Title
Amending Chapter 15 of the Administrative Code entitled "Council Meetings and Meetings of Committees, Boards and Commissions."
Body
An Ordinance amending Chapter 15 of the Administrative Code entitled "Council Meetings and Meetings of Committees, Boards and Commissions."
The Council of the City of Saint Paul does Ordain:
Section 1.
Chapter 15 of the Administrative Code entitled "Council Meetings and Meetings of Committees, Boards and Commissions" is hereby amended to read as follows:
Chapter 15. - Council Meetings and Meetings of Committees, Boards and Commissions
Sec. 15.01. - Definitions.
The following definitions shall apply in the interpretation and enforcement of this chapter:
Commission shall mean and include any board, committee, agency, commission or subunit thereof whose membership is ratified or approved by the council.
Council shall mean the council of the City of Saint Paul.
Sec. 15.02. - Scope and responsibility for notifying public.
It is declared to be the policy of the council of the City of Saint Paul that all of its meetings and meetings of its commissioners shall be open to the public and the presiding officer of the council or commission shall have the responsibility of fulfilling the notice requirements of Sections 15.04 and 15.05, except as modified by Section 15.03, and supplying the necessary information therefore to the city clerk.
Sec. 15.03.- Meetings of the council; notice.
The council shall meet at the City Hall at least once a week, except during any week when such meeting would be the fifth meeting in that calendar month. A schedule of the regular meetings of the council shall be maintained on file in the office of city clerk. In addition to the regular meetings of the council as required by the Saint Paul City Charter, special meetings may be held anywhere in the city on the call of the president of the council or upon the written request submitted to the secretary of the council by any four (4) members. Notice of special meetings shall be given by the city clerk in the form and manner prescribed by state law. Pursuant to the provisions of Saint Paul City Charter, Section 4.04, the business conducted at special meetings shall be confined to that stated in the notice. Regular or special meetings may be recessed or continued to a later time and/or different place. No further published or mailed notice is necessary if the time and place of the recessed or continued meeting was established during the previous meeting and recorded in the minutes of that meeting.
Sec. 15.04. - Notice requirement for Commissions.
Except as herein otherwise provided, it shall be the duty of the presiding officer of a commission to notify all of its members in writing of the date, time and place of meeting and topics to be discussed in the manner provided by state law and shall furnish a copy of such notice to the city clerk who shall act in accordance with Section 15.05.
Sec. 15.05.- Official bulletin board.
The city clerk shall cause to be installed and maintained a bulletin board, readily accessible to public view at the Kellogg Boulevard entrance to the City Hall and Court House, upon which the clerk shall post a list of all notices transmitted to the city clerk's office and as required by this chapter.
Sec. 15.06.- Emergency meetings.
(a)
Emergency meetings shall be open to the public, with notice given in the form and manner prescribed by state law, except that the city clerk shall make reasonable efforts to notify each local news medium. Notice requirements for such meetings of the council or of a commission as to the members thereof shall conform to the procedures set forth in state law and to any additional requirements established by the council or a commission.
(b)
An emergency meeting is one called to institute immediate action involving the protection of the public peace, health, welfare or safety.
Sec. 15.07. - Journals, minutes and tape recordings of meetings.
The actions and discussions taking place at all meetings shall be recorded by written minutes, journals or tape recordings, and i or electronic means. It shall be the duty of the presiding officer at such meetings to fulfill this obligation, directly or by assignment.
Sec. 15.08. - Cable television.
(a)
All city council and city council committee meetings will be cablecast live on the government access channel and played back on the same government access channel within four (4) days of the meeting on days and times approved by the city council.
(b)
City council meeting agendas will be cablecast on the government access channel at least four (4) times during the week preceding each meeting on days and times approved by the city council.
(c)
At least twelve (12) half hour original programs will be produced annually featuring city council members addressing city topics of their choice. Each month one (1) of these programs will be cablecast on the government access channel at least twice each week on days and times approved by the city council.
(d)
Video and audio services will be provided for hearings conducted by the legislative hearing officer.
The finance director shall be responsible for ensuring that the above services are provided.
Broadcasting City Council activities.
(a) All regular city council meetings will be cablecast live on the government access channel and played back on the same government access channel within two (2) days of the meeting on days and times approved by the city council. All regular city council meetings will also be webcast live and available on the internet. Special meetings of the city council shall be cable and webcast at the discretion of the chair.
(b) Regular city council meeting agendas will be available on the City's internet site at least three days prior to the meeting.
(c) At least eight programming hours featuring city council issues addressing city topics of the City Council's choice will be produced annually. Each month programs will be cablecast on the government access channel on a schedule approved by the City Council and made available on the City's web and the internet.
(d) Technology support services will be provided for legislative hearings.
The Director of the Office of Technology shall be responsible for ensuring that the above services are provided.
Sec. 15.09. - Penalties.
Persons in violation of this chapter may be penalized only as provided by the sanctions set forth in statutory enactments concerning open meetings.
Section 2.
This ordinance shall take effect 30 days after passage, approval, and publication.