02-24-2015 Council Policy Remote Telephone/Video Meeting AttendanceAVON TOW
N -COUNCIL POLICY REGARDING:
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1. Purpose. The purpose of this Avon Town Council Policy ("Policy's is to specify the
circumstances under which a member of the Avon Town Council may participate in regular and special
meetings and executive sessions by telephone and/or video conferencing ("Remote Attendance").
Although advancements in communication equipment have enhanced the capability of Remote
Attendance for board meetings in general, Remote Attendance has inherent challenges that lessens the
effectiveness and efficiency of meeting participation compared to physical attendance. Such limitations
include but are not limited to difficultly in viewing documentary information presented during meetings,
evaluating a speaker's non-verbal language in assessing veracity or credibility, observing non-verbal
explanations (e.g., pointing at graphs and charts) during a speaker's presentation or testimony, and
participating efficiently in the procedural flow of a meeting. In addition, Remote Attendance of executive
sessions prevents the Town from ensuring compliance with state law.
2. Statement of Policy. A member of the Town Council may participate in a Council meeting
by Remote Attendance only in accordance with this Policy. Remote Attendance shall be made
available and shall be limited as follows:
A. A Town Council member may participate by Remote Attendance only when such
member's absence would otherwise constitute an excused absence. An excused
absence shall include but not be limited to the inability to physically attend due to
unavoidable travel schedule conflicts which are communicated to the Town Manager in
advance of a meeting and unanticipated emergencies or accidents which render physical
attendance not possible.
B. Town Council must approve by a majority vote of the Council members physically present
to allow a Council member to participate by Remote Attendance.
C. The communication equipment and connections must be sufficient to allow clear,
uninterrupted two way communication between the Remote Attendee and all participants
physically present at a Council meeting.
D. Multiple Council members may participate by Remote Attendance if the communication
equipment is sufficient to allow clear, uninterrupted two way communication.
E. A Remote Attendee shall neither participate nor vote on any matter that is subject to a
quasi-judicial public hearing or the adoption of an ordinance on final reading. A Remote
Attendee may maintain the connection and passively listen and/or watch the public
hearing proceedings.
F. A Remote Attendee may not attend an executive session.
G. The Town Council may discontinue Remote Attendance at a meeting when a majority of
the Council members physically present find that communication equipment or
connection is inadequate and results in noise, poor sound quality, delay or lost
connections.
Avon Town Council
Remote Meeting Attendance Policy
Adopted February 24, 2015
3. Effect of Remote Attendance. Remote Attendance shall constitute physical attendance for
purposes of establishing a quorum. Meeting minutes shall acknowledge any Remote Attendance.
Motions, votes and other actions of a remote attendee shall be the same as if Council member
physically attended the meeting except that the restriction on participation in quasi-judicial public
hearings and attendance in executive sessions set forth in Paragraph 2. State of Policy shall apply.
4. Applicability. This Policy shall apply to all meetings of the Avon Town Council.
5. Remote Attendance by Non -Council Members. Non-CouncJl members may participate by
Remote Attendance when the majority of the Council members determine that Remote Attendance is
necessary for the consideration of business presented to the Town, such Remote Attendance would
not violate the policies set forth in Section 2, above, the public interest would be harmed, threatened or
diminished by continuation of the business item; and good cause exists for the inability of the non -
Council member Remote Attendee to physically attend.
6. Reasonable Accommodation. The Town shall provide reasonable accommodation and shall
waive or modify this Policy to provide handicapped Town Council members full and equal access to
Council meetings.
ADOPTED AS AN AVON TOWN COUNCIL MEETING PROCEDURE POLICY in accordance with
the Avon Town Council Simplified Rules of Order on February 24, 2015
BY..
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11(W Fancher, Mayor
Avon Town Council
Remote Meeting Attendance Policy
Adopted February 24, 2015
ATTEST:
Debbie Hoppe, Town C erk