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Electronic/Remote Participation in Meetings Policy

Electronic/Remote Participation in Meetings Policy

Electronic/Remote Participation in Meetings Policy

  1. It is the policy of the Prince George County Board of Supervisors that individual members of the Board may participate in meetings of the governing body by electronic communication as permitted by Virginia Code § 2.2.3708.3, 1950, as amended, provided that a quorum is physically assembled.
  2. A Board member who seeks to participate electronically must notify the Chairman in advance of the public meeting that:

1 - The member is unable to attend the meeting due to:

    1. a temporary or permanent disability or other medical condition that prevents the member’s physical attendance (medical condition or disability need not be identified) or
    2. A medical condition of a member of the member's family requires the member to provide care that prevents the member's physical attendance; or

2 - The member's principal residence is more than 60 miles from the meeting location identified in the required notice for such meeting; or

3 - The member is unable to attend the meeting due to a personal matter and the member identifies with specificity the nature of the personal matter; participation electronically due to a personal matter is limited to two meetings, or 25 percent of the meetings held per calendar year, rounded up to the next whole number, whichever is greater.

C. At the meeting, prior to conducting any business, the Board must vote to allow the participation of the Board member electronically. A Board member shall be permitted to participate electronically so long as the participation is consistent with this policy. If a member's electronic participation is disapproved because such participation would violate this policy, such disapproval shall be recorded in the minutes with specificity.

D. Once participation by a member through electronic communication means is approved by a vote of the quorum that is physically assembled (electronic participation may only be disapproved for failure to follow this policy), the minutes must reflect the reason why the member participated electronically and the location from which the member participated. (The location need not be open to the public unless three or more members are gathered at the same remote location.) If electronic participation is due to the distance between the member's principal residence and the meeting location this shall be included in the minutes along with the location of the Board meeting. If electronic participation is due to a personal matter, minutes should reflect the specific nature of the personal matter.

E. Whenever an individual member participates from a remote location that is open to the public there must be arrangements for the voice of the remote participant to be heard by all persons at the primary or central meeting location.

This policy shall not govern an electronic meeting conducted to address a state of emergency declared by the Governor or the Board. Any meeting conducted by electronic communication means under such circumstances shall be governed by the provisions of Code of Virginia § 2.2-3708.2, 1950, as amended.

 

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