TRANSMITTAL LETTER FOR BOARD MEETING OF APRIL 7, 2016
COMMITTEE ON STATE LEGISLATION AND RULES
Mr. David St. Pierre, Executive Director
Title
Adoption of Amendments to the Rules of the Board of Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago
Body
Dear Sir:
In December of 1977, the Board of Commissioners adopted the Rules of the Board of Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (“Rules”) to govern all of its regular and special meetings. These Rules have been amended from time to time with the last amendments adopted on November 20, 2014.
The following are proposed amendments to the Rules. These revisions have been underlined. The deleted provisions have been stricken.
SECTION 1.2 - Effective Date
These Rules, as amended, shall be effective from and after the first day of March 3, 2011 May 5, 2016.
SECTION 4.5 - Transcripts
(A) A verbatim stenographic transcript shall be made of all meetings of the Board.
(B) The General CounselBoard of Commissioners shall no less then semi-annually, review the transcripts of all closed meetings and report in an open session that (1) the need for confidentiality still exists as to part or all of those transcripts or (2) that the transcripts or portions thereof no longer require confidentiality treatment and are available for public inspection, pursuant to the provisions of 5 ILCS 120/2.06.
(C) The President may request the Clerk to hold certain closed meeting transcripts for confidentiality (Impounded). Impounded transcripts shall not be available for internal or external review except to the extent that the public body needs to review the transcripts as required by the Open Meetings Act in order to determine whether it is necessary to keep them confidential or otherwise consents to disclosure. However, when necessary to conduct the affairs of the public body, a majority of the public body may authorize the release of an impounded transcript to current members of the Board. Upon completion of review by the members(s) of the Board, the closed meeting transcript shall again be impounded.
SECTION 5.4 - Order of Business
At each meeting the regular order of business (unless otherwise directed by the Board) shall be as follows:
1. Call Meeting to order
2. Roll Call
3. Reading of the minutes of the last meeting or meetings, amendment and approval of the same, unless reading is waived
4. Public Comment
5. Recess of regular meetings to conduct committee of the whole meetings and reconvening immediately thereafter
5. 6. Presentation of reports, petitions and communications
7. Miscellaneous and new business
8. Adjournment
All questions relating to the priority of business shall be decided by the Chair without debate, subject to appeal.
SECTION 5.25 - Limit on Public Speakers
A Public Comment period will be designated on the Board’s Agenda. Public comment will only be accepted during the designated period unless otherwise authorized by the presiding officer. The total time allowed for public comments shall not exceed 30 minutes. Any person desiring to speak at a meeting of the Board or its committees shall submit a written Speaker’s Request form setting forth his/her name, address and the organization he/she represents, if any, and a description of the topic he/she wishes to discuss, to the District’s Public and Intergovernmental Affairs Manager Officer or her/his designee located near the entrance inside the Board room. Speaker’s Request forms will be accepted until the scheduled beginning time of the meeting. Any person shall have the opportunity to address the Board of Commissioners in accordance with the terms of these Rules. Once that person is recognized to speak by the President of the Board of Commissioners or other presiding officer, the speaker shall have up to three minutes to speak unless more or less time is allowed by the presiding officer. Members of the public may request permission from the presiding officer to speak on any subject relevant to the business of the Board of Commissioners. The presiding officer may rescind such permission instanter where the speaker is determined by the presiding officer to be disruptive or otherwise acting in a manner which unreasonably prevents or interferes with the orderly conduct of the business of the Board of Commissioners. Pursuant to Open Meetings Act Amendment, PA 96-1473.
ARTICLE VI - REPEALER
Rules of the Board of Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, adopted prior to March 3, 2011these Rules becoming effective on May 5, 2016 are hereby repealed.
Requested, Ronald M. Hill, General Counsel, RMH:LAG:bh
Recommended, David St. Pierre, Executive Director
Respectfully Submitted, Cynthia M. Santos, Chairman Committee State Legislation and Rules
Disposition of this agenda item will be documented in the official Regular Board Meeting Minutes of the Board of Commissioners for April 7, 2016