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Board of Directors Meeting and Public Hearing

• Thursday, November 17, 2022, 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM

NOTICE OF BOARD MEETING AND PUBLIC HEARING

Cornell Cooperative Extension Madison County

Thursday, November 17

Public Hearing 5:30pm

Board Meeting 6:00pm

CCE Madison Ag Center (100 Eaton Street, Morrisville)

Comments will be accepted from 5:30-5:50 pm regarding the proposed CCE Madison resolution to authorize its board members to attend meetings by videoconferencing under extraordinary circumstances.

Written comments must be submitted in hard copy to:

CCE Madison, PO Box 1209, Morrisville, NY 13408

or digitally to madison@cornell.edu

by November 21, 2022 at 4pm

The Draft Resolution is as follows:

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Madison County

WHEREAS, by passing Chapter 56 of the Laws of 2022 (“Chapter 56”), the New York State Legislature amended Section 103 of the Open Meetings Law; and

WHEREAS, Chapter 56 adds Section 103-a of the Open Meetings Law, permitting the CCE Madison Board of Directors to authorize its members to attend meetings by videoconferencing under extraordinary circumstances; and

WHEREAS, Section 103-a(2)(a) requires the CCE Madison Board of Directors to adopt a resolution following a public hearing authorizing the limited use of videoconferencing under such circumstances; and

WHEREAS, Section 103-a(2) allows for hybrid meetings by requiring “that a minimum number of members are present to fulfill the public body’s quorum requirement in the same physical location or locations where the public can attend”; and

WHEREAS, Section 103-a(2)(c) requires that members be physically present at any such meeting “unless such member is unable to be physically present at any such meeting location due to extraordinary circumstances . . . including disability, illness, caregiving responsibilities, or any other significant or unexpected factor or event which precludes the member’s physical attendance at such meeting”; and

WHEREAS, in accordance with Section 103-a(2)(d), any members attending by videoconference must, excerpt during executive session, be “heard, seen and identified, while the meeting is being conducted, including but not limited to any motions, proposals, resolutions, and any other matter formally discussed or voted upon”; and

WHEREAS, Section 103-a(2)(g) requires that any meeting where a member attends by videoconference be recorded, posted to the CCE Madison webpage within five business days, and transcribed upon request; and

WHEREAS, Section 103-a(2)(h) requires that members of the public be permitted to attend and participate, if authorized, in any meeting by videoconference when a member attends by videoconference.

BE IT RESOLVED, that the CCE Madison Board of Directors authorizes its members who experience an extraordinary circumstance, as described above and further defined by any rules or written procedures later adopted, to attend meetings by videoconference: (i) as long as a quorum of the members attend in-person at one or more locations open to the public; (ii) as long as the member can be seen, heard, and identified while the open portion of the meeting is being conducted; and (iii) as otherwise permitted under Chapter 56 of the Laws of 2022; and be it further

RESOLVED, that the CCE Madison Board of Directors shall create written procedures further governing its use of videoconferencing by its members in compliance with Chapter 56 of the Laws of 2022.

Last updated November 3, 2022