HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007-11-02 - Board of Trustees Special Meeting Minutes DRAFT MINUTES
SPECIAL MEETING
VILLAGE OF RYE BROOK
BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
VILLAGE HALL, 938 KING STREET
FRIDAY,NOVEMBER 2,2007-10:30 A.M.
RESOLUTION:
(1) Considering a waiver or amendment to the Village of Rye Brook Public
Access Guidelines to air on cable television the League of Women Voters
Town of Rye Candidate Debate.
ACTION ON NON-AGENDA MATTERS SUBJECT TO THE CONSENT OF THE
TRUSTEES PRESENT AT THE MEETING
THE NEXT TRUSTEES MEETINGS
November 13 and November 27, 2007
Board of Trustees Meeting
November 2,2007
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DRAFT MINUTES
BOARD: Mayor Lawrence Rand
Trustee Joan L. Feinstein
Trustee Paul S. Rosenberg
Trustee Patricia Sanders Romano
ABSENT: Trustee Michael S. Brown
STAFF: Christopher Bradbury, Village Administrator/Clerk
Mayor Rand called the November 2, 2007 special meeting of the Board of Trustees to
order. The Village Board was holding this public meeting via teleconference. The
Village Administrator indicated that all meeting notices were distributed to the media and
were placed on the bulletin board. The Village Administrator was also located in the
main Village Board meeting room in Village Hall so any members of the public could
participate. No members of the public were present.
Mayor Rand called for the only item on the agenda:
RESOLUTIONS:
1) CONSIDERING A WAIVER OR AMENDMENT TO THE VILLAGE OF RYE
BROOK PUBLIC ACCESS GUIDELINES TO AIR ON CABLE TELEVISION
THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS TOWN OF RYE CANDIDATE
DEBATE
WHEREAS, the Village has received a request from the League of Women Voters to
air the Town of Rye Candidate Debate that they sponsored; and
WHEREAS, under the current policy, the Village of Rye Brook Public Access
Guidelines does not permit this videotape to be aired; and
WHEREAS, Section 3 of the Public Access Guidelines allows for revisions or
amendments to the rules of the Guidelines following review and recommendations by
the Rye Brook Advisory Commission on Telecommunications (currently re-named
the Technology and Communications Committee); and
WHEREAS, the Village Board, at its regular meeting held on Tuesday, October 30,
2007, asked the Technology and Communications Committee to consider whether the
Guidelines should be modified; and
Board of Trustees Meeting
November 2,2007
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DRAFT MINUTES
WHEREAS, the Technology and Communications Committee held a meeting on
Thursday, November 1, 2007 and made the following recommendations for Village
Board consideration:
• The Village Administrator and Village Board did interpret the Guidelines
appropriately in reviewing the initial request.
• In the spirit of transparency and open government, we do not want to suppress
information that may help voters make an informed decision.
• Given that the League of Women Voters is the sponsor and the fact that this is a
candidate forum, the Committee feels that a one-time exception is warranted.
• We do not want to set a precedent that may put the Village in an uncomfortable
position in the future and believe that any resolution should be narrowly worded
to speak specifically to this situation
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees of the Village
of Rye Brook hereby approves the recommendations of the Technology and
Communications Committee and will allow the airing of the League of Women
Voters Town of Rye 2007 Candidate Debate; and be it further
RESOLVED, that the candidate debate shall be aired until Monday, November 5 at
9:00 A.M. as specified in Section 1.6 of the Guidelines for the Government Access
Channel.
On a motion made by Trustee Sanders Romano, and seconded by Trustee Feinstein,
the resolution was adopted.
Christopher Bradbury, Administrator, called the roll:
Trustee Joan Feinstein Voting Aye
Trustee Paul Rosenberg Voting Aye
Trustee Patricia Sanders Romano Voting Aye
Mayor Lawrence Rand Voting Aye
The Administrator expressed that the debate would be aired on cable television two
times on Friday, three times on Saturday, three times on Sunday, and one time
Monday morning before the 9:00 a.m. deadline to cease airing in accordance with the
Village of Rye Brook Public Access Guidelines.
The meeting was adjourned at 10:40 a.m.
Board of Trustees Meeting
November 2,2007
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