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12 City of Roseville y Commissioner’s Handbook Appendix D. Meeting Procedures Agendas An agenda for each meeting of a City Commission is typically prepared by the staff liaison, sometimes in consultation with the chair. The agenda outlines the topics or items of business that will be introduced, discussed and acted upon at each meeting. Minutes Summary minutes of each meeting are typically recorded by a third party and sent to the staff liaison. Minutes serve as a permanent re- cord of the commission’s actions, discussion and opinions. They are forwarded to the City Council as input and background for Council decisions. Correction to Minutes It is important for members of city commissions to review minutes and make corrections if needed so that the approved minutes accurately reflect the work of the group. Corrections to minutes are made at the meeting when the minutes are brought forward for adoption. Corrections require a motion, second, and a majority vote, and, if approved, are noted in the minutes of the current meeting. Any changes to the draft minutes approved by the commission will be reflected in the minutes for the meeting at which the correc- tions are made. Open Meeting Law All of the meetings of the city’s commissions are open to the public and subject to the Open Meeting Law. A meeting is defined as the convening of members, either in person or through electronic media or other communications, of a governmental body for the pur- pose of exercising the responsibility, authority, power or duties delegated to that body. A meeting is subject to the law whenever the governmental body meets for official purposes. A meeting does not include social or chance gatherings not intended to avoid the law. When one-half or more of the members of a governmental body are present, it is considered a meeting for official purposes. A gather- ing of a quorum or more Commission members constitutes a public meeting. The purpose of the law is to: 1. Prohibit action from being taken at a secret meeting where the interested public cannot be fully informed of the decision of the public body; 2. Ensures the public’s right to be informed; and 3. Gives the public an opportunity to present its views. Further, any communication, including emails or other electronic communication or serial conversations, between some or all mem- bers, could be considered a public meeting. If you have information or any type of communication that you would like to share with other members send it to your staff liaison who will forward it to all members of the commission. The information will then be reviewed or discussed at a public meeting. Any person who intentionally violates the Open Meeting Law is subject to personal liability in the form of a civil penalty of up to $300 for a single occurrence. The city does maintain insurance for Open Meeting Law coverage, but it does not cover a commissioner’s per- sonal penalty. Public Notice The heart of the Open Meeting Law is the requirement that all meetings of a governmental body be preceded by an official public notice. Public notice will be provided in the following manner: • As required by state statutes; • Notice will set forth the time, date, place and the subject matter of the meeting; and • Notice will be made public at least 24 hours prior to the commencement of such meeting, or 2 hours under special circumstances. Rosenberg’s Rules of Order (see Appendix F) The City Council, commissions, and boards typically follow Rosenberg’s Rules of Order for any formal actions. The adoption of rules was undertaken to simplify procedures. A quick reference guide will be provided to all Commission members. Quorum A quorum is the minimum number of members that must be present for a group to conduct business. A quorum is a majority of the authorized seats on the Commission. For a seven-member Commission, a quorum of four must be present. However, when a vacancy exists on a Commission, a quorum shall consist of a majority of the Commission’s non-vacant seats. Voting When present, all commission members are to vote. Upon request of any commission member, a roll call vote will be taken and re- corded. A tie vote is equivalent to a vote that has failed.