HomeMy WebLinkAbout140827 -- Video Conference Policy and ProcedureCITY OF COLLEGE STATION
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CITY OF COLLEGE STATION
VIDEOCONFERENCE POLICY/PROCEDURE
I. PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is to establish policies and procedures to help ensure that members of
the City Council, who may participate remotely in a meeting of the governmental body by means
of a videoconference call, do so within the guidelines of TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, §551.127.
II. DEFINITIONS
1. Location: The place of the meeting specified at which a quorum of the governmental body
will be physically present.
2. Presiding Officer: The person in charge of the meeting, usually the Mayor. In the
Mayor's absence, the Mayor Pro Tern is the presiding officer.
3. Quorum: The minimum number of voting members who must be present at a properly
called meeting in order to conduct business in the name of the group.
4. Videoconference Call: A communication between two or more people where one or more
persons are not present but participate through duplex audio and video signals transmitted over a
telephone or data network.
5. Remote Participant: Councilmember(s) participating by video conference in a Council
Meeting from a place other than the location.
III. RESPONSIBILITY
1. Councilmember: It is the Councilmember's responsibility to notify the City Secretary of
his/her intent to participate in the meeting via video conferencing a minimum of one week prior to
the meeting.
2. City Secretary: The City Secretary's Office is responsible for informing the Mayor, City
Manager, and the Information Technology Department of the need for a videoconference as soon
as a request has been made by a Councilmember.
3. Information Technology Department: The Director of Information Technology, or
designee, shall initiate contact with the Councilmember requesting a videoconference in order to
provide the video conference connection information. IT is responsible for setting up the
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videoconference equipment and will also remain on standby in the event of connection issues
which could create a delay in the meeting.
4. Remote Participants: Council members desiring to participate by video conference in a
meeting are responsible for ensuring that they have the equipment and connectivity to make the
connection. Remote participants are highly encouraged to coordinate with the Information
Technology Department to conduct a test meeting prior to the actual Council Meeting.
IV. PROCEDURES
1. No more than three (3) Councilmembers may videoconference at any one time. Requests
to videoconference will be taken on a first-come/first-served basis.
2. A meeting held by videoconference call can only be held if a quorum of the Council is
physically present at one location. If a problem occurs that causes a remote participant to no longer
be visible and audible to the public at the location, the meeting must be recessed until the problem
is resolved. If the problem cannot be resolved in thirty (30) minutes the Councilmember remoting
in to the meeting will be determined to have left the meeting, and the meeting will continue at the
location.
3. A Councilmember may participate remotely in a meeting of the Council by means of a
videoconference call if the video and audio feed of the member 's participation is broadcast live at
the meeting and complies with the provisions of this section. A councilmember participating in a
videoconference call meeting shall be counted as present at the meeting and their vote counted so
long as the video and audio feeds of the member participating remotely are broadcast live at the
meeting.
4. A meeting of the Council may be held by videoconference call only if:
(a) the meeting takes place in the College Station City Hall, which has been determined
to be the only physical space that currently meets the requirements of TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE ,
§551.127;
(b). the member of the govenm1ental body presiding over the meeting is present at that
physical space; and
(c) any member of the public present at that physical space is provided the opportunity
to participate in the meeting by means ofvideoconference call in the same manner as a person who
is physically present at a meeting of the governmental body that is not conducted by
videoconference call.
5. TEXAS GOVERNMENT CODE, §551.127 permits the City Council to meet in executive
session by videoconference call provided that the closed session meets the statutory requirements.
A Councilmember remoting in to executive session must be in a closed room and must be alone to
protect the confidentiality of the executive session and in some cases to preserve the attorney client
privilege.
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6. The notice of a meeting to be held by videoconference call must specify the location and
the intent to have a quorum present at the location. The location shall have two-way audio and
video communication with each member who is participating by videoconference call during the
entire meeting. Each participant in the videoconference call , while speaking, shall be clearly
visible and audible to each other participant, and during the open portion of the meeting, to the
members of the public in attendance at the location and any other location of the meeting that is
open to the public.
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APPROVED:
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City Manager
Date: 8 ·,2-7/z£
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