IVCC to tape closed sessions
By Jacob Wise
IV Leader Staff, Sept. 11, 2003
Illinois Valley Community College will take steps to comply with a new law that requires public bodies, including school boards, to record all closed session meetings by audio or video recording.
The measure, signed by Gov. Rod Blagojevich Aug. 12, goes into effect Jan. 1, 2004.
IVCC president Jean Goodnow said, “I don’t have a problem with whether they’re taped or not. The trustees have always followed the guidelines in the Open Meetings Act, so the taping shouldn’t affect the way things are run.”
Goodnow praised Blagojevich’s effort to restore ethics in government.
“In my opinion, the governor is putting a great deal of ethics in government, in terms of his administration, and we are certainly aware of all the difficulties from the last governor’s administration,” Goodnow said. “The benefits I see from what has been said is that we can go back to the tape’s to refresh everyone’s memory.”
No discussions have been made at IVCC board meetings regarding the new law.
However, at college board meetings, the board secretary will have sole responsibility for the recording, including noting the date and location of each recording and maintaining accountability for the recordings for the required 18-month period. Taking notes of executive, or closed, sessions still is required by the board secretary, and a permanent written copy must be maintained for longer than the 18 months required for recordings.
The law states that recordings may be destroyed after the 18 months have passed without notice to a local records commission after the public body approves both the destruction and the written minutes documenting relevant closed session proceedings.