Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance No. 2168-2006SUBSI'ITUTE "A" Suggested by: Councilor Molloy CITY OF KENAI OY2ISYNAlVCE PYO. 2168-2008 AN ORDINANCE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF KENAI, ALASKA, AMENDING KMC 1.15.130 TO ALLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS TO TELEPHONICALLY ATi'END UP TO TWO (2) ADDITIONAL COUNCIL MEETINGS DUF2ING A TWELVE (12) MONTH PERIOD IF THE MEMBER IS PHYSICALLY UNABLE TO ATTEND DUE TO THE NEED FOR EXTENDED MEDICAL CARE AND TREATMENT OF THE MEMBER OR THE MEMBER'S IMMEDIATE FAMILY. WHEREAS, Section 2-7 of the Kenai City Charter states a Council Member shall cease to hold office if the member misses more than one-half of the regular and special meetings within a three-month period; and, WHERF;AS, KMC 1.15.130 allows a Council Member to attend up to two (2) meetings telephonically during a twelve (12) month period be~inning on November 1 if ihe member is physically unable to attend; and, WHEREAS, telephonic attendance at various meetings, both in the public and private seetors, is increasingly allowed; and, WHEREAS, even after allowing for two (2) meetings being attended telephonically under KMC 1.15.130, an extended illness of a Council Member or the member's immediate family member can require the member to be physically absent from more than one-half of the regular and special council meetings within a three-month period due to the need for extended medical care and treatment of the member or the member's immediate family; and, WHEREAS, it is good public policy to allow and encourage Council Members to help provide care and support for immediate family members when they are suffering from an extended ilhiess; and, WHEREAS, providing for an additional two (2) meetings to be attended telephonically during a twelve (12) month period not only would permit the member to retain a council seat while dealing with medical care and treatment for an extended illness, but also would allow the member to be more effective for the public than if additional telephone participation were not allowed; and, WHEREAS, the council recognizes that it is vital to have its members physically present enough in the community to effectively interact with the community members and learn the needs and problems of the community and their constituency; and, NOW, TH~REFORE, B~ IT OKDAINED BY TH~ COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF K~NAI, ALASKA, that KMC 1.15.010 is amended as shown on Attachment A. Ordinance No. 2168-2006 Page 2 of 2 PASSED BY THE COUNCII, OF THE CITY OF KENAI, AI,ASKA, this 19'~~ day of July, 2006. ~ ~~~r ~~~ ~~~~ , PAT PORTER, MAYOR ATTEST: ~~ ` Carol L. Freas, City Clerk Introduced: Second Reading Third Reading i'ourth Reading Adopted: Effective: May 17, 2006 June 7, 2006 June 21, 2006 Jaly 19, 2446 July 19, 2006 August 19, 2006 1.15.130 Telephonic participation. (a) A member of the Council may participate via telephone in a Council meeting, if the member declares that circumstances prevent physical attendance at the iveetin~. If the Mayor choosES to participate via telephone, the vice-mayor or president pro tempore sha11 preside. (b) No more than the first two (2) members to contact the Clerk regarding telephonic participation in a parkicular meeting may participate via telephone at any one (1) meeting. (c) The member shall notify Che Clerk and 111e presiding officer, if reasonabiy practicable, at least twenty-four (24) hours in advance of a meeting that the member proposes to attend by telephone and shall provide the physical address of ihe location, the telephone number, and any available facsimiie, email, or other docimlent transmission service. (d) At the meeting, the Clerk sha11 establish the telephone connection when the call to order is imminent. (e) A member participating by telephone shall be counted as present for purposes of discussion and voting. (~ The member participating by telephone shall make every effort to participate in the entire meeting. From time to rime durin~ the meeting, the presiding officer shall confirm the coimection. (g) The member participating by telephone may ask to be recognized by the presiding off cer to the same extent as any other member. (h) To the extent reasonably practicable, the Clerlc shall provide backup materials to members participating by telephone. (i) If the telephone connection cannot be made or is made and then lost, the meeting shall eommEnce or continue as scheduled and the Clerlc shall attempt to establish or restare the connecdon. (j) Meeting times shall be e~ressed in Alaska time regardless of the time at the location of any member partieipating by telephone. (lc) Participation by telephone shall be allowed for re~ular, special and work session meetings of tl~e Council. (I) Remarks by meulbers participating by telephone sha11 be transmitted so as ~ to be audible by a11 members and the public in attendance at the meeting, provided Ordinance 2168-2006 Attachment~ A Subsritute A Page 1 of 2 that in executive session the remarks shall be audible only to those included in the executive session. (m) As used in these rules, "telephone" means any sysCem for synchronous two- way voice communication. "Mayar" includes the vice-mayor or any other member serving as president pro tempore. (n) Each Council member may attend a maximum of two (2) meetings by teleconference during the twelve (12) monfh period starting November 1 of each year. (c~) A Council member mav attend an additional two (2) meetinQS by teleconference during a twelve (12) monthperiod startin~* November 1 of each year if the member declares that he/she is phvsicallv unable to attend the meetin~ due to the need for extended medical care and treatmenf of the member or member's immediate familv. (p) In this secrioiz, "immediate family" means the spouse of the oerson, another person cohabitatine with Che person in a conju~al relationship thaC is not a lesal marriaee, a child (including a steqchild ar foster child) of the person, a ap rent, siblin,~gr~ndparent, aunt or uncle of the person, or a parent or siblin o~ f Che person's spouse. c~ Council members a~~e 7-esponsible for any lelephone long distance charges incurred due fo their participaLion in a meeting via telephonc unless they are absent from the community on City business. A Council member is not considered to be on City business merely by attendance at a Council meeting via telephone. Ordinance 2168-2006 Attachment A SubstituCe A 1'age 2 of 2