What are the rules for advance notification on Board and Commission meetings? How many days (hours) prior does it have to be?
Riverside Info » About Riverside
Anyone know about the Open Meetings Act?
(21 posts)-
Posted Thursday Nov 19, 2009 10:29 #
-
http://www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/government/openmeet.pdf
Page 34 there says "Public notice of any special, rescheduled or reconvened meeting must be given at least 48 hours in advance except ..." and then there is more.
So, for special meetings, 48 hour notice. Regular meetings must be published at the beginning of the fiscal or calendar year, and the agenda must be posted 48 hours prior. That's my take on it.
Posted Thursday Nov 19, 2009 10:41 # -
So then it's fair to say that four or five hours notification is not sufficient to qualify as a legal meeting, I guess. I think some Commission meetings aren't in compliance if the outgoing e-Flash is the notification of record, but maybe they areposted somewhere else as well. I'll have to check with City Hall on this.... we had some "quickies" at odd hours in the past that weren't kosher, and I know the new Admin does not want to do that even by accident. I'll ask the lady that knows all....
Posted Thursday Nov 19, 2009 11:02 # -
Meeting schedules (including commissions) are posted a month or two in advance on the Village website:
http://riverside.il.us/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={2EAABFD4-A5E6-4A9F-B361-560C4F382337}Posted Thursday Nov 19, 2009 15:43 # -
I see that, but don't think it applies to the Safe Environment Commission. The posting on the Bulletin Board for that Commish (and only that one) says something like "will be announced." My point is I saw no announcement for this meeting anywhere except on the eflash that came just a few hours before the meeting. Perhaps it was posted somewhere else - I would just like to know where that was and see what was posted, for future reference if nothing else.
I just checked the Village website calendar and found no listing of this meeting, and there are no agendas or minutes posted under that commission heading. Conclusion? Maybe one of those commission members - one of the lawyers - could show us where the proper notification was made. I can't find it anywhere.
Posted Thursday Nov 19, 2009 18:26 # -
If this is the only posted notice of this meeting then the meeting held was not in compliance with the rules of the Open Meetings Act.
From: riversidenewsflash@riverside.govoffice2.com
Subject: Safe Environment Commission Meeting
Date: November 17, 2009 2:39:52 PM CSTBelow is the time and date of the meeting.
Chairperson Joanne Lincoln
Bob Finn
Richard Grove
Joseph Kosey
Robert Kosner
Leilani Lauger
Kelly NavarroTuesday - NOVEMBER 17, 2009
6:30 p.m. -- Village Hall Conference Room
RE: Quorum -- SEC members PLEASE call Chairperson Lincoln
at 447-1082 if you are unable to attend this meetingFour hours notice is not enough. Can anyone of the members show me where legal notice of this meeting was posted? Thank you.
Posted Friday Nov 20, 2009 09:45 # -
Case closed - it was an illegal meeting. Members should not attend such things . God is watching!
As an architect friend of mine used to say, "The devil's in the details..."
Attorneys should watch this stuff - we've had similar things here in the past.
Posted Friday Nov 20, 2009 09:55 # -
I'm not sure asking the members of the commission for information is helpful. They are not responsible for posting notice--that job belongs to Village staff. The way these things work is that the commission sets the meeting date, informs the VM and relevant staff (and I think the Board President and other trustees) and Village staff posts it. You might want to ask Mr. Gorman if he received information about the meeting in a timely fashion--he was there, so he clearly knew about it.
I'm not saying there was timely notice to the public, but I don't think the commission members are to blame for someone else dropping the ball. I also think it's a pretty minor issue in the grand scheme of things, but I'm glad to see that Don is at least being fair in bringing up something that reflects poorly on the new administration's promise of open and transparent government. Glad to see you're holding their feet to the fire on issues like this.
Posted Friday Nov 20, 2009 11:58 # -
This was not a "gotcha." It was an honest query. There are specific rules and you are either in compliance or not.
The Admin has admitted that this meting was in non-compliance. It was an honest mistake which we all know can happen. I did not imply anything else. The VM immediately looked into it, has admitted it slipped by, and has said that it will be corrected.
I brought it up in the publlc interest because whether it's this commission or any other, I know the Board - all of them - are truly interested in Open Government and adhering to ALL the rules. I have no doubt that Mr. Gorman, if he was there, was unaware that proper notice was not given, and knowing Mike's interest in this issue I am quite sure he doesn't feel I am sniping at him or the Village staff -which has enough to do and should not be chided for an honest error. In my book, if you make an honest error, admit it, and take steps to correct it it does not reflect poorly on poorly on the Admin. To the contrary, since none of us are perfect, I think it reflects nobly on them for acting openly and promptly.
The important thing is to acknowledge that it was not done properly and try and insure that it is always done so in the future. VM Scalera looked into it immediately and contacted me this morning to that effect. Since people, including one member of this commission have previously, on this Forum, insinuated that illegal meetings were held by some Board members, I think it is only fair to show how very interested this Admin is in complying with ALL the rules. I think we should know how the Commission members were notified of this meeting and why they didn't query it. I applaud the VM's efforts in this regard.
Had I known about this meeting earlier I would have attended, as I don't really know what they do. I think it is the only one I have never attended.
Posted Friday Nov 20, 2009 12:23 # -
I don't think that we should chide village staff for an honest error either, I just find it interesting that you decide to call out the members of this commission for failure to provide adequate notice when the provision of such notice is not their job. Also interesting is how you specifically reference "one of the lawyers" on the commission. Who are the lawyers on the commission?
I'm also confused by your statement that "I think we should know how the Commission members were notified of this meeting and why they didn't query it."
I'd imagine that they were either notified by the president of the commission or by the Board--from my reading of the municipal code, that's who would call meetings. What were the commission members supposed to query? Again, it's not their job to post notice.
Posted Friday Nov 20, 2009 12:52 #
Reply »
You must log in to post.