RULES OF PROCEDURE FOR THE COUNTY BOARD

Section 20-1          Statement of Purpose

It is the intention of the Carroll County Board (Board) in adopting these rules to expedite the Board’s business, to ensure fairness, and to protect the rights of all County Board Members (Members).  The rules should assure common sense, courtesy and fairness.

Section 20-2          Board Meeting Order of Business

The first orders of business for regular and special meetings of the board shall be as follows:

Invocation (Optional).

The Pledge of Allegiance.

Roll call of Members.

General Public Comment (items not on the agenda).

Business Portion of the meeting as placed for discussion or action by the Board.

Adjournment

Section 20-3          Maintenance of Order and Use of Robert’s Rules of Order

The Chair may conduct meetings informally and at the Chair’s discretion may invoke Robert’s Rules of Order (Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised, Scott Foresman Ed) when deemed necessary for the maintenance of order and the conduct of the business by the Board.

Section 20-4          Call to Order

The Board meeting shall be called to order promptly at the scheduled date and time as set by the Board each year. 

Section 20-5          Quorum

A quorum shall be a simple majority of the Members of the Board and is required to convene a meeting of the Board.

Section 20-6          Succession

In the absence of the Chair and the Vice-Chair and where a quorum of the Board is present, nominations for a Temporary Chair for the meeting will take place.  The County Clerk will open the meeting and preside over the meeting through the nominations of the Temporary Chair’s position.  In the event of the County Clerk’s absence any other elected or appointed official of the County may preside.  After the Temporary Chair has been chosen, the meeting will be handed over to the newly appointed Temporary Chair.  Once elected the Temporary Chair will have all the responsibilities of the Chair for the remainder of the meeting or until the Chair or Vice-Chair arrives at the meeting.

Section 20-7           Public Notice and Agendas

All meetings will follow section 5 ILCS 120 of the state statutes regarding the Open Meetings Act.  At the beginning of the fiscal year the Board or Committee will give notice of dates, times and location of all regularly scheduled meetings to the County Clerk and shall be posted in the Courthouse.  Notice for all meetings will also be given in the form of an agenda released to all local news media with general circulation within Carroll County with at least 48 hour notice except in cases provided by the above state statute.   In addition, agendas will be posted in the Courthouse and on the County’s web site at least 48 hours prior to the meeting.  Agendas will include meeting title (i.e. County Board, Committee, etc…), date, time, location and all items to be discussed. The Board by a simple majority vote may approve an amendment of the agenda to include business for discussion only.  Business not included in the agenda as approved shall not be acted upon until the next meeting of the Board except in the event of a bona fide emergency as prescribed by state statute.  

Section 20-8           Minutes

The County Clerk, or representative of the County Clerk, will produce all minutes of the Board meetings.  All minutes will be approved by the Board.  Board Committee meeting minutes will be prepared by the committee and provided to the Board for approval.  All minutes will be housed for public viewing by the County Clerk’s office and posted for one year on the County’s web site.

Section 20-9           Public Comment

Public comment will be allowed prior to adjournment for business not on the agenda.  Public comment will also be allowed during the business portion of the meeting for comments related to agenda items and will follow the same guidelines.  Prior to addressing the Board, individuals will state their name, address and any organization they represent.  Individuals will be given 3 minutes to address the Board.  If a particular subject has brought numerous individuals to address the Board, the Chair may ask that they keep their comments to new aspects of the topic and that they do not repeat previous comments.  This will allow for everyone to be heard.  The Chair may invoke other restrictions deemed necessary to conduct an efficient and fair meeting.

Section 20-10        Addressing the Chair

Every Member shall address the Chair before speaking on an issue.  The Chair shall determine who shall speak first if two or more Members address the Chair at the same time.

Section 20-11        Every Member to Vote

Every Member present on the putting of a question shall vote thereon, except when personal interest is involved or excused by the Chair.  A conflict of interest shall be stated for the record.  The Member shall notify the Chair prior to debate of the question.  This same procedure shall be followed for committee meetings.

Section 20-12        Presenting a Motion

No motion shall be debated until there is a second.  A motion shall be restated or be reduced to writing if required by the Chair or any Member.  Motions in committees do not require a second to begin debate or to take a vote.

Section 20-13        Withdrawing a Motion

After a motion is stated by the Chair it may be withdrawn by the mover and consent of the second at any time previous to a vote thereon. 

Section 20-14        Amending a Motion

During debate of a motion, an amendment may be presented which will require a second.  Prior to further debate on the original motion, the amended motion will be debated by the Board.  Following debate, the Chair will call for a vote on the amendment.   If passed by a simple majority, the motion is modified to reflect the amendment.   If the amendment vote fails than the original motion stands. Debate will then continue on the original motion.

Section 20-15        Roll Call Voting

A roll call vote by random selection of Ayes and Nays shall be taken upon the demand of a single Member and on all motions involving County Funds.  In any instance of a roll call vote, the minutes shall reflect the vote of each member.

Section 20-16        Executive Session or Closed Meetings

Executive or closed sessions of the Board and of all committees and subcommittees of the Board shall only be conducted as prescribed by federal or state law. A meeting or a portion thereof may be closed upon a majority roll call vote of Members present.  Separate minutes shall be kept of closed meetings.

Section 20-17         Organizational Meeting

An Organizational meeting will be held on the first Monday of December of each even numbered year. The purpose of the meeting is to elect the Board Chair, Vice-Chair and to set regularly scheduled meetings of the Board.  The County Clerk will open the meeting and preside over the meeting through the nominations of the Chair’s position.  In the event of the County Clerk’s absence any other elected or appointed official of the County may preside.  After the Chair has been chosen, the meeting will be handed over to the newly appointed Chair.  Prior to the meeting any newly elected Member(s) shall take the oath of office as prescribed in state statutes.

Section 20-18        Chair

The Chair shall be responsible for:

1. Presiding over all meetings of the Board with exception to committees or appointed boards.
2. Appointing all members to Board committees with the majority approval of the Board. The Chair shall be an ex-officio member of committees.
3. Appointing members of the public boards, commissions and committees as are required by state statute with majority approval of the Board.
4. Presiding over the Board Agenda process. The Chair may cancel one regularly scheduled meeting per month if there are no agenda items that require board action.   Any meeting so canceled shall be done in accord with the notice requirements of the Open Meetings Act.
5. Appointing the County Administrator and department heads under the Board and other officials as required by state statute with majority approval of the Board.
6. Performing the duties as Liquor Commissioner.

Section 20-19        Committees

The Chair can appoint a committee as deemed necessary to conduct the thorough deliberation of any topic.  The Chair will identify a Committee Chair and the members that constitute the committee with majority approval of the Board.  All Committees are subject to the Open Meetings Act unless specifically exempt.

The Chair of the Board, or the Vice-Chair in Chairs absence, shall be an ex-officio member of all Board committees.    As an ex-officio member, the Chair presence shall only be counted to establish a quorum when the regular committee members present do not constitute a quorum.   The Chair shall only have voting rights similar to the other committee members in two situations:  

1. When the Chair is necessary to constitute a quorum of the committee; or
2. To break a tie vote amongst the regular committee members present.

All committees shall take minutes of their meetings and state their recommendation thereon. The committee shall report their recommendations to the Board for consideration.

Section 20-20        Amendment of the Annual Appropriations Resolution

After adoption of the Annual Appropriations Resolution, amendments to increase appropriations as provided by such resolution shall require a two-thirds vote of the Board Membership.

Section 20-21        Public Bidding

Purchases or leases made with county funds in excess of   $30,000.00 (value of trade-ins to be included in purchase price) which are subject to competitive bidding under state law shall be by sealed bids.  All bids which exceed $30,000.00 shall be reviewed by the Board and vote to accept the bid, even if allowed in the budget. 

Purchases and projects under $30,000 should seek three quotes when possible.

All County contracts/agreements shall require the following documents, a certificate of insurance by the contractor listing the County as additionally insured, a vendor hold harmless agreement, a contractor hold harmless agreement and information on the prevailing wage.  These documents shall be delivered to and stored with the County Clerk (for items over $30,000) or department of origin (for items under $30,000). The Board/Administrator/Department Head shall review these documents no less than annually to ensure compliance.  

Section 20-22        Claims for Service by Members

The Members shall submit a quarterly report for all service and mileage for assigned meetings including dates and times to the County Clerk’s Office for delivery to the Board for approval.  Although Members are welcome at all committee meetings, they may only claim meetings they are assigned to by the Chair.  Claims submitted that are more then one year old will not be accepted by the Board.

Effective December 1, 2022, and pursuant to 50 ILCS 145/2, members of the County Board shall be entitled to payment of a per diem (per day) of $60.00 from County funds as follows:

(a) For attendance at any regular or special meeting of the Board and any committee of the Board to which the Member has been appointed by the Chair; and

(b) For attendance at any regular or special meeting of the committee or agency named below to which the Member has been appointed by the Chair with majority approval of the Board:

(c)  Effective December 1, 2022 attendance to any meeting appointed to by the Chair and approved by the County Board as a liaison or committee member.

(d)  Effective December 1, 2022, mileage reimbursement at the approved Internal Revenue Service rate shall only be allowed for approved meetings that require travel outside of Carroll County

(d)  The Chairman of the Board shall be compensated an additional amount of $650.00 per quarter.

Section 20-23        Amendment of These Rules

No rule shall be altered, amended or suspended except by a vote of simple majority of the Members present.

Section 20-24        Recordation of Resolutions

All resolutions of a statutory nature, passed by the Board, shall be assigned an identification number to indicate its order of passage and location with the official Minutes Book.  The County Clerk shall assign a number to all such resolutions after the regular monthly meeting.  The County Clerk shall maintain an index file of all numbers with a brief description of each resolution.

Section 20-25        Severability

All the foregoing rules are intended to be in conformity with state law and any rule or portion thereof which is contrary to law is hereby declared null and void.

Adopted June 17, 2021