[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Town of
South Bethany 10-12-2012 by Ord. No. 164-12. Amendments noted where
applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Planning Commission — See Ch. 20.
This chapter is authorized by § C-7K(7) of the Town
Charter.
Any member of the Town Council, Planning Commission, and any
other committee may participate in any regular or special meeting,
including the making or seconding of any motion and casting votes
by remote electronic access (including, by way of example, a speaker
telephone or video-conferencing equipment) if unavoidable circumstances
prevent that individual from being physically present at such meeting,
subject to the remaining provision of this chapter. Participation
by remote electronic access shall not be available to members of the
Board of Adjustment or Planning Commission when public hearings are
being held before those bodies.
No member of the Town Council, Planning Commission, or any other
committee shall be authorized to participate in a meeting by remote
electronic access unless:
A.
There is physically present in the place where the meeting is being
held a sufficient number of members of the Town Council, Planning
Commission, or other committee to constitute a quorum.
B.
The meeting is being presided over by a member of the Town Council,
Planning Commission, or other committee, who is physically present
at the place where the meeting is being held.
C.
All persons present at the place of the meeting (including members
of the public in attendance) can hear and speak to the person(s) participating
by remote electronic access, and the person(s) participating through
remote electronic access can hear and speak to all persons present
at the place of the meeting, and to any other individual participating
in the meeting by remote electronic access.
D.
Not more than two members of the Town Council, Planning Commission,
or other committee may participate by remote electronic access in
any one meeting.
E.
Notice of intent to participate by remote electronic access shall have been provided or waived in accordance with § 17-4.
F.
The member(s) participating in the meeting by remote access are in
continuous communication with those present at the meeting throughout
the entire meeting, unless the loss of remote electronic access is
due to technical difficulties beyond the control of the member(s).
The member(s) will be recorded as having participated in the meeting
for the time the member(s) was/were connected. Member(s) cannot participate
by remote electronic access if the connection is not made prior to
the start of the meeting.
G.
During any meeting when a member participates by remote electronic
access, all votes shall be taken by roll call.
H.
A copy of all documents being reviewed, discussed, or adopted by
the Town Council, Planning Commission, or other committee shall be
available to the member(s) participating by remote electronic access.
A.
Any member of the Town Council desiring to participate at a Town
Council meeting or Town Council workshop by remote electronic access
shall notify the Mayor of such intent (including the reason for being
unable to be physically present at the meeting) as soon as reasonably
possible, but in no event less than eight hours prior to the time
scheduled for the meeting. Circumstances justifying participation
by remote electronic access are those stated in the most recently
adopted Protocol Governing Absences from and Remote Access to Town
Council Meetings Policy. The Mayor shall approve or disapprove the
request based on the Protocol Governing Absences from and Remote Access
to Town Council Meetings Policy.
B.
Any member of the Planning Commission, or other committee desiring
to participate in a meeting by remote electronic access shall notify
the Chairperson of that committee of such intent (including the reason
for being unable to be physically present at the meeting) as soon
as reasonably possible, but in no event less than eight hours prior
to the time scheduled for the meeting. The Chairperson shall approve
or disapprove the request.
C.
The Mayor or Chairperson will notify the Town Manager's office in
order to allow the Town Manager to make the communications facilities
and arrangements necessary to enable remote electronic participation.
Any person failing to provide eight hours' prior notice shall not
be authorized to participate in the meeting by remote electronic access.
However, a majority vote of members physically present at the commencement
of the meeting may waive such eight-hour notice.
[Amended 11-17-2017 by Ord. No. 190-17]
D.
A member of the Town Council cannot exercise the option under this
chapter for more than two consecutive Town Council meetings and/or
Town Council workshops, and not more than 20% of the scheduled meetings
annually. In addition, members of any committee or the Planning Commission
may not exercise the option more than 20% of the scheduled meetings
annually.
[Amended 11-17-2017 by Ord. No. 190-17]
