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La Plata council begins review of rules of procedure; asks staff for ex parte disclosure language and attorney-attendance analysis
Summary
Councilors discussed edits to the towns rules of procedure, focusing on ex parte communication disclosure for land-use matters, whether the town attorney should attend meetings, closed-session limits, and the agenda-request process; staff was directed to draft language and seek legal review.
La Plata, Maryland — On July 29 the Town Council held an extended discussion about possible updates to its rules of procedure and gave staff direction to draft specific language on ex parte disclosures, to evaluate the feasibility and cost of attorney attendance at meetings, and to clarify closed-session practices and agenda-request procedures.
Ex parte communication: Council members said they want a standard disclosure mechanism for contacts that could influence quasi-judicial decisions — for example, development applications that may later come before council. Town Manager Chuck Stevens explained the principle and the practical limit: ex parte rules apply to communications about pending matters outside a public hearing and not to ordinary social interactions.…
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