HomeMy WebLinkAboutPackets - Council Packets (1459)Town Council Meeting
Regular Session
January 20, 2021
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Council meeting will resume at or after x:xx p.m.
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Town Council Meeting
Announcements
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Upcoming Meetings
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Spotlight on Youth
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Spotlight on Youth
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Fiscal Year 2020/21
Financial Update Through November 2020
January 20, 2021
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GENERAL FUND REVENUES
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GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES
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YTD Surplus/(Deficit): $7.4M
Year-End Estimated Surplus/(Deficit): $710,705
Estimated Ending Fund
Balance: $22.1M
GENERAL FUND
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HIGHWAY FUND
Revenues:
State shared highway user (HURF) revenues total $1.5 million through November, or 43.9% of budget
Expected to end the fiscal year slightly above budgeted levels
Grant revenues are related to reimbursements for the La Cholla project
Project is substantially complete, and no additional reimbursements are anticipated at this time
Expenditures:
Highway Fund expenditures total $1.7 million, or 45.3% of budget through November
Figures include the fall portion of the Town’s Pavement Preservation Program
Expenditures anticipated slightly below budget due to personnel savings
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YTD Surplus/(Deficit): $(206,311)
Year-End Estimated Surplus/(Deficit): $(219,156)
Estimated Ending Fund
Balance: $594,407
HIGHWAY FUND
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COMMUNITY CENTER FUND
Revenues:
Contracted operating revenues at 37.6% of budget, or $1.3 million through November
$234,500 or 21.6% higher than revenues compared to same period last fiscal year
Town operating revenues below budget due to COVID-19
Half-cent sales tax revenues trending as expected at $1.1 million, or 43.7% of budget
Expenditures:
Contracted expenditures at 44.0% of budget, or about $2.0 million through November
$138,700 or 6.6% lower than expenditures compared to same period last fiscal year
Town operating expenditures below budget due to COVID-19
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YTD Surplus/(Deficit): $102,909
Year-End Estimated Surplus/(Deficit): $(45,749)
Estimated Ending Fund
Balance: $858,621
COMMUNITY CENTER FUND
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Questions?
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Presented by
Frank Cassidy, Esq.
Arizona’s Open Meeting Law
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What is the open meeting law?
Set of laws that were intended to:
Allow public access to the governmental process.
Open deliberations and proceedings to the public.
Prevent public bodies from making most decisions in secret.
State certain situations in which the government can meet and issue certain instruction.
Found at A.R.S. § 38-431 through -431.09
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Who must comply?
“Public Bodies” – A.R.S. § 38-431(6)
All councils, boards, commissions of the state or political subdivisions.
Multimember governing bodies of departments, agencies, institutions and instrumentalities of the state or political subdivisions.
Includes corporations or other instrumentalities whose boards of directors are appointed or elected by a state or political subdivision.
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The definition also includes…
Standing committees
Special committees
Advisory committees
Subcommittees
Of or appointed by the public body
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Advisory committees and subcommittees are defined as…
Any entity, however designated
Officially established
on motion or order of the public body
or by presiding officer of the public body
For purpose of making a recommendation concerning a decision to be made or a course of conduct to be taken by the public body
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Statutory Requirements
City/Town clerks must conspicuously post open meeting law materials prepared and approved by the Attorney General’s Office on their website.
Chapter 7 of the Arizona Agency Handbook
Revised 2018.
All persons elected or appointed to a public body must review the materials at least one day before taking office.
There may be other requirements elsewhere in law or in a public body’s governing documents (e.g., A.R.S. § 48-803(H) for fire district.)
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Enforcement Authority
Arizona Attorney General’s Open Meeting Law Enforcement Team (OMLET)
Investigate complaints
Enforcement authority
Arizona Agency Handbook, Chapter 7 (Revised 2013)
Available online: www.azag.gov
County Attorney’s Office
The Courts
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Enforcement Authority
Only the Arizona Attorney General is authorized to sue an individual for open meeting law violations
The Arizona Attorney General, Pima County Attorney’s office, or anybody adversely affected by an OML violation can bring an enforcement action against the public body
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What must a Public Body do?
Provide notice
Have an agenda
Meet in public
Permit public to attend (and A.G. has, by opinion, approved virtual attendance during the COVID pandemic)
Exception: authorized executive sessions
Take action in public
Create/prepare meeting minutes or a recording.
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What is a Meeting?
A.R.S. § 38-431(4)
“Meeting” is a gathering, in person or through technological devices
Of a quorum of a public body
Discuss
Propose
Deliberate
Take legal action
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What is a Meeting? (cont’d)
A.R.S. § 38-431(4)(b) includes:
“(i) A one-way electronic communication by one member of a public body that is sent to a quorum of the members of a public body and that proposes legal action.”
“(ii) An exchange of electronic communications among a quorum of the members of a body that involves a discussion, deliberation or the taking of legal action by the public body concerning
a matter likely to come before the public body for action.”
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What is a Quorum?
Majority of the public body – A.R.S. § 1-216(B)
(unless specific statutory provision specifies a different number)
If 7 members, a quorum = 4
If 5 persons, a quorum = 3
If 3 persons, a quorum = 2
That includes vacant seats unless otherwise specified by law.
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Telephone or “Virtual” Conferencing
Permitted by the open meeting law if the public body has complied with the agenda, notice, minutes, and other requirements of the OML for the telephone or virtual conference
Board members and public must be able to hear
Provide information in minutes
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The “Initial” Notice
(aka disclosure statement)
A.R.S. § 38-432.02
Tells public where individual meeting notices will be posted (must include both physical and electronic locations).
Must be posted on public body’s website
Cities and Towns may use association of cities and towns website.
Special districts may file it with the County Clerk.
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Notice of Meetings
A.R.S. § 38-431.02(C)
Provided at least 24 hours in advance of meeting
To all members of the public body
To the general public
24 hours may include Saturdays IF the public has access to the physical posting location. May not include Sundays or other legal holidays prescribed under A.R.S. § 1-301.
Exceptions:
Recess and resume
Actual emergencies
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Contents of Notice
The name of the public body
Date, time and place
Address and room number
Details of telephone and/or virtual access, if applicable
Must include an agenda OR inform the public how to obtain a copy of the agenda.
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Posting the Notice
Must be posted in all locations identified in the initial notice (disclosure statement). This must be a location where the public has access.
Must post it on website (see exception for special districts).
Must give additional notice that is reasonable and practicable.
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A few tips on posting notices:
Make sure it can’t be removed
Make sure front and back can be read
Document when the notice/agenda was posted
Need a regular, routine business practice
Clerk marks time of posting with initials
Date and time-stamp the exact time of posting
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Recess and Resume
A public body may recess and resume a properly noticed meeting to a later time or date by making an announcement at the meeting what agenda items will be covered.
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Emergency Meetings
A.R.S. § 38-431(D) and Agency Handbook section 7.7.9
In case of “actual emergency,” law permits the board to meet (including in executive session), discuss and decide matters with less than 24 hours notice.
What constitutes an “actual emergency”?
Due to unforeseen circumstances, immediate board action is necessary to avoid a serious consequence that would result from waiting until proper notice could be provided.
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Emergency Meeting Requirements
Aside from the 24 hour notice requirement, all Open Meeting Law requirements still apply
Provide notice as soon as possible
Announce in public the reasons necessitating emergency action
Include reasons in the meeting minutes
Post a notice stating the emergency session occurred and providing the information required on a normal agenda within 24 hours after the meeting
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Social Events & Seminars
Government may post a “courtesy agenda” announcing the event and explain that a quorum might be present.
Identify date, time and purpose (location details will vary depending on the event)
State that no business of the public body will be discussed and no legal action will be proposed or taken.
Members must be scrupulous to avoid improper discussion
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The Agenda
A.R.S. § 38-431.02(H)
Must list the specific matters to be:
discussed,
considered, or
decided
Must include information reasonably necessary to inform the public
All discussion must be reasonably related to an adequately described agenda item.
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Common Agenda Problems
Using language a regular person would not understand
Legalese
Acronyms (without first spelling it out)
Agency slang
Using general categories without details
“New Business”
“Old Business”
“Personnel”
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Current Events
A.R.S. § 38-431.02(K)
Chief administrator, presiding officer or a member of a public body may present a brief summary of current events without listing in the agenda the specific matters to be summarized
Provided that
This is an agenda item and
The public body does not propose, discuss, deliberate or take legal action.
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If it’s not on or reasonably
related to the agenda…
You should not discuss it!
New items must wait for a future meeting.
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Meeting Location Pitfalls
Inaccessible
A board member’s house
Inaudible
Not enough room
Unreasonable times (very subjective)
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Public’s Rights
Attend
Listen
Tape record
Videotape
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Public has NO right to:
Speak
Disrupt
Practical pointer:
Make a good record of warnings!
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Calls to the Public
A.R.S. § 38-431.01(H)
Optional (unless required by other laws)
Time, manner, place restrictions
Can limit time (egg timer)
Ban repetition
May require speakers on the same side with no comments new comments to select spokesperson
Prohibit disruptive behavior
Town has unique restriction on discussing agenda items during a call to the public.
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Common Pitfalls of
Calls to the Public
If it’s not an agenda item, public body’s response is limited to:
Direct staff to study the matter
Ask that a matter be placed on a future agenda
Response to criticism
NOTE: These three responses must take place at the conclusion of the call to the public.
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Meeting Etiquette
Asking for trouble:
Passing notes, texting, emailing (even it it’s about when to order lunch)
Whispering to fellow board members
Quorum talking with individuals before the meeting officially starts or after the meeting officially ends
Individual Council member casually chatting with an applicant in the meeting room just prior to a meeting
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Executive Sessions
Public excluded
Only permitted for specific matters
A.R.S. § 38-431.03(A)(1) through (9)
Must include possibility of executive session in the meeting notice and agenda
Discussion is confidential
Limited instruction permitted
Must have minutes or recording.
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Executive Session Notice/Agenda
Notice must include the statutory section authorizing the executive session
Agenda must provide a general description of the matters to be discussed or considered
Needs to be more than a statutory citation
Should not contain information that would:
Defeat the purpose of the executive session
Compromise the legitimate privacy interests of a public officer, appointee, or employee
Compromise the attorney-client privilege
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Who may attend Executive Sessions
A.R.S. § 38-431(2)
Members of the public body
Attorney, if the ES is for legal advice
Persons subject to a personnel discussion, if invited by the public body
Individuals whose presence is reasonably necessary in order for the public body to carry out its executive session responsibilities, if invited by the public body
Example: Clerk to take minutes/run tape
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Executive Session Pitfalls
Inappropriate disclosure
What happens in executive session stays in executive session!
Chair (or attorney) must remind members about the confidentiality requirement every time
A.R.S. § 38-431.03(C)
Taking legal action.
All votes must take place in public
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Personnel Matters
May discuss and consider employment, assignment, appointment, promotion, demotion, dismissal, salaries, discipline or resignation.
Regarding an officer, appointee or employee
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More considerations regarding Personnel Matters
If the matter is noticed for a possible executive session, separate written notice to the officer, appointee or employee at least 24 hours before the meeting.
The employee may require that the meeting be held in public (does not include individual salary discussions).
The employee does not have the right, but may be permitted by the body, to attend executive session. (Regardless, the employee has access to portion of executive session meeting minutes.)
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Common Questions
Q: May personnel evaluations be conducted in executive session?
A: Yes. See Ariz. Attorney General Opinion 196-012
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Q: May an applicant be interviewed in executive session?
A: Yes, if the position is one appointed by the government. See Ariz. Attorney General Opinion 183-050.
NOTE: Must formally vote for the appointment in public session.
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Confidential Information
Discussion or consideration of records exempt by law from public inspection.
Can receive and discuss information and testimony that state or federal law requires to be maintained as confidential.
Discussion may occur in open session when confidential information is adequately safeguarded (i.e., use an initial for a medical patient).
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Legal Advice
Discussion or consultation for legal advice with attorneys for the public body.
Communication between lawyer and client.
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Other Possible Reasons for Executive Session
Discuss and consult with attorneys to consider litigation, contract negotiations, and settlement. Can instruct attorney regarding public body’s position.
Discussion or consultations with designated representatives regarding negotiations for the purchase, sale or lease of real property. Can instruct representatives about public body’s
position.
Discussion or consultation with designated representatives regarding negotiation with employee organizations about salary. Can instruct representatives regarding public body’s position.
International, Interstate, and Tribal negotiations.
[NEW] Discussion or consideration of matters relating to school safety operations or school safety plans or programs.
[NEW} Discussions or consultations with designated representatives of the public body in order to discuss security plans, procedures, assessments, measures or systems relating to, or
having an impact on the security or safety of buildings, facilities, operations, critical infrastructure information and information technology maintained by the public body.
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Minutes
A.R.S. § 38-431.01(B)
Minutes OR recording required
Tape recordings, if created or used to transcribe minutes, must be retained for at least three (3) months “[a]fter date of meeting and after minutes transcribed or summarized and approved.”
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Content of Public Meeting Minutes
A.R.S. § 38-431.01(B)
Date, time and place of meeting
Members present and absent
General description of all matters considered
Accurate description of “all legal actions proposed, discussed or taken:
A record of how each member voted
Names of members who propose each motion
Names of persons, as given, making statements or presenting material to the public body; and
A reference to the legal action about which they made statements or presented material.
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Access to Public Meeting Minutes
Minutes or a recording shall be open to public inspection 3 working days after the meeting.
NOT AFTER APPROVAL
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Meeting Minutes: cities and towns
A.R.S. § 38-431.01(E)
Cities and towns with population of more than 2,500 shall:
Post legal actions taken or any recording on its website within three (3) working days
Post approved meeting minutes from city or town council meetings on its website within two (2) working days following approval.
Posting must remain on website for one year
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Subcommittees and
Advisory Committees
ARS §§ 38-431(6), 38-431.01(B) and (E)(3)
Subcommittees and advisory committees must:
Take written minutes or record all meetings, including executive sessions.
Within 10 working days of the meeting, subcommittee or advisory committee of a city or town with a population of 2,500 or more must:
Post a statement describing any legal action or
Post any recording of a public meeting
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Executive Session Meeting Minutes
Shall have written minutes or a recording
Burden of proof – Fisher case (“plaintiff, who is challenging an executive session under the Open Meeting Law, has filed a complaint [in court] alleging facts from which a reasonable
inference may be drawn supporting an Open Meeting Law violation, the burden shifts to the defendant to prove that an affirmative defense or exemption should permit a closed door executive
session.”)
Shall include the following:
Date, time and place of meeting
Members present and absent
General description of matters considered
An accurate description of all instructions given
Such other matters as deemed appropriate by the public body
Shall be kept confidential (A.R.S. § 38-431.03(B))
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Access to Executive Session
Meeting Minutes
Meeting minutes of executive session shall only be released to:
Members of the public body
Officers, appointees, or employees who were the subject of discussion or consideration (only that portion)
Auditor general in connection with an audit
County attorney or attorney general upon an investigation
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Circumvention
Cannot use any device to circumvent the law.
“Splintering the quorum”:
Serial communications (verbal, written, electronic, etc.)
Meeting with individual members and then reporting what others said with enough to constitute a quorum
Polling the members
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Non-verbal Serial Communications
Letters – series of letters from one member to the next would violate Open Meeting Law
E-Mail – occurring at different times can under some circumstances constitute a “meeting” in violation of Open Meeting Law
Simultaneity is not required for there to be a “meeting”
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Attorney General Opinion 105-004: Email
Board members cannot use email to circumvent the Open Meeting Law
Cannot use email among a quorum to:
Propose legal action
Discuss legal action
Deliberate on legal action
Take legal action
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Electronic Communications
Electronic communications are treated the same as any other form of communication between board members.
Electronic communications exchanged among a quorum of the Board that involve discussion, deliberations, or taking legal action on matters that may come before the Board constitute a
meeting and thus, violate the Open Meeting Law.
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For example:
You have a 5-member board
One member sends a email to 2 other members and there is a response shared among all 3
You now have a discussion among three members (a quorum)
Violation!
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Facts vs. Opinion?
There is no distinction between discussing facts vs. discussing opinions among a quorum
Deliberation = “collective acquisition and exchange of facts preliminary to a final decision”
Therefore, 2-way discussion of facts (among quorum) regarding potential board business = violation
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Council members might consider:
a statement on the internal email that provides:
“To ensure compliance with the Open Meeting Law, recipients of this message should not forward it to other members of the Council. Members of the Council may reply to this message,
but they should not send a copy of their reply to other members.”
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Staff Email
Staff may send e-mail to council members
Best practice: BCC council members
Passive receipt of information from staff, without more, does not violate the open meeting law.
Example: Council packets
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Prohibited 1-Way Communication
A single board member may violate the OML if they propose legal action among a quorum outside a properly noticed meeting
“Propose” means “to put forward for consideration, discussion, or adoption.”
It only takes 1 person to propose legal action
CANNOT propose legal actions outside of a noticed meeting
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Proposing an Agenda item?
Proposing an item for the agenda does not propose legal action
“without more”
Be cautions:
Communicate the TOPIC only
Do NOT communicate the legal action you want the Board to take
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“Propose” examples:
“We should discuss safety at First and Main.”
(does NOT propose legal action)
“We should install a crosswalk at First and Main.”
(DOES propose legal action)
It’s more than the topic for the agenda because it urges or suggests an outcome.
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More examples:
“I think we should consider firing Joe Blow at our next meeting.”
-vs-
“I would like to discuss Joe Blow’s performance at our next meeting.”
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Staff & Other Persons
Cannot knowingly direct staff to communicate in violation of the open meeting law. A.R.S. § 38-431.01(l)
Sanctions may be imposed upon any person who knowingly aids, agrees to aid or attempts to aid another person in violating this article. A.R.S. § 38-431.07(A).
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Communications with the Public
Members may express opinions and discuss issues with the public at a venue other than a public meeting, personally, through the media or other public broadcast, so long as it is not
intended to circumvent the open meeting law.
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What does that mean?
Discussion or opinion must not be principally directed at or directly given to other council members
There is no plan to engage in collective deliberation to take legal action
Speaking at a public forum or to the media about upcoming actions is not an OML violation
A.R.S. § 38-431.09(B)
Attorney General Opinion I07-013
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When in Doubt…
RESOLVE ALL DOUBTS IN FAVOR OF OPENNESS! A.R.S. § 38-431.09.
Legal action taken during a meeting in violation of any provision of the open meeting law may be null and void unless ratified.
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What to do when you learn that a potential open meeting law violation has occurred.
If in the thick of things = Recess/Assess
Can you resolve the issue and continue?
Does the particular open meeting law violation taint your whole meeting?
No—only the specific item. AG Opinion I08-001.
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After the meeting…
Determine if you need to ratify any actions
Provide refresher training to staff involved
If you receive a complaint: Be candid, respond promptly
Provide materials that help you: Minutes, ratification materials, videotapes, etc.
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Ratification – A.R.S. § 38-431.05
Within 30 days after discovery of the violation or when it should have been discovered with reasonable diligence
Tanque Verde Unified School Dist. V. Bernini, 206 Ariz. 200, 76 P.3d 874 (App. 2003) (30 days after court ruling OK)
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Ratification continued…
Notice 72 hours before the meeting. Includes:
Description of action to be ratified
Clear statement that the body proposes to ratify a prior action
Information on how to obtain detailed written description of the action
Written description must also be available 72 hours in advance. Must include:
Action to be ratified
All of the preceding deliberations, consultations and decisions that preceded and re related to the action
Must be included in minutes of ratification meeting
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Penalties – A.R.S. §38-431.07(A)
Individual members who violate and any persons who aid, attempt, or agree to aid – must be “knowingly”
Civil penalty (paid by individual) up to $500 second violation.
Up to $2,500 penalty for third violation onward.
Such equitable relief as the court deems appropriate
Reasonable attorney fees
Public body may not pay or reimburse for penalty imposed on individual.
Only AG can commence suit against individual.
If person who is otherwise liable “objected to the action of the public body and the objection is noted on a public record, the court may choose not to impose civil penalty on that
person.”
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Penalties – A.R.S. § 38-431.07(A)
If “knowingly” violated “with the intent to deprive the public of information”,
Court may remove public officer from office and
May charge officer and any person that aided, agreed to aid, or attempted to aid, all the costs and attorney fees.
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Questions?
27x7321.02
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