Laserfiche WebLink
CITY OF RAMSEY <br />Policy Regarding Remote Attendance and Participation in Council and <br />Commission Meetings <br />SECTION 1: SCOPE <br />A. BACKGROUND: The City of Ramsey seeks to develop guidelines to promote transparent <br />and orderly use of electronic technology that allows Council and commission members to <br />attend meetings from a remote location. Electronic audio/video attendance options <br />continue to advance and evolve, along with the laws that govern such attendance. <br />Generally speaking, the city may adopt regulations that are more restrictive (not more <br />lenient) than those provided by state law. <br />B. PURPOSE: The purpose of this policy is to create guidelines governing the remote <br />attendance and participation of members at Council and Commission meetings. Advance <br />notifications and limits are established in order to provide proper notification to the <br />public, and to allow the City to arrange the appropriate technology to cover the meeting. <br />SECTION 2: CRITERIA/PROCEDURE <br />A. ELIGIBLE USERS: Members of the City Council and members of any formally established <br />commission of the City. <br />B. APPLICATION: Eligible users may attend and participate in any regular meeting of their <br />respective Council or commission in accordance with this policy. <br />C. NOTIFICATION: Eligible Users wishing to participate via interactive television or other <br />electronic medium shall notify the City Administrator, in writing, no earlier than ten (10) <br />days, and no later than 72 hours prior to the meeting. The name and location of eligible <br />members attending a meeting via electronic medium shall be posted in conjunction with, <br />and in the same manner as, the regular agenda. <br />D. MAXIMUM ATTENDEES: No more than two (2) eligible users may participate in any single <br />meeting via electronic medium. Eligible participants for any particular meeting will be <br />determined by the order in which notification was received by the City Administrator. <br />E. ANNUAL USE: Eligible users may attend a maximum of four (4) meetings via interactive <br />television per year. <br />F. OTHER: Remote attendance and participation at any public meeting shall be in full <br />compliance with the Open Meeting Law (OML), Minnesota Statutes section 32D.02, <br />subdivision 1. All members of the public showing up at a remote location must be able to <br />see and hear all discussion and votes. All members of the body must be able to see and <br />hear one another, as well as the public. <br />G. EXCEPTIONS: The requirements of this policy may be waived in the event of an emergency <br />as defined by state statute. <br />Note: This policy regarding remote attendance and participation in Council and Commission <br />Meetings was reviewed by the City Council on March 13, 2018; and is subject to future review and <br />revision based upon changes in State law or technology. <br />1 <br />