• We are now running on a new, and hopefully much-improved, server. In addition we are also on new forum software. Any move entails a lot of technical details and I suspect we will encounter a few issues as the new server goes live. Please be patient with us. It will be worth it! :) Please help by posting all issues here.
  • The forum will be down for about an hour this weekend for maintenance. I apologize for the inconvenience.
  • If you are having trouble seeing the forum then you may need to clear your browser's DNS cache. Click here for instructions on how to do that
  • Please review the Forum Rules frequently as we are constantly trying to improve the forum for our members and visitors.

Open meeting law's agenda requirements made clearer in Jan 16 decision

davidmcbeth

Banned
Joined
Jan 14, 2012
Messages
16,167
Location
earth's crust
http://civilinquiry.jud.ct.gov/DocumentInquiry/DocumentInquiry.aspx?DocumentNo=9927459

Lowthert v. FOI Commission, HHB-CV15-6028902S

This clarifies the law in respect to who line items on agendas must be presented to the public.

The court found that an agenda must actually be detailed enough to allow the public to know what is/will be discussed at a meeting of a public agency.

The complaint before the court, found here:
http://civilinquiry.jud.ct.gov/DocumentInquiry/DocumentInquiry.aspx?DocumentNo=8871186

is in respect to three consolidated cases before our FOI Commission [ http://www.ct.gov/foi/site/default.asp ]

The hearing officer, Lisa Seigel wrote the initial decision ... http://www.ct.gov/foi/cwp/view.asp?a=4162&Q=562496
It was amended slightly to the final decision noted.

The law is now that an agenda must actually inform the public of the business that is going to be transacted (duh?--but that's not what our waste-of-space FOI Commission decided on their end). I think that the decision that Seigel originally wrote (but the public never saw the light of day) was along the same lines but the management of the FOI Commission ordered her to change it.

So if you see a line item in an agenda and it has you scratching your head ... you can file a complaint at the commission (a simple letter to their email account , foi@ct.gov , is all that is needed).

So keep an eye out for any actions a public agency may take in respect to our gun rights ... if an agenda item is bad or does not comply with our law one can argue that any action taken during that meeting be voided.
 
Top