Monday’s regular meeting of Bloomington’s plan commission was the first one since Indiana governor Eric Holcomb’s emergency health order was lifted.
The plan commission’s meeting was conducted on a hybrid in-person-electronic platform.
Just four commissioners attended in person, out of nine voting members. Two participated via Zoom video conference.
Four out of nine is 44.4 percent, which is less than the 50 percent required to be physically present at a hybrid meeting—under an amendment to the Open Door Law (ODL) made by the state legislature in 2021.
For insight on the question of the plan commission’s possible violation of the ODL, The B Square has reached out to city attorney Mike Rouker, who attended Monday’s plan commission meeting.
The change to the ODL in 2021 recognized the benefit of allowing some members of a public body to participate remotely, based on experience with such meetings during the COVID-19 pandemic. But the legislature restricted remote participation in several ways.
One example of a restriction on hybrid meetings, which was observed by Bloomington plan commissioners on Monday night, is the requirement that votes have to be taken by a roll call.
Another requirement is that at least half the members of the governing body must be physically present.
That’s a requirement that does not seem to have been met. Continue reading “Did Bloomington plan commission meeting follow state law on electronic meetings?”
