Brown Act

A&A: Redevelopment Agency becomes “private corporation” not covered by Brown Act?

Q: Two years, ago, our city manager created a private, non-profit corporation in an effort to replace the city’s soon-to-be defunct redevelopment agency. The CEO is an Asst. City Manager and the Board of Directors are comprised of former city council members and other on various city commissions, etc. Plus, the RCDC uses city planning and other staff for its meetings,etc. Citizens have repeatedly asked for information pertaining to the business they are conducting, but

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A&A: When can a public Board claim attorney-client privilege?

Q: Our municipal board, of which I am a member, recently convened a closed session meeting that was not listed as an item on the published agenda. The purpose of the meeting, which included  a city attorney, was for several board members wanted to present their case against me as a Brown Act violator.  I believe the lawyer was invited to establish a claim of attorney-client privilege to hide their actions from public scrutiny. Can

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A&A: What does Brown Act say about board members’ having secret affair?

Q: In a board of five members, two are having a sexual affair with each other. Both have spouses and children, yet “secret” affair  is so obvious that the the story  has been published on a local news website.  We suspect vote collusion, conflict of interest and Brown act violations.  The school district has refused to investigate the allegations. What can we do? A: The Brown Act has as its sole focus the extent to

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Brown signs “Richard McKee bill” to tighten Brown Act enforcement

The measure strengthening the public’s ability to enforce the Brown Act was signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown last week. Known as the “Richard McKee Act,” the legislation allows members of the public to send local government bodies a cease-and-desist letter if they believe government agencies have violated the Brown Act. The government agency can avoid a court case if it makes a clear commitment to stop the challenged behavior. If it refuses, it

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A&A: Are city council subcommittees Brown Act-exempt?

Q: I am trying to get some skeleton data on a new crop of Brown Act-exempt City Council subcommittees. I requested the subcommittees’ mission statements, which I assumed were set out prior to commencement. Some have had four meetings thus far, and one as many as seven meetings. I have not received a response regarding the composition and purpose of the subcommittees with purported need to await an absent city manager’s writing up of, or coming

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