Resolution 2025-01 Village of Fort Sumner

RESOLUTION # 2025-01
VILLAGE OF FORT SUMNER
OPEN MEETINGS RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, the Governing Body of the Village of Ft. Sumner met in a Regular Council Meeting at City Hall on Monday, January 13, 2025, at 5:30 p.m.; and
WHEREAS, Section 10-15-1(B) of the Open Meetings Act (NMSA 1978, Sections 10-15-1 to –4) states that, except as may be otherwise provided in the Constitution or the provisions of the Open Meetings Act, all meetings of a quorum of members of any board, council, commission, administrative adjudicatory body or other policymaking body of any state or local public agency held for the purpose of formulating public policy, discussing public business or for the purpose of taking any action within the authority of or the delegated authority of such body, are declared to be public meetings open to the public at all times. When it is otherwise difficult or impossible for a member of the Council to attend the meeting in person, such member may participate in the meeting by means of a conference telephone, video conference or other similar communications equipment. Such appearance shall be valid for the purpose of establishing a quorum, for voting on all matters, and for participation in any other manner; and
WHEREAS, any meetings subject to the Open Meetings Act at which the discussion or adoption of any proposed resolution, rule, regulation or formal action occurs shall be held only after reasonable notice to the public; and
WHEREAS, Section 10-15-1(D) of the Open Meetings Act requires the Village of Ft. Sumner to determine annually what constitutes notice of its public meetings;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Village of Ft. Sumner that:
1. All meetings shall be held at City Hall at 5:30 p.m. or as indicated in the meeting notice.
2. Unless otherwise specified, regular meetings shall be held each month on the second Monday. The agenda will be available at least seventy-two (72) hours prior to the meeting from the Village Clerk, whose office is located in City Hall, 173 E. Ave. C, Fort Sumner, New Mexico. Notice of any other regular meetings will be given ten (10) days in advance of the meeting date. The notice shall indicate how a copy of the agenda may be obtained.
3. Special meetings may be called by the Mayor or a majority of the members upon three (3) days’ notice. The notice shall include an agenda for the meeting or information on how members of the public may obtain a copy of the agenda. The agenda shall be available to the public at least seventy-two (72) hours before any special meeting.
4. Emergency meetings will be called only under unforeseen circumstances which demand immediate action to protect the health, safety and property of citizens or to protect the public body from substantial financial loss. The Village of Ft. Sumner will avoid emergency meetings whenever possible. Emergency meetings may be called by the Mayor or a majority of the members upon twenty-four (24) hours’ notice, unless threat of personal injury or property damage require less notice. The notice for all emergency meetings shall include an agenda for the meeting or information on how the public may obtain a copy of the agenda.
5. For the purposes of regular meetings described in paragraph 2 of this resolution, notice requirements are met if notice of the date, time, place and agenda is placed in newspapers of general circulation in the state and posted in the following location: the Office of the Village Clerk. The Village Clerk shall also mail copies of the written notice to those broadcast stations licensed by the Federal Communications Commission and newspapers of general circulation which have made a written request for notice of public meetings.
6. For the purposes of special meetings and emergency meetings described in paragraph 3 and 4 of this resolution, notice requirements shall be met by posting notice of the date, time, place and agenda six (6) places around town, one of which is in the Office of the Village Clerk, Dave’s’ Grocery, US Post Office, De Baca County News, De Baca County Clerk’s Office, and Addison Drug Store. The Village Clerk shall also provide telephone notice to those broadcast stations licensed by the Federal Communications Commission and newspapers of general circulation that have made a written request for notice of public meetings.
7. In addition to the information specified above, all notices shall include the following language:
If you are an individual with a disability who is in need of a reader, amplifier, qualified sign language interpreter, or any other form of auxiliary aid or service to attend or participate in the hearing or meeting, please contact the Office of the Village Clerk at City Hall at least one week prior to the meeting or as soon as possible. Public documents, including the agenda and minutes, can be provided in various accessible formats. Please contact the Office of the Village Clerk at City Hall if a summary or other type of accessible format is needed.
8.The Village of Ft. Sumner may close a meeting to the public only if the subject matter of such discussion or action is exempted from the open meeting requirement under Section 10-15-1(H) of the Open Meetings Act.
(a) If any meeting is closed during an open meeting, such closure shall be approved by a majority vote of a quorum of the Governing Body taken during the open meeting. The authority for the closure and the subjects to be discussed shall be stated with reasonable specificity in the motion for closure and the vote on closure of each individual member shall be recorded in the minutes. Only those subjects specified in the motion may be discussed in a closed meeting.
(b) If the decision to hold a closed meeting is made when the Governing Body is not in an open meeting, the closed meeting shall not be held until public notice, appropriate under the circumstances, stating the specific provision of law authorizing the closed meeting and the subjects to be discussed with reasonable specificity is given to the members and to the general public.
(c) Following completion of any closed meeting, the minutes of the open meeting that was closed, or the minutes of the next open meeting if the closed meeting was separately scheduled, shall state whether the matters discussed in the closed meeting were limited only to those specified in the motion or notice for closure.
(d) Except as provided in Section 10-15-1(H) of the Open Meetings Act, any action taken as a result of discussions in closed meeting shall be made by vote of the Governing Body in an open public meeting.
PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED by the Governing Body of the Village of Ft. Sumner on Monday, January 13, 2025.
/s/ Louie Gallegos, MAYOR
Attest:
/s/ Jamie Wall, CLERK
Published in the De Baca County News on January 16, 2025.