The Mount Vernon Historic Preservation Commission meeting Oct. 5 was an illegal meeting.

City administrator Chris Nosbisch had emailed commission president Suzette Astley Friday, Oct. 4, when the commission had sent out an agenda to be posted at 1 p.m. for a meeting scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 5.

City and state code requires 24-hours-notice of an agenda being posted before a meeting of a government board is held. Nosbisch advised Astley and the commission if they met Saturday, they would be holding an illegal meeting because of when the agenda was posted.

“Notice of said meetings must be posted 24 hours in advance so that said applicants are afforded an opportunity to address the commission during the review,” Nosbisch wrote. “HPC can discuss code amendments, possible code violations and project specific recommendations (projects under/initiated by HPC) without an applicant or city staff present.”

The commission held the meeting in October and discussed the Intellistreets light poles at the meeting and the commission’s standpoint.

Nosbisch also said that the discussion on the Intellistreets project was an overstep by the commission.

“Right of way, unless it contains historic features (ex. Limestone curbs), is not subject to review by HPC and therefore does not require a certificate of appropriateness or certificate of no material effect,” Nosbisch said. “Only three of the proposed digital banners would be located within the boundary of the Commercial Historic District.”

At a meeting that did not have a full quorum of commission members Saturday, Nov. 2, president Sue Astley apologized for that misstep of posting the agenda too late ahead of the last meeting. She realized Friday afternoon the agenda hadn’t been sent out but there was a meeting planned of the commission Saturday.

“I now have calendar reminders set to make sure agendas get posted by Thursday ahead of our meetings to meet those 24-hour requirements,” Astley said.