to and/or view the meeting via electronic means, but may only participate to the same extent in which a member of the public physically present at the meeting could participate.
(F) Closed sessions. Any official's request to attend by electronic means only the closed session of any such meeting shall be considered and voted upon in open session and otherwise in accordance with the Open Meetings Act.
(Ord. 2020-O-2, passed 1-21-20)