Last week the Marshall County Commissioners passed a resolution establishing the policy by which members may participate in meetings electronically.
The resolution covers the County Commissioners, County Council and other members of Marshall County governing bodies such as the County Plan Commission and BZA, Drainage Board and Unsafe Buildings. The resolution allows participating members to simultaneously communicate with each other by an electronic means.
The resolution requires members to be seen and heard during the virtual meeting and all votes must be completed by a roll call. The member must physically attend at least 50% of the meetings and no more than 50% of the members may participate by an electronic means at the same meeting. There are exceptions including military service, illness or other medical condition, death of a relative or an emergency involving actual or threatened injury to persons or property. The resolution also limits electronic participation in meetings at two consecutive meetings.
No members of the Board of Commissioners, Council or other county government meeting participate by means of electronic communication in a meeting at which final actions will be taken to adopt a budget, make a recommendation in personnel, initiate a referendum, impose or increase of fee or penalty, exercise the power of eminent domain or establish, impose, raise or renew a tax.
The county’s resolution states that if the Governor of Indiana declares an emergency, members of the commissioners, council or other governing bodies are not required to be physically present for a meeting until the emergency is terminated. It does require a quorum and access to the public simultaneously as well as minutes and all voted taken during the meeting must be taken by roll call.
The Marshall County Commissioners unanimously approved the resolution.
