OAR 350-011-0030. Meetings of Gorge Commission to be Open to Public; Location of Meetings; Accommodation for Person with Disability; Interpreters

(1) All meetings of the Gorge Commission shall be open to the public and all persons shall be permitted to attend any meeting except as otherwise provided by this division. (2) A member of the public shall not be required, as a condition of attending a meeting, to give his or her name, other information, complete a questionnaire, or fulfill any other condition precedent. This section does not prohibit any generally applicable conditions that the Gorge Commission determines to be reasonably necessary to protect the public health or safety, or to protect against interruption of the meeting, including a meeting held electronically. (3) The Gorge Commission shall not meet in private except as otherwise provided by this division. (4) The Gorge Commission shall not meet at any place where discrimination on the basis of race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, or disability is practiced. However, the fact that organizations with restricted membership hold meetings at the place shall not restrict its use by the Gorge Commission if use of the place by a restricted membership organization is not the primary purpose of the place or its predominate use. (5) Location of meetings (a) Meetings of the Gorge Commission shall be held: (A) Within the geographic boundaries over which the Gorge Commission has jurisdiction; (B) At the administrative headquarters of the Gorge Commission; (C) At another practical location within one of the National Scenic Area counties; (D) Within Indian country (as that term is used in 18 U.S.C. § 1151) of one of the four Columbia River Treaty Tribes specified in 16 U.S.C. § 544(g); or (E) By means of telephone, electronic, or internet communication, or other means of remote access as provided by this division. (b) Training sessions may be held outside the jurisdiction so long as no deliberations toward a decision are involved. (c) A joint meeting between the Gorge Commission and another entity subject to an open public meeting law or one or more of the four Columbia River Treaty Tribes shall be held within the geographical boundaries over which one of the participating public bodies entities has jurisdiction, or within Indian country or at another practical location. (d) Meetings may be held in locations other than those described in this section in the event of an actual emergency necessitating immediate action. (6) It shall be considered discrimination on the basis of disability for the Gorge Commission to meet in a place inaccessible to persons with disabilities, or upon request of an individual with a disability or a non-English-speaking person, to fail to make a good faith effort to have an interpreter for the individual with a disability or a non-English-speaking person provided at a regularly scheduled meeting. (a) The person requesting the interpreter shall provide the Gorge Commission at least 48 hours’ notice of the request, shall provide the name of the requester, language or sign language preference, and any other relevant information the Gorge Commission may require. (b) If a meeting is held upon less than 48 hours’ notice, reasonable effort shall be made to have an interpreter present, but the requirement for an interpreter does not apply to emergency meetings. (c) As used in this section, “good faith effort” includes contacting the Oregon Disabilities Commission, the Washington Aging and Long Term Support Administration, state or federal court with jurisdiction in the National Scenic Area, or other state or local government or community service agency that maintains a list of qualified interpreters and arranging for the referral of one or more qualified interpreters to provide interpreter services. (7) Voting by the Gorge Commission shall take place in public and each member’s vote shall be recorded as it is cast. The Gorge Commission shall not vote by secret ballot.