Commission approves Jan. 13 minutes as amended; discusses FOIA for breakout groups

The commission approved the minutes from its Jan. 13 meeting after members identified multiple spelling errors and clarifications to the attendance record. Commissioners moved and seconded acceptance of the minutes, and the motion carried without a recorded roll-call tally.

Members emphasized correcting formal records. Commissioner Joy Futaba de Jaeger pointed out multiple misspellings of members’ names in the draft minutes and asked minute takers to use the commission roster for correct spellings. Other commissioners noted similar errors for Representative Gilchrest and Sarah Rendon Garcia.

The commission also addressed roll-call and public-participation procedures. Staff confirmed two members were absent from the meeting record (Jasmine and Chantel) and promoted a public participant, Jasmine, to panelist for the meeting; she did not request changes to the minutes. The chair asked staff to confirm attendance for the record.

Members discussed whether future meetings should use breakout groups and how breakout groups interact with Connecticut’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The chair said the commission must confirm FOIA rules that apply to breakout groups before using that format again and asked staff and committee leaders to keep a written, high-level record of any small-group meetings (date, time, attendees, and topics discussed) so the commission can demonstrate transparency.

Action items from the meeting included instructing committee members to keep minutes of any breakout or subcommittee sessions and for staff to confirm FOIA guidance on breakout groups. The meeting was later adjourned on a motion and second; the chair announced adjournment at 7:40 p.m.