06-2020 - Amend 109.02 and 121.03

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Please substitute for the original BY: Bullock, Kepple, Litten, Neff, O'Malley, Rader, Shachner AN ORDINANCE to take effect immediately provided it receives the affirmative vote of at least two thirds of the members of Council to amend Section 121.03, Council Officers, and Section 109.02 Notice to Public and Media of the Codified Ordinances of the City of Lakewood to articulate Council's authority to cancel, postpone, or change access or assembly method of a General Meeting for emergency and non -emergency reasons. WHEREAS, the current threat of the COVID-19 pandemic has caused the Governor of the State of Ohio to declare a state of emergency and the Cuyahoga County Executive to declare a state of emergency in the County; and WHEREAS, the above -mentioned states of emergency compel the cancellation of public events and mass gatherings; and WHEREAS, amending the Code will provide guidance during future emergencies and other circumstances where Council may choose not to meet; and WHEREAS, as set forth in Section 2.12 of the Third Amended Charter of the City of Lakewood, this Council by a vote of at least two thirds of its members determines that this ordinance is an emergency measure and that it shall take effect immediately and that it is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public property, health, and safety and to provide for the usual daily operation of municipal departments in that holding public meetings during a pandemic may threaten public health; now, therefore, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF LAKEWOOD, OHIO: Section 1. Section 121.03, Council Officers, of the Codified Ordinances of the City of Lakewood, currently reading as follows: 121.03 COUNCIL OFFICERS. (a) At the fast meeting in January following a regular municipal election, or as soon thereafter as may be, Council shall elect, in addition to a President, one of its members as Vice President. In the absence of the President, the Vice President shall have his powers and perform his duties. In the absence of both the President and Vice President, the member of Council present who has the longest consecutive tenure of office shall preside. The presiding officer shall have the right to participate in the proceedings and shall have the same voting rights as all other members of Council. (b) Except as otherwise provided by Charter, regular meetings of Council shall behold on the first and third Mondays of each month at 7:30 p.m., official time, except that when such meeting date falls on a holiday such meeting shall instead be held on the following day. is hereby repealed: