The Huntington City Council Rules and Ethics Committee voted on Sept. 17 to add email to the list of acceptable notice methods for special meetings and to add a subparagraph formally referencing the West Virginia Open Meetings Act to govern emergency meetings.

Committee members discussed resident complaints about short public notice for last-minute special or emergency sessions. The committee separated the two categories: special meetings (created by council rules) and emergency meetings (governed by state statute). Members said adding email as a method of notifying council members modernizes the existing notification list (which previously referenced hand delivery and certified mail) and provides clearer objective standards for what counts as "reasonable notice" to council members.

On emergency meetings, committee members agreed that the state Open Meetings Act already defines emergency meetings and requires notice "as soon as possible" prior to the meeting. The committee directed staff to add a short subparagraph to the rules that states emergency meetings are governed by the West Virginia Open Meetings Act (West Virginia Code) and to cite the statute; the committee declined to adopt a stricter local time requirement that might prevent immediate action in genuine emergencies (for example, life, health or safety threats such as a citywide flood where immediate contracting or response is necessary).

Motions and votes recorded in the meeting:
- A motion to add emailing, hand delivery, or certified mail as acceptable means of providing notice to council members for special meetings was made and seconded; the committee approved the change by voice vote.
- A motion to add a subparagraph citing the West Virginia Open Meetings Act for emergency meetings was made, seconded and approved by voice vote.

Committee members discussed public expectations and the balance between giving the public time to learn about special meetings and preserving the city’s ability to respond quickly to urgent situations. The city attorney (Scott) and staff noted that the Open Meetings Act requires "as soon as possible" notice for emergency meetings and that local rules should not contradict state law or impair the city’s response to time-sensitive events.

What happens next: the committee will instruct the city attorney to insert email into the special-meeting notice language and to add a short subparagraph citing the state statute for emergency meetings; staff will circulate the redline for committee review before any referral to the full council.