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Committee weighs remote-attendance rules and agenda deadlines after snow disruptions
Summary
Members discussed state statute and local ordinance constraints on remote attendance, the 40/48-hour notice windows, and suggested proactively rescheduling meetings during adverse weather to maintain quorum and public transparency.
Lebanon City committee members discussed how state law and local practice intersect on remote attendance and meeting changes after recent weather disruptions.
Members noted that state statute allows individual council members to attend remotely with advance notice but that local practice and statutory language require a quorum to be physically present in one location. One member summarized the requirement: a majority of a quorum must be physically present, and remote attendance for an individual requires notice (40 hours mentioned). Members said communities that proactively repost meeting notices earlier in a storm often meet the 48-hour window and avoid cancellations.
Committee members urged clearer internal processes: submit agenda items using the green-sheet form and send direct emails to the clerk (Paul) by the posted deadline so the public sees the final agenda once. The committee agreed to move items from a canceled meeting to the Feb. 9 agenda.
No changes to local ordinance were adopted; members asked staff and the city attorney to provide language and options for remote-meeting procedures and for any needed ordinance updates.
