firstamendment

Individual Meetings for Review

Individual Meetings for Review Q: Does the following constitute a violation of the Brown Act’s prohibition on serial informal meetings? An architect of a controversial project in Palo Alto met individually with 4 of 5 members of the Architectural Review Board following a particularly negative public review. It seems his purpose was to get feedback on his designs and try to shape them in a way the board would approve at an upcoming review. At

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Closed Session on Employee Performance

Closed Session on Employee Performance Q: I am hoping you can tell me whether language that appears in an upcoming school district agenda meets the requirements of the Brown Act. This the language as it appears in the agenda: • Public Employee, to consider appointment, employment, performance evaluation, or dismissal of employee pursuant to GC §54957, as cited in the Brown Act (2 cases). I understand from talking with two members of the Board of

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Board Voting While Board Member Out of the Room

Board Voting While Board Member Out of the Room Q: A board member left the room for a few minutes when the board was voting on the agenda items. During her absence the board president would cast a vote of abstention for the board member who had left the room. This occurred on about 4 items.  When the board member returned she noticed the votes but said nothing.  Is this not a violation of the

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A&A: County Supervisors’ Invitation-Only Meeting

County Supervisors’ Invitation-Only Meeting Q: I am a reporter for a small, local newspaper, and have little understanding of the intricacies of the Brown Act. Last Thursday, one of the county supervisors held an invitation-only meeting about a local hot-button topic; the meeting was attended by a sheriff’s deputy, a few “chosen” members of the Chamber of Commerce, and one local media representative (I was invited, but unable to attend). The owner of the newspaper

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A&A: Signing In at Public Meetings

Q: Is it legal for a public school board at to require a member of the public to sign in in order to address the board on an agendized item? A: The California Supreme Court has recognized that “‘[a] school board of a school district constitutes a “legislative body” of a “local agency”‘” under Government Code §§ 54951-54952 of the Brown Act.  “‘Thus [a school board] is subject to the requirements of the Brown Act,

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