[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Commissioners of York County
at time of adoption of Code; see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II.
Amendments noted where applicable.]
Commissioners' meetings shall occur weekly, unless otherwise
advertised, on Wednesdays, One West Marketway, Fourth Floor, York,
Pennsylvania. Official actions that are taken, with reference to county
matters, shall occur during regularly scheduled and advertised meetings.
The last working day of the year shall be a scheduled and advertised
Commissioners' meeting.
A.
Special meetings and emergency meetings shall be held at such other
times as the situation requires, with each Commissioner being given
at least 20 hours' notice of any special meeting, which notice
shall also contain the nature of the business to be conducted at said
meeting, unless such notice is waived by him, in writing, or by attending
such special meeting.
B.
Public notice shall be given of each special meeting or any rescheduled,
regular or special meeting, at least 24 hours in advance of the time
of the convening of the meeting specified in the notice.
C.
Public notice shall not be required in the case of an emergency meeting.
D.
All public notices shall be given in accordance with the requirements
of law.
E.
Meetings involving administrative action, as defined in 65 P.S. § 271
et seq., may be scheduled and held without public notice. However,
no new matter shall be deliberated or considered at the administrative
sessions.
A.
Formal meetings shall be the presumed format, shall require the establishment
of an agenda and shall be conducted in accordance with Robert's
Rules of Order, which shall be interpreted by the Chairman of the
meeting or, if questioned or challenged, by the Solicitor, who shall
act as parliamentarian.
B.
At the beginning of each regular meeting, the presiding officer may
determine whether or not said meeting shall be formal or informal.
An informal meeting need not follow any particular order with reference
to deliberations or official actions. But it is contemplated that
informal methods of dealing with county business shall be limited
to routine, noncontroversial matters.
C.
Agenda meetings shall be held to determine a specific agenda for
regular meetings. Such agenda meetings shall be advertised and comply
with the Pennsylvania Sunshine Act, 65 P.S. § 271 et seq.
The business of all meetings shall be recorded. Minutes must
include:
It is understood and agreed that at all regularly advertised
meetings the use of recording devices shall be permitted, and any
person attending a York County meeting shall have the right to use
recording devices to record all proceedings.
All deliberations, which shall mean the discussion of York County
business at a meeting of a quorum of the County Commissioners for
the purpose of making a decision, shall occur at open meetings, unless
otherwise permitted hereunder as a matter permitted by law to be discussed
in executive sessions.
A.
Executive sessions shall occur either during an open meeting, at
the conclusion of an open meeting or may be announced for a future
time. The reason for holding the executive sessions shall be announced
at the open meeting occurring immediately prior or subsequent to the
executive session. If an executive session is not announced for a
future specific time, the Commissioners shall be notified 24 hours
in advance of the time of convening of the meeting, specifying the
date, time, location and purpose of the executive session.
B.
Any official action on discussions held at an executive session shall
be taken at an open meeting. The public shall not attend executive
sessions.
All meetings of the York County Commissioners, except for administrative
action, emergency action or executive sessions, shall be held after
appropriate advertisement, as required by the law.
The execution of policies, relating to persons or things previously
authorized by the York County Board of Commissioners which have been
adopted at an open meeting, do not have to be carried out at the regularly
advertised meeting. No official action of any kind, however, shall
be taken at an administrative meeting involving administrative action.
At every public meeting, an opportunity for public participation
shall be given by the presiding officer. Public participation shall
be limited to taxpayers of York County or residents of York County
to comment on matters of concern, official action or deliberation
which are, or may be, before the York County Commissioners. No questions
shall be presented to the County Commissioners for answer or reply,
except at regularly scheduled question and answer sessions. If the
Board of Commissioners determines that there is not sufficient time
at a meeting for residents of York County or taxpayers of York County
to comment, as set forth above, the Commissioners may defer the comment
period to the next regular meeting or to a special meeting occurring
in advance of the next regular meeting.
The Commissioners may schedule Town meetings or news conference
sessions whenever deemed appropriate to answer questions concerning
county government. Public notice shall be given for question and answer
sessions.
Public notice of all meetings, except emergency, administrative
or executive sessions, shall be in writing and given three days in
advance of the first regular meeting of the year and at least 24 hours
in advance of other meetings. Notice shall be given by advertisement
in the county newspaper with the greatest circulation. Copies of the
written notice will be supplied to any interested person in accordance
with applicable law.
The Board of Commissioners, at any time, may suspend, alter
or amend the rules set forth herein.
