[Adopted 5-24-2022 by L.L. No. 9-2022]
The Village of Southampton desires to adopt a local law which
authorizes the use of videoconferencing to conduct its open public
meetings and establishes written procedures to hold open public meetings
pursuant to the Open Meetings Law, Article 7 of the Public Officers
Law (§§ 100 through 111), specifically § 103-a.
The Village of Southampton ("Village") hereby authorizes the
use of videoconferencing to conduct its meetings pursuant to this
article, provided that a minimum number of members are present to
fulfill the public body quorum requirements in the same physical location
or locations where the public can attend and the following criteria
are met:
A. The Village hereby authorizes the use of videoconferencing:
(1) For all Village Boards and any committees or subcommittees.
B. This article shall constitute the written procedures governing member
and public attendance consistent with Public Officers Law § 103-a;
and these procedures shall be conspicuously posted on the Village's
website.
C. Members of the Boards or committees must be physically present at
one of the meeting locations at which the public can attend in person
unless the member is unable to be physically present due to extraordinary
circumstances, which include disability, illness, caregiving responsibilities,
or unexpected factor or event which precludes the member's physical
attendance at such meetings.
D. Except in the case of executive sessions conducted pursuant to Public
Officers Law § 105, the Village shall ensure that members
of the Boards and committees can be heard, seen, and identified while
the meeting(s) are formally being conducted, including but not limited
to any motions, proposals, resolutions, and any other matter formally
discussed or voted upon.
E. Minutes of meetings performed by videoconferencing must include which,
if any, members participated remotely and must be made available to
the public pursuant to Public Officers Law § 106.
F. The public notice for the meeting must:
(1) Inform the public:
(a)
That videoconferencing will be used;
(b)
Where they can view and/or participate in such meetings;
(c)
Where required documents and records will be posted or available;
and
(2) Identify the physical location(s) where members of the Boards or
committees will be participating in the meeting and where the public
can attend the meeting in person.
G. The Village shall maintain an official website. Further, the Village
shall record each meeting that uses videoconferencing and such recordings
must be posted or linked to on the Village's website within five
days of the meeting. The recordings will remain on the Village's
website for five years, and the recordings will be transcribed upon
request.
H. The Village must provide the public the opportunity for members of
the public to view the meeting via video. At meetings where public
comment or participation is authorized, members of the public must
be able to participate in the proceedings via videoconference in real
time.
If the Village conducts meetings via videoconferencing, it must
use technology that permits members of the public with disabilities
to access the video in a manner consistent with the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA).