Sec. 2-36. - Meetings of boards, commissions, etc., to be made public.

(a)

All local boards and commissions, as defined in Sec. 2-35, shall hold their meetings open to the public in accordance with G.L. 1956, § 42-46-1 et seq., the Open Meetings Act,. Except that bodies may meet in executive session in accordance with R.I.G.L. § 42-46-4 and § 42-46-5.

(b)

Upon the conclusion of any public hearing the members of such board, and commission, shall announce their decision publicly by individually casting their votes.

(c)

All boards and commissions shall keep minutes of their meetings and shall consider for passage the minutes of each meeting at the subsequent regular meeting or for bodies that do not maintain a set meeting schedule, at the next meeting called. If a body defers passage of the minutes from their previous meeting, a stated reason must be filed with the city clerk. All meeting minutes shall be signed as submitted by the taker of the minutes upon submission to the body for approval and shall be attested by the clerk or secretary of the body or in the absence of a clerk or secretary, by the presiding officer, upon passage.

(d)

All boards and commissions shall make their minutes available to the public in print either in the city clerk's office or in an associated administrative department. In addition to the physical minutes, all local boards and commissions shall make the minutes of their meetings available through the Rhode Island Secretary of State's website no less than fourteen (14) days after passage. If minutes have not been passed within 35 days, draft minutes must be filed until the minutes are approved.

(Rev. Ords. 1987, § 2-36; Ch. 694, § II, 1-16-18)