HomeMy WebLinkAboutRemote Public Meeting Procedures 04-17-20City of Carmel - Memorandum
Date: April 17, 2020
To: Carmel Plan Commission
From: Mike Hollibaugh
Re: Remote Public Meetings
Copy: John Molitor
DOCS Staff
The Department of Community Services has been working closely with Plan Commission counsel John
Molitor to develop guidelines for conducting remote meetings that are consistent with Governor
Holcomb's executive orders and which comply with guidance from the Indiana Public Access Counsel.
For next Tuesday's meeting, it is recommended the Plan Commission:
A) adopt the rule amendment recommended by the Executive Committee on 4/7/20 that allows remote
participation by members when authorized by an executive order of the Governor, and
B) approve the remote meeting procedural guidelines, as follows.
1. These procedures for remote meetings and online participation - while temporary - will continue
until the safety and well-being of members, staff and the general public will not be jeopardized by
participating in live public meetings at City Hall
2. All Plan Commission public meetings shall be live streamed on the City's website and broadcast on
television via the City of Carmel public access channel.
3. All members of the Plan Commission will participate remotely for regular meetings and committee
meetings, via video conference app if possible or via phone call if online participation is not possible.
4. At the beginning of any public meeting of the Commission, all members who are participating
remotely shall introduce themselves and indicate by whom they were appointed and the
neighborhood (or area) of Carmel in which they reside. DOCS Staff and Legal Counsel will also
introduce themselves and indicate what role they have in the process.
5. Members of the public can observe the remote proceedings on their mobile devices or computers,
however no live comments via phone or video conference will be accepted.
6. Members of the public can also observe remote public meetings from Carmel City Hall, however
attendance is limited to a maximum of ten (10) persons at any one time and there will be no live
comments.
7. No live public comments will occur during remote meetings. DOCS staff will only accept written
public comments submitted via email or in letter form and received by DOCS staff at least three (3)
hours prior to the scheduled commencement time of the meeting. After the initial public hearing,
written public communication will also be accepted and entered into the record prior to the date of a
petition's final vote.
8. All written correspondence will be entered into the record, by recognizing the names of individuals
who have submitted comments and shall be recorded in the official public record, as well as in the
Docket file, consistent with regular administrative procedures.
9. Public Hearing items will generally proceed using the normal Committee process; however, in order
to assure maximum public participation, Public Hearings will remain open for a period of seventy-two
(72) hours after the conclusion of the meeting.
10. Commission members should duly consider comments from the public submitted remotely, and the
meeting minutes will reflect that comments were received from remote participants.
11. All votes taken at remote meetings held by the Commission shall be roll call votes, conducted by the
Secretary.
12. All "public gatherings" at City Hall, regardless of venue, are limited to no more than 10 persons.
Whenever the 11th and 12th individuals show up in person at a "live" venue in order to observe the
public hearing, they will be turned away and advised that they may instead observe remotely. All
efforts will be made to balance public attendance in order to allow the public to attend agenda
specific items.
13. All unrelated persons who are physically present at a hearing shall observe physical distancing of not
less than ten (10) feet between any other person. The venue's seating arrangement will be
structured by staff to support physical distancing.