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2024-03-12 Minutes 1 MEETING MINUTES MARCH 12, 2024 6:00 PM COUNCIL CHAMBERS 1) CALL TO ORDER Mayor Burch called the meeting to order at 6:06 PM. 2) MOMENT OF SILENCE / PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 3) ROLL CALL Councilmember Neil Cantor joined via Zoom. Councilmember Jerome Charles Councilmember Sandra Harris Vice Mayor Jesse Valinsky Mayor George Burch ALSO PRESENT: Village Attorney Chanae Wood Village Clerk Ysabely Rodriguez Village Manager Esmond Scott 4) PUBLIC COMMENTS No general public comments were offered. 5) DISCUSSION & POSSIBLE ACTION ITEMS 5.A DISCUSSION AND POSSIBLE ACTION REGARDING RULES OF ORDER (STAFF: VILLAGE ATTORNEYS). Village Attorney Wood provided opening remarks, indicating the proposed changes will be discussed as highlighted in the presentation. Mayor Burch requested the draft document be reviewed from beginning to end. 2 Village Attorney Wood clarified the proposed changes will be presented to the Village Council in one streamlined resolution for adoption. Mayor Burch opened item-specific public comments. Janet Goodman asked Council to specify the selected options as they review the proposed document. Ms. Goodman further spoke about the public comments section, advocating for three minutes. Toni McCormick spoke in favor of three minutes time limit. With respect to Section 1. Governing Rules: Village Attorney Wood indicated the draft rules of procedures apply to all Village boards and committees; however, the Village Council may grant board and committees who have or choose to employ different rules the opportunity to do so. With respect to Section 2. Officers (A & B): Councilmember Harris spoke in opposition to including language that differs from the Village Charter with respect to the Mayoral and Vice Mayoral appointments. Attorney Wood recommended removing the language should the Council choose to uphold the Charter language. There was consensus amongst the Village Council to strike through the proposed language and include the exact language stipulated in the Village Charter. Section 2.D: There was consensus to uphold the proposed language, stipulating “The Village Manager may make recommendations for items before the Council for consideration and shall have the right to take part in discussions of the Council but shall have no vote.” With respect to Section 3. Meetings: There was consensus to amend the language to reflect: “Special meetings may be called with the consent of the majority of the Council and held by any three (3) members of the Council. Verbal and written notice must be given to each member of the Council, the Village Manager, Village Clerk and Village Attorney and public with no less than twenty-four (24) hours and preferably seventy-two (72) hours prior to each meeting. The agenda shall state the specific purpose or purposes of the meeting and no additional items shall be considered at that time. Workshop meetings may be called with the consent of the majority of the Council and held by any two (2) members of the Council. With respect to Section 4. Committees: Attorney Wood indicated she would determine the existing board/committee appointment process by conferring with the Village Clerk and include such language in the final draft. Section 5. Conduct of Meetings: There was majority consensus for the Boards and Committees Report section of the agenda to remain; however, all boards and committees must inform the Village Clerk and Village Manager of their intent to present an update to the board prior to the agenda deadline date. Mayor Burch spoke in opposition. Section 5E. Limitation on Agenda Items: There was consensus to limit discussion items to three items per elected official at any Council Meeting. Discussion ensued regarding the Presiding Officer’s role regarding the enforcement of public comments time limit. 3 Village Attorney Wood sought clarification with respect to the scope of the public comments section which transpires at the beginning of the meeting. Councilmember Harris indicated pursuant to the resolution, the public may provide general public comments and/or item specific public comments. However, if item- specific public comments may not be provided more than once. Section 6. Public Participation Discussion ensued regarding yielding public comments time to another individual; however, there was consensus to disallow such practice. Recess was called at 8:08 PM and the meeting resumed at 8:21 PM. Discussion ensued regarding eComments. Discussion ensued regarding 6C. Preservation of Order-Civility/Decorum. Village Attorney Wood recommended the removal of the term “barred” due to first amendment requirements. However, Attorney Wood indicated she would provide alternative language in the proposed resolution. “Any person engaging in abusive or profane language, physical violence of the threat thereof, or making impertinent or slanderous remarks or who becomes boisterous while addressing the Village Council shall be barred from further appearance before the Village Council by the presiding officer, unless permission to continue or again address the Village Council is granted by the majority vote of the Council members present.” Attorney Wood indicated she will include language which specifies appropriate opportunities for clapping and alternative expressions of support. Section 7. Rules of Debate There was consensus to allow the presiding officer to move, debate, and vote without passing the gavel to the Vice Chair. 7D. Interruption/Call to Order. With respect to the proposed options, Attorney Wood recommended the Council uphold the allowance of interruptions when a point of order is called as indicated below: “A Council member, once recognized, shall not be interrupted when speaking unless it is a call to order or as otherwise provided herein. If a member is called to order, the member shall cease speaking until the question of order is determined.” There was consensus to accept the aforementioned language. Discussion ensued regarding the appropriate time to ask for a renewal. L. Renewal There was consensus to include the following language “Once action is taken on a proposed ordinance or resolution neither the same matter nor its repeal or rescission may be brought before the Village Council again for a three-month period following the said action unless application for renewal by three council members.” Mayor Burch provided clarification with respect to Robert Rules of Order’s interpretation of renewal, rescind, and reconsideration. 4 Discussion ensued regarding whether the three-month period may be overridden if there are at least three votes in support of the renewal request. Village Attorney Wood answered in the affirmative. Discussion ensued regarding the appropriate time to ask for a renewal. Village Attorney W ood indicated such request should be raised during order of business or Council Comments. Renewals and reconsideration language clarification will be incorporated into the resolution. Section 8. Miscellaneous A. Interference with Administration Discussion ensued regarding the inclusion of the exact language detailed in the Village Charter in lieu of the proposed language. Mayor Burch asked for clarification with respect to the extent of permissible Council engagement of Village staff (who are not Charter Officers) pursuant to the stipulated language in the Village Charter. Vice Mayor Valinsky, member of the recent Charter Review Committee, explained the intent is to allow for Council engagement of Village staff with respect to inquiries and/or best practices; however, the intent of the Village Charter is to disallow Council to direct staff to perform work without Village Manager authorization. Village Manager Scott indicated the advantage of notifying the Village Manager of any contact with his staff is to prevent any form of miscommunication. Discussion ensued regarding the exactitude of the “substantial time” threshold. Village Attorney Wood indicated clarification regarding substantial time may be inserted in the Rules of Order. There was consensus to add the exact language from the Village Charter regarding interference, including clarification on what is deemed substantial time. Councilmember Harris raised concerns regarding Council imposing undue influence on boards and committees, asking Council to consider adding language to prevent such action. Vice Mayor Valinsky encouraged Councilmembers to attend board and committee meetings; however, Vice Mayor Valinsky indicated no individual Councilmember should speak on behalf of the Council. Mayor Burch expressed interest in hearing more from the respective Village board and committees. There was consensus from the majority of the Council to insert language regarding interference with board and committees. Addendums: Proclamations & Charitable Donations Village Attorney Wood clarified the aforementioned documents are separate documents, indicating the addendums would be reviewed when the final draft of the Rules of Order is presented to Council in the interest of time. Mayor Burch indicated he has several changes to propose regarding the draft charitable organization resolution. 5 I. Council Use of funds Councilmember Harris spoke about the importance of expanding the scope of the $1,000 discretionary funds allocated in the Mayor and Council budget. As an alternative to the proposal, Councilmember Harris proposed eliminating said line item from the budget should the Village Council choose to forgo support for this item. Village Attorney Wood indicated language may be inserted in the Village Code, cross-referencing the resolution that governs Council discretionary funds and expanding its scope. Village Attorney Wood informed Council such funds must be used for public purposes. 5) ADJOURNMENT There being no further discussion, the meeting adjourned at 9:55 PM.