Search

Categories

Total Results

No Record Found

View All Results
DONATE

firstamendment

A&A: School Board Agenda Packets Availability

firstamendment June 13, 2009

School Board Agenda Packets Availability Q: I have a question about access to school board agenda packets. My understanding is that districts only need to notice a meeting 48 hours in advance, but that school board packets become public record as soon as they’re sent to the trustees. The school district that I cover has asked that I wait until Monday to pick up board packets that are sent to the trustees Friday. Up to

Read More »

A&A: Elected Officials Right to Public Comment

firstamendment June 13, 2009

Elected Officials Right to Public Comment Q: Can an elected official (City Councilperson) speak under Oral Communications and claim to do so as a resident? May that official verbally insult residents who have spoken without some consequence to himself? Is there any violation of the Brown Act? How can we the residents protect ourselves and how can we convince the Mayor and Council, who have been intimidated, to take action? What recourse do we have?

Read More »

A&A: Spanish Translator at School Board Meetings

firstamendment June 13, 2009

Spanish Translator at School Board Meetings Q: At a recent school board meeting attended by 600 community members and staff, the district attempted to deny translation of the meeting.  80% of the audience was Spanish speaking.  Is the district required to provide a translator if needed? A: With respect to the meetings of local government bodies such as school boards, the public’s right to attend, receive notice of, and otherwise access those meetings is governed

Read More »

A&A: Planning a Closed Session to Allow Confidential Documents

firstamendment June 13, 2009

Planning a Closed Session to Allow Confidential Documents Q: For a lawsuit between two city board members and the city board, which is run as a corporation, the parties have reached an agreement to allow the board members to access documents in closed session so that it will be covered under the Brown Act. Can a government entity plan a session to fall under the Brown Act to keep information confidential on hiring documents when

Read More »

A&A: Unposted Supporting Documents and Public Comment on those Documents

firstamendment June 13, 2009

Unposted Supporting Documents and Public Comment on those Documents Q: The County Board of Supervisors had an agenda item that has been hotly contested for a number of years by this unincorporated community.  Before the meeting, this item was posted.  The “findings of fact” that support the item were not.  These “findings” were not made available to the public until one and a half hours before the meeting.  In fact one of the supervisors complained

Read More »