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  • Pages

    Explainers

    FAC’s Explainer page provides information about topics relating to public records, open meetings, and freedom of speech that we are often asked about. The information you are looking for may be here, but if it is not, please feel free to submit a request to our Legal Hotline.

    July 3, 2024

  • Asked and Answered

    Brown Act

    Closed City Council Meetings Outside Regular Meeting

    There is a standing meeting with the city staff the week before the City Council meeting. The meeting is intended to let the Chamber preview and comment on the council agenda. The meeting is closed to the public and is often attended by a Council member or two.  This stinks and is but one […]

    June 14, 2009

  • Asked and Answered

    Brown Act

    A Group of City Council Staffers Can Constitute a Serial Meeting, too

    Our organization arranged a private meeting of some community stakeholders on a issue that will be coming before a city council committee, and we invited members of the staff of the three councilmen who make up that committee. However, we were told that only one staff member could attend, because any more would make […]

    July 13, 2010

  • Asked and Answered

    Brown Act

    Discussion of Employee Termination in Closed Session

    […] warned them of violating the Brown Act on several occasions within a memo (have copy of memo). On September 26, 2007 I was at the sewer workshop meeting when I brought up the fact that the City did not follow Prop. 218 guideline when increasing sewer rates in 2006. At that point the City […]

    June 14, 2009

  • Asked and Answered

    Brown Act

    County Supervisors’ Invitation-Only Meeting

    […] 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 […]

    June 14, 2009

  • Asked and Answered

    Brown Act

    Could this act of intimidation be a Brown Act violation?

    I attended the board meeting of the Waterworks District. During the meeting an agenda item came up for two job descriptions relating to the person who currently holds those positions. There were comments made by an ex-board member and another member of the public concerning this problem. One board member in particular had a very abrasive response to these comments. […]

    June 10, 2016

  • Asked and Answered

    Brown Act

    “Briefings” on controversial project really serial meetings?

    […] take a positive action on the project the following evening. How much evidence do we need to send a cure and demand letter? Apparently these small group serial briefings are commonplace, but not usually so coercive. We citizens in the community are tired of our city manager engaging in coercion and back room dealings […]

    August 18, 2010

  • Asked and Answered

    Brown Act

    Serial Meetings

    I'm an education reporter, and have been covering local school boards for years. I need to clarify the term Serial Meeting. Can two board members meet to talk about issues in general -- frustrations, general strategies, how to counter personal attacks -- and then have one of them meet with a third board member to […]

    June 14, 2009