§ 504.26 - Procedures for closing of meetings.

(a) The closing of a meeting shall occur when:

(1) A majority of the membership of the Commission votes to take such action. A separate vote of the Commission members shall be taken with respect to each Commission meeting a portion or portions of which are proposed to be closed to the public pursuant to § 504.24, or with respect to any information which is proposed withheld under § 504.24. A single vote may be taken with respect to a series of meetings, a portion or portions of which are proposed to be closed to the public, or with respect to any information concerning such series of meetings, so long as each meeting in such series involves the same particular matters and is scheduled to be held no more than thirty days after the initial meeting in such series. The vote of each Commission member participating in such vote shall be recorded and no proxies shall be allowed.

(2) Whenever any person whose interests may be directly affected by a portion of a meeting requests that the Commission close such portion to the public for any of the reasons referred to in § 504.24 (e), (f) or (g), the Commission upon request of any one of its Commission members, shall take a recorded vote, whether to close such portion of the meeting.

(b) Within one day of any vote taken, the Commission shall make publicly available a written copy of such vote reflecting the vote of each member on the question and a full written explanation of its action closing the entire or portion of the meeting together with a list of all persons expected to attend the meeting and their affiliation.

(c) The Commission shall announce the time, place and subject matter of the meeting at least 8 days before the meeting.

(d) For every closed meeting, before such meeting is closed, the Commission's Chairman shall publicly certify that, the meeting may be closed to the public, and shall state each relevant closure provision. A copy of such certification, together with a statement setting forth the time and place of the meeting, and the persons present, shall be retained by the Commission.