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Council adopts updated electronic-meetings policy incorporating state guidance
Summary
Morgantown City Council adopted updates to its electronic meetings policy to align with recent state guidance and ethics commission advisory opinions; the policy applies only to meetings without a physical location and requires conference links be on the agenda.
The Morgantown City Council on Tuesday voted unanimously to adopt an updated electronic meetings policy that incorporates recent state law guidance and advisory opinions from the ethics commission.
The policy applies only to meetings conducted without a physical meeting location and is intended to clarify procedures for notice, public access and comment when a meeting is fully remote, the city attorney told council during a presentation on the update.
The city attorney explained the policy “applies to all city boards and commissions as well as council and provides for meetings that are conducted only by electronic means,” noting the update reflects state law changes and “provides an additional method for people who would like to make public comment” at those meetings.
Councilors asked whether the update covers hybrid meetings where members participate remotely but the public is physically present; the attorney said those situations are covered by the city’s general meeting rules, not this supplement. The adopted policy requires the meeting agenda to state the participation method and to include a video-conference link or call-in number when a meeting will be held entirely by electronic means.
A councilor asked about notice requirements; the attorney said notice is governed by the council’s meeting rules and that posting at City Hall plus the city website are standard options. The attorney also said the policy does not change notice norms established elsewhere in the city rules.
Councilor action: a motion to approve the update carried on a 7-0 roll call.
Councilors said the measure should make virtual-only meetings more transparent and provide an explicit route for residents to participate when no physical meeting space is available.
