§ 153A-40 — Regular and special meetings

North Carolina § 153A-40

• Jurisdiction: North Carolina
• Ch. 153A: Counties
• Art. 4: Form of Government

Text

(a) The board of commissioners shall hold a regular meeting at least once a month, and may hold more frequent regular meetings. The board may by resolution fix the time and place of its regular meetings. If such a resolution is adopted, at least 10 days before the first meeting to which the resolution is to apply, the board shall cause a copy of it to be posted on the courthouse bulletin board and a summary of it to be published. If no such resolution is adopted, the board shall meet at the courthouse on the first Monday of each month, or on the next succeeding business day if the first Monday is a holiday.
If use of the courthouse or other designated regular meeting place is made temporarily impossible, inconvenient, or unwise, the board may change the time or place or both of a regular meeting or of all regular meetings within a specified period of time. The board shall cause notice of the temporary change to be posted at or near the regular meeting place and shall take any other action it considers helpful in informing the public of the temporary change.
The board may adjourn a regular meeting from day to day or to a day certain until the business before the board is completed.
(b) The chairman or a majority of the members of the board may at any time call a special meeting of the board of commissioners by signing a written notice stating the time and place of the meeting and the subjects to be considered. The person or persons calling the meeting shall cause the notice to be delivered to the chairman and each other member of the board or left at the usual dwelling place of each at least 48 hours before the meeting and shall cause a copy of the notice to be posted on the courthouse bulletin board at least 48 hours before the meeting. Only those items of business specified in the notice may be transacted at a special meeting, unless all members are present or those not present have signed a written waiver.
If a special meeting is called to deal with an emergency, the notice requirements of this subsection do not apply. However, the person or persons calling such a special meeting shall take reasonable action to inform the other members and the public of the meeting. Only business connected with the emergency may be discussed at a meeting called pursuant to this paragraph.
In addition to the procedures set out in this subsection, a person or persons calling a special or emergency meeting of the board of commissioners shall comply with the notice requirements of Article 33B of General Statutes Chapter 143.
(c) The board of commissioners shall hold all its meetings within the county except:
(1) In connection with a joint meeting of two or more public bodies; provided, however, that such a meeting shall be held within the boundaries of the political subdivision represented by the members of one of the public bodies participating;
(2) In connection with a retreat, forum, or similar gathering held solely for the purpose of providing members of the board with general information relating to the performance of their public duties; provided, however, that members of the board of commissioners shall not vote upon or otherwise transact public business while in attendance at such a gathering;
(3) In connection with a meeting between the board of commissioners and its local legislative delegation during a session of the General Assembly; provided, however, that at any such meeting the members of the board of commissioners may not vote upon or otherwise transact public business except with regard to matters directly relating to legislation proposed to or pending before the General Assembly;
(4) While in attendance at a convention, association meeting or similar gathering; provided, however, that any such meeting may be held solely to discuss or deliberate the board's position concerning convention resolutions, elections of association officers and similar issues that are not legally binding upon the board of commissioners or its constituents.
All meetings held outside the county shall be deemed "official meetings" within the meaning of G.S. 143-318.10(d). (Code, s. 706; Rev., s. 1317; C.S., s. 1296; 1945, c. 132; 1951, c. 904, s. 1; 1961, c. 154; 1967, c. 617, s. 1; 1969, c. 349, s. 1; c. 1036; 1973, c. 822, s. 1; 1977, 2nd Sess., c. 1191, s. 6; 1985, c. 745.)