CHESTER
COUNTY · PENNSYLVANIA
NEW LONDON
|
T O W N S H I P 902 STATE ROAD P O BOX
1002 NEW LONDON, PA 19360 e-mail
newlondontwp@comcast.net |
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RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR
PUBLIC MEETINGS (SUNSHINE ACT)
Pursuant
to Section 710 of the Sunshine Act, the Board of Supervisors adopts this policy
for the proper conduct and maintenance of order at all meetings. These rules
and regulations control any meeting at which the Board of Supervisors conduct
any Township business, which means the framing, preparation, making or
enactment of laws, policy or regulations, the creation of liability by contract
or otherwise or the adjudication of rights, duties and responsibilities, excluding
all administrative actions.
So
that the Board of Supervisors can effectively satisfy its requirements under
the terms of the Second Class Township Code, and the Sunshine Act, the Board
adopts the following:
The Township
shall consider Township business at a public meeting, and the Board shall
create an agenda, identifying the municipal business the Board will consider
for official action. Public comment
shall address only the Township business included in that agenda, unless
permitted otherwise by the Board of Supervisors. The Board of Supervisors will consider inclusion of a request for
consideration of Township business from anyone so long as that person submits a
written request for the inclusion on the agenda of a public meeting, and the
Township Secretary receives that request no closer than eight (8) days prior to
any meeting. The Board of Supervisors
will determine whether or not that request constitutes Township business
acceptable for that agenda. The Board
will consider any approved agenda item during the public comment stage of its
meeting, and may limit the time of discussion of that agenda item as provided
hereafter. The Board will make copies
of the agenda available for public review prior to any meeting.
The
Board of Supervisors shall act on all Township business by majority vote so
long as a quorum exists at any public meeting.
In the event the action is by roll call, the Secretary shall record each
vote in the minutes.
The
Chairman of the Board of Supervisors shall conduct all meetings and transact
all official business, and in his or her absence, the Vice-Chairman shall
conduct such affairs. Any member of the
Board may request a vote on any Township business. The Chairman will preside over all meetings, and may allocate the
available time among those residents requesting proper public comment on the
agenda business. The Chairman may
prohibit and/or exclude any behavior or comment, which is scandalous,
impertinent, improper or redundant comments, or any other action or behavior
which is likely to disrupt or prevent the reasonable conduct of the Township
business and/or meeting.
The
Board shall keep written minutes of all open Township meetings. The minutes shall include;
1.
The
date, time and place of the meeting.
2.
The
names of members present.
3.
The
substance of all official actions and a record by individual member roll call
votes taken.
4.
The
names of all citizens who appeared officially and the subject of their
testimony.
The
Board of Supervisors shall conduct all meetings, unless modified by the Board
for any meeting, as follows:
1.
Call
to Order.
2.
Pledge
of Allegiance.
3.
Public
Comment; All
persons providing acceptable public comment must provide his or her complete
name and address. The Board may limit comments to residents of the Township.
Unless extended by the Board, the total time allowed for public comment at each
meeting shall not exceed ten (10) minutes.
If the Board determines that there is not sufficient time at a meeting
for residents of the Township for all comments, the Board may defer the comment
period to the next regular meeting or special meeting occurring in the advance
of the next regular meeting. The Board will accept comments only for official
Township business contained in the agenda.
4.
Administrative
actions; the Board
may defer all or some of these matters by action not required as a public
meeting.
5.
Secretary’s
Report
6.
Treasurer’s
Report; the Board
will act on all business during a public meeting, but may sign checks and/or
documents based upon that action at the conclusion of the meeting.
7.
Committee
and Staff Reports
8.
Old
business.
9.
New
business.
10.
Adjournment.
Any
person attending a Township meeting shall have the right to use the recording
device to record the meetings so long as he or she satisfies the following;
1.
The
use of lights and/or sound equipment may not interfere with the reasonable
conduct of any meeting, or require the Township to utilize additional equipment
to minimize the affect of such recording or lighting equipment.
2.
No
lighting or sound equipment may cause any condition affecting any other
individual’s ability to participate in a meeting.
3.
No
recording may be used for any commercial purpose without the express written
approval of any person participating in any meeting.
4.
The
Township may designate the location and/or reasonable conditions the recording
may occur.
5.
The
operation of such recording and/or equipment shall not interrupt or interfere
with the ordinary and regular activities of the meeting.