Referred to: The Laws, Rules and Government Services Committee (Chairman Heppner and Legislators Gavaris, Levine, Roberts, and Ronk)

Legislator Phil Erner offers the following:

WHEREAS,the Ulster County Legislature conducts its official business in open public meetings where the public has a right to attend; and

WHEREAS,the people must have equitable access to their government including knowledge of and ability to attend the proceedings of public meetings; and

WHEREAS, rotating the location of the Monthly Meeting may allow greater public participation if the Meeting is held in closer proximity to their homes; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, that Rule 10.Monthly And Special Meetings; Notice; Rules Of Order., A. Monthly Meetings (1), is hereby amended to read as follows:

RULE 10. MONTHLY AND SPECIAL MEETINGS; NOTICE; RULES OF ORDER.

A.  

Monthly Meetings.

1. The County Legislature’s Regular Monthly Meeting shall take place on the third Tuesday of the month unless a different date is prescribed in the Annual Legislative Calendar, which the Chairperson shall promulgate not later than twenty (20) days after his/her election. After such Regular Monthly Meeting dates are established, pursuant to the County Charter (§ C-18) no other prior notice of such meetings shall be required. The regular meeting location of the Legislature shall be in the Legislative Chambers except that if the Chairperson, in consultation with the Minority Leader, determines that the safety of the public would be better served (due

to an anticipated larger turnout for any particular matter or matters), then other regular meeting places of the Legislature shall be deemed to include the campus of the Ulster County Community College in the Town of Marbletown and the SUNY New Paltz campus in the Town of New Paltz. The Chair shall work with each legislator and their municipality or municipalities to identify a suitable location for each Regular Monthly Meeting of the Legislature within their district. If no suitable location be found, then the Chair may substitute a location within an adjacent district.

For as long as the Legislature has 23 members, a Regular Monthly Meeting of the Legislature shall take place once in each district per two-year term; except that for multi-representative municipalities such as the city of Kingston, the Chair may choose one location within that municipality where the meetings take place; and except that annual session in the second year of the term shall take place in Legislative Chambers, 244 Fair Street in the city of Kingston, and shall not count toward the requirement to hold a meeting in each district. The Chair may schedule all other meeting locations in any order practicable.

If the Legislature increases beyond a membership of 24, then the Chair shall draw lots to determine which districts shall host the Regular Monthly Meetings.

If the Legislature shrinks in membership below 23, then the Chair shall distribute the locations of Regular Monthly Meetings as equally as possible among all legislative districts.; and, be it further

RESOLVED, that pursuant to Rule 2, entitled “AMENDMENT OF RULES,” of the Rules of Order of the Ulster County Legislature, this resolution and the amendment proposed herein shall be read at two consecutive meetings of the Ulster County Legislature; and, be it further

RESOLVED, that this rule change shall take effect upon an affirmative vote of this body subsequent to two consecutive readings,

and moves its adoption.

FIRST READING:   

SECOND READING:   

ADOPTED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:

AYES:                   NOES:       

Passed Committee: Laws, Rules, and Government Services on ____________,

FINANCIAL IMPACT:

NONE