The District Attorney has warned the Hart Unified School District in Santa Clarita that they erred in their appointment to the governing board to replace a departing member. The DA said the vote was held in open session but not reported in the meeting’s minutes, a violation of the Brown Act, the state’s open meeting law. (SVCNews.com, September 30, 2013, by Perry Smith)
The 90 day time limit for submitting a complaint of a Brown Act violation did not provide enough time for the error to surface in a case involving the city council of Morro Bay. In meeting in closed session on a personnel evaluation, the council also voted on a pay proposal, a violation of the open meeting law. The error only came to the attention of the public far after the 90 day limit. (San Luis Obispo Tribune, September 27, 2013, by The Tribune)
A Newport Beach citizen is challenging the city council on two alleged Brown Act violations, one involving a failure to announce items to be discussed in a closed session and a second over a commentary published in a local newspaper written by two members of a three member city council finance committee. They are charged with discussing official issues without notifying the public of their meeting. (Daily Pilot, October 7, 2013, by Emily Foxhall)
The El Segundo City Council is also facing a charge over closed sessions, in this case, negotiations over a proposed driving range. (Daily Breeze, October 4, 2013, by Adam Poulisse, Pasdaena Star-News)