AUTHORITY: Implementing Section 5-15 of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1991, ch. 127, par. 1005-15) and authorized by Section 6.08 of the Illinois Natural Areas Preservation Act (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1983, ch. 105, par. 706.08).

SOURCE: Adopted at 6 Ill. Reg. 7435, effective June 15, 1982; amended at 7 Ill. Reg. 277, effective December 22, 1982; codified at 8 Ill. Reg. 14990.

SUBPART A: PUBLIC INFORMATION

 

Section 2150.10  Public Inspection of Commission Records

 

The Secretary shall make available to public inspection all minutes, resolutions, and records of the Commission at all reasonable times.  The Secretary shall send to members and advisors of the Commission a copy of the minutes of the previous meeting and, where possible, a copy of each report and document to be considered at the next meeting, at least 7 days before the date of each meeting.

SUBPART C: ORGANIZATION

 

Section 2150.210  Meetings

 

a)         All meetings of the Commission shall be regular meetings, and of equal dignity and effect.

 

b)         Except as provided below, all meetings shall be called by the Chairman or by 3 members of the Commission, such call to be filed with the Secretary not less than 10 days before the date of the meeting.  The Secretary shall send written notice of each meeting to every member of the Commission and to advisors, consultants, and the Governor, such notice to be mailed at least 7 days before the date of the meeting.  The notice of meeting shall specify the time and place of such meeting, and a copy of such notice shall be filed with the minutes of the meeting.

 

c)         If there has been no meeting for 6 months prior thereto, the Commission shall meet in Chicago on the second Thursday in September of each year, in the office of the Governor at the hour of 10:00 a.m. unless some other time and place is designated by the Secretary in his notice of the meeting.

 

d)         All meetings of the Commission shall be open to the public, except as provided in Section 2150.250 hereof.

 

e)         All meetings shall conform to Sections 1 et seq. of the Open Meetings Act (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1983, ch. 102, pars. 41 et seq.).

 

Section 2150.220  Officers

 

a)         The officers shall be a Chairman, Vice-Chairman, and Secretary. Officers shall be elected at the first meeting after June 30 of each year and shall serve for a period of one year and until their successors are elected.  Officers may be elected to succeed themselves.

 

b)         The Chairman shall preside at all meetings of the Commission, may join in debate, and shall vote on all questions.  On roll call votes, the Chairman's name shall be called last.

 

c)         In the absence of the Chairman, the Vice-Chairman shall preside at the meeting.  In the absence of both the Chairman and Vice-Chairman, a temporary Chairman shall be elected by the members present at the meeting.

 

d)         The Secretary shall record the minutes of each meeting, notify the members of meetings as provided in Section 2150.210 hereof, record the vote on all motions, be the custodian of the records of the Commission, and engage in correspondence on behalf of the Commission at the direction thereof.  In the absence of the Secretary, a temporary Secretary shall be appointed by the presiding officer of the meeting.

 

Section 2150.230  Quorum

 

A quorum shall consist of a majority of the currently serving members of the Commission.  A member who has not been present for any meeting of the Commission in the 365-consecutive-day period prior to the meeting subject to the question of quorum shall not be considered as serving for the purpose of determining the quorum.

 

Section 2150.240  Order of Business

 

The order of business shall be as follows:

 

a)         Call to order by presiding officer

 

b)         Roll call

 

c)         Adoption of agenda

 

d)         Correction and approval of minutes of previous meetings

 

e)         Reports of officers, committees, and members

 

f)         Unfinished and new business

 

g)         Adjournment

 

Section 2150.250  Advisors, Consultants, and Visitors

 

a)         Advisors to the Commission are as provided by law.  Consultants to the Commission may be elected to serve for a period of not to exceed one year, by majority vote of the members of the Commission.

 

b)         The Commission shall meet in closed session without advisors, consultants, or visitors by vote of 5 members of the Commission, provided that such closed session shall conform to The Open Meetings Act.

 

c)         Advisors and consultants may join in debate at any time, but may not vote on any business before the Commission.  No person other than a member of the Commission, an advisor, or consultant shall address the Commission except with the consent of the Chairman or a majority of the members present.  In case of any disturbances or disorderly conduct, the presiding officer shall require the meeting place to be cleared of visitors.

 

Section 2150.260  Voting

 

a)         Every member present when a question is stated by the presiding officer shall vote thereon, unless excused by the members present, or unless he has personal interest in the question, in which case he shall not vote.  At the request of any 2 members, a roll call vote shall be taken on any question.

 

b)         A vote or question may be reconsidered at any time during the same meeting, or at the first meeting held thereafter, provided that no vote or question shall be reconsidered after a period of 30 days.

 

Section 2150.270  Manner of Action

 

a)         The rules of parliamentary practice comprised in the latest published edition of Robert's "Rules of Order, Revised" shall govern the Commission in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with law or with the rules of the Commission.  At the discretion of the Chairman or the Commission, discussion may be informal, and the Commission may take action by consensus.

 

b)         An action approved by the members present at a meeting by consensus or by majority vote shall be an action of the Commission, except as may be otherwise provided in this Part.

 

Section 2150.280  Procedure for Hearing Persons in Meetings of the Commission

 

Whenever a person other than a member, advisor, or consultant of the Commission is to be heard on any matter, the Chairman shall, if appropriate, first explain the purpose of the nature preserves system and Commission and state the policy of the Commission upon the subject at issue.

 

Section 2150.290  Procedure for Approval of Nature Preserve Dedications

 

a)         Each area proposed for dedication as a nature preserve shall be examined and reported on in writing to the Commission by a member, advisor, consultant, representative or other person or persons designated by the Commission.

 

b)         The report on an area shall include information on its location, approximate legal description, ownership, provision for custody and management, general character, natural types, degree of past disturbance, relation to adjoining lands, potential as a nature preserve, and interest of the owner in dedication.

 

c)         If after receipt of such report the Commission finds that dedication of the area as a nature preserve appears to be appropriate and feasible, it may adopt a resolution giving preliminary approval to the dedication.  Such resolution shall include a definite or approximate legal description of the area but need not refer to proposed conditions of dedication, if any. Adoption of such resolution shall not bind the Commission to any further action.

 

d)         At a meeting subsequent to the meeting at which preliminary approval of a dedication was given, the Commission may give final approval of such dedication provided that either

 

1)         the legal description of the area and the conditions of dedication, if any, are identical in form to those set forth in the resolution of preliminary approval of dedication, or

 

2)         the proposed instrument of dedication in final form was made available at the preceding Commission meeting or sent to Commission members, advisors, and consultants at least 7 days before the date of the meeting at which final approval of the dedication is considered.