By Igor Studenkov | Bugle Staff
nweditor@buglenewspapers.com
@BugleNewspapers
Park Ridge City Council aldermen can currently attend meetings remotely, provided there is a good reason, but they cannot vote unless they are physically present in the council chambers.
During the Aug. 22 procedures and regulations committee of the whole, aldermen discussed the possibility of allowing officials the ability to vote remotely, as well. If approved, the change would also clean up the language of the existing policy statement. Under the current rules, aldermen can’t attend committee of the whole meetings remotely. But, the change would allow remote attendance, as well as the ability to cast votes.
While some aldermen expressed reservations about some details, they agreed to move the matter forward. The resolution will need to be approved at a future procedures and regulations COW meeting and pass two city council readings before it could be approved.
According to the meeting packet, the change was proposed in response to an incident at one of the earlier meetings. There weren’t enough aldermen physically present to meet the four-vote supermajority threshold, and a vote failed.
In response, city staff and city attorney Adam Simon prepared several changes to Park Ridge City Council Policy Statement 35. As before, an alderman would be able to attend meetings remotely using electronic equipment, so long as he or she notified the mayor, a committee chair or a city clerk at least 48 hours ahead of time.
As before, the policy specifies that aldermen can attend meetings remotely if they are traveling for work-related purposes or on city business, unable to leave their dwelling due to injury or illness, or if they have a family emergency. It also keeps the requirement that no more than two aldermen can attend a standing committee meeting remotely. The changes would specify that they can vote while attending meetings remotely, and that everything in Policy Statement 35 that previously only applied to council and standing committee meetings will apply to committee of the whole meetings, as well.
Fifth Ward Ald. Daniel Knight said he had concerns about one aspect of the existing rules. Before each meeting begins, a mayor or a committee chair must announce that an alderman is attending a meeting remotely and state the reason for the absence. Knight wondered if this put too much power in the chair’s hands.
“Does the chair have a discretion [to allow remote attendance],” he asked. “If the chair doesn’t want someone to participate, can the chair deny participation?”
Simon replied that a committee chair’s role is limited to determining the reason for the absence. He explained that, unless someone brings evidence that indicates an alderman is lying about his or her reason for absence, a chair must simply state what the reason is and allow the alderman to participate.
Simon also said he recently advised the Park Ridge Public Library’s board of trustees that it could have all the members vote on whether to allow aldermen to participate remotely. He suggested that the aldermen could do something similar. Any alderman who believes a chair abuses his or her power, can object, according to Simon.
“A member of the council can appeal the decision of the chair, and it can go to the rest of the council [for a vote],” Simon said.
Sixth Ward Ald. Marc Mazzuca said he was still concerned.
“I’m worried about what’s going to be [practiced] by a future council that’s not as nice as this one,” he said.
Acting Mayor Marty Maloney said the appeal process would create a balance against abuses. Knight and Third Ward Ald. Richard Van Roeyen agreed.
“I don’t think the council would stand for the chair making that move,” Van Roeyen said.
The council agreed to move the proposal to a voting stage, instructing staff to create a resolution that would be voted on at a future meeting.