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city council - executive session/work session


Guest sue w.

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Is my local city council trying to pull a fast one?

A city council work session was scheduled for 5:30. It had its own agenda. There were some controversial subjects that were of interest to the public. 

The regular council meeting was to begin at 7 p.m. It had its own agenda.

The council decided to have an executive session at 5:30. It was held in a small side room. I was not there so I don't know if the mayor even called the city council meeting to order. The door was closed to the ex. session meeting. No sign on door. 

Then the door was opened and - according to them - this was to indicate that the work session was "open." to the public. No signs were ever put on the doorways to indicate any kind of a meeting. In the meantime, three people were sitting in the council chamber waiting for the work session to start.

The council came into the chamber at 6:45 and when asked about the work session - told people that the door was open to the side room and that should have been enough to let them know that it was open to the public.

Was everything done correctly?

 

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He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures. Aux barricades!

More seriously but still sheer guesswork here: if the call of the meeting specified "council chambers", you may have a leg to stand on, but I think that would be a legal question, something maybe to do with sunshine or open meeting laws, etc. (This is assuming the call and its format are subject to legal requirements, etc.)

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4 hours ago, Guest sue w. said:

Is my local city council trying to pull a fast one?

Was everything done correctly?

 

Robert's Rules of Order does not contain any kind of "sunshine law" (public access to a government body's meeting).

So, there won't be an answer within the 700+ page of the current edition.

You state likely has an applicable sunshine law. So consult an expert of your state laws.

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