Section 1100.115  Meetings

a)         Open Meetings Act.  It is the public policy of the Authority that it exists to aid in the conduct of the business of the people of the State.  It is the Authority's intent that its actions shall be taken and its deliberations be conducted openly.  The Authority shall conduct all its meetings in conformity with the provisions of the Open Meetings Act [5 ILCS 120.

b)         Closed Sessions.  The Authority may hold closed sessions only for the purposes permitted by the Open Meetings Act, including sessions where:

1)         the Board is negotiating matters with its employees or representatives;

2)         the Board is considering the acquisition of real property or a court proceeding against or on behalf of the Authority, but no other portion of such meetings may be closed to the public;

3)         the Board is considering information regarding appointment, employment or dismissal or an employee or officer or hearing testimony on a complaint lodged against an employee or officer to determine its validity, but no final action shall be taken at closed session;

4)         where federal regulation requires closed sessions;

5)         an advisory committee appointed to provide the Board with professional consultation on matters germane to its field of competence considers matters of professional ethics or performance;

6)         the Board meets to establish reserves or to settle claims as provided in the Local Governmental and Governmental Employees Tort Immunity Act [745 ILCS 10] if otherwise the disposition of a claim or potential claim might be prejudiced.

c)         Notice to Members.  Notice of the time and place of every meeting shall be given to each member at least 24 hours before such meeting.

d)         Meeting Schedule.  At the beginning of each fiscal year, the Authority shall prepare, make available and give public notice of a schedule of all regular meetings for such fiscal year, listing the regular dates, times and places of such meetings.  Public notice of any special meetings, or of any rescheduled or reconvened regular or special meeting, shall be given at least 24 hours before such meeting.  Public notice of reconvened meetings need not be given where the meeting is to be reconvened within 24 hours nor where announcement of the time and place of the reconvened meeting was made at the original meeting and there is no change in the agenda.

e)         Public Notice.  Public notice shall be given by posting a copy of the notice at the principal office of the Authority.  The Authority shall supply copies of the notice of its regular meetings, and give notice of any special, reconvened or rescheduled meeting, to any local newspaper of general circulation or any local radio or television station that has filed an annual request for such notice.  Any such news media shall also be given the same notice of all special, rescheduled or reconvened meetings in the same manner such notice is given to members of the Board.  If a change is made in the schedule of regular meeting dates, at least 10 days' notice of such change shall be given by publication in a local newspaper of general circulation.  Notice of such change shall also be posted at the principal office of the Authority, and shall be given to those news media which have filed an annual request for notice as set forth in this section.

f)         Agenda.  The Executive Director shall provide the agenda for each meeting to all members at least 24 hours before such meeting.  Such agenda shall include all matters to be considered at the meeting, except that any matter may be placed on the agenda with less notice with the unanimous consent of all voting members.

g)         Recording of Meetings.  Meetings, required to be open under the Open Meetings Act, may be recorded by tape, film, or other means by any representative of any news medium as defined in the Code of Civil Procedure [735 ILCS 5/8-701]. Installation of recording equipment must be done at such time and in such manner so as not to delay or obstruct the meeting.  Recording equipment must be operated in such manner so as not to interfere with the overall decorum and proceeding of the meeting.  If any witness refuses to testify at such meeting on the grounds that he may not be compelled under applicable law to testify if any portion of his testimony is to be broadcast or televised or if motion pictures are to be taken of him while he is testifying, no recording may be made during such witness' testimony.  Each witness shall be informed of this right prior to his testimony and shall be asked whether he intends to exercise this right.

h)         Quorum.  Four members of the Board shall constitute a quorum.  The affirmative vote of four of the members of the Board shall be necessary for any action requiring a vote to be taken by the Board.  A vacancy in the membership of the Board shall not impair the right of a quorum to exercise all the rights and perform all the duties of the Board as provided for in the Act.

i)          Reimbursement of Board Members and Staff

1)         Members of the Board and approved staff, upon condition of making application, shall be reimbursed for travel and subsistence expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as provided by law or by this Part. Such reimbursement shall be in accordance with the official travel regulations approved by the Governor's Travel Control Board.

2)         All claims for reimbursement of travel and subsistence expenses shall be submitted on State of Illinois Travel Vouchers (Form C-10).  Submissions of Travel Vouchers may be made subsequent to each meeting of the Board or may be held for submission at the conclusion of each month.  The Executive Director shall be the recipient of such vouchers for administrative processing and approval.

3)         For the purpose of travel expense reimbursement, expenses incurred by the Authority members participating singly, or as a unit of the whole, or as a total Authority, shall be considered to be official business of the State and of the Authority when such expenses are incurred in the following activities:

A)        Regular and special Authority meetings called by the Chairman through the Executive Director.

B)        Participation in investigations, hearings, judicial proceedings, or the like, in connection with any matter properly before the Authority.

C)        Participation in standing, ad hoc or other special committees prescribed by the Chairman of the Board.

D)        Attendance, as a representative of the Authority, at meetings conducted by agencies of the State and federal governments, and by national, State and local organizations, concerning loan programs of a similar nature except the attendance at meetings held outside the State shall have the prior approval of the Chairman and of the Executive Director.

j)          Rules of Order.  Meetings of the Board, and actions considered, shall be according to generally-accepted principles of parliamentary procedure.  In the event of question, Robert's Rules of Order shall govern.

(Source:  Recodified from 8 Ill. Adm. Code 1400.50, 60, 70 and 80 at 31 Ill. Reg. 12104)