COPAKE—The Town Board is considering adopting a local law that would allow board, committee and commission members to participate in meetings via videoconference “under extraordinary circumstances.”
The new Local Law #2 for 2022 was introduced at the board’s June 9 meeting.
The 2022-23 New York State budget bill included “an amendment to the Open Meetings Law (OML) to make permanent (until July 1, 2024) the expanded use of videoconferencing by public bodies to conduct open meetings, under extraordinary circumstances, regardless of a declaration of emergency,” according to a question and answer document on Chapter 56 of the Laws of 2022 prepared by the New York State Committee on Open Government (opengovernment.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2022/05/chapter-56-of-the-laws-of-2022-guidance-document-05-20-22.pdf.)
Copake Town Attorney Jonathan Tingley told the board that in-person board meetings must continue to be held and a quorum of board members must be physically present, but if one or two members cannot attend in person due to extraordinary circumstances, the local law would authorize them to do so remotely. The public can also attend any virtual public meeting. Read more…