City attorney gives Gardena planning commissioners Brown Act refresher; training covers recusals, social media and serial meetings

Rosemary, an attorney from the City Attorney’s Office, gave a Brown Act refresher to the Planning and Environmental Quality Commission and answered commissioners’ questions about recusal, communications among commissioners, social media and public comment rules.

“Brown Act requires that all meetings of the legislative body of a local agency shall be open in public, and all persons shall be permitted to attend any meeting of the legislative body of a local agency except as otherwise provided by law,” Rosemary told the commission. She described what constitutes a meeting, how a quorum is calculated, and how the Brown Act applies to commissions, committees and ad hoc groups.

Key points covered in the training and subsequent Q&A included:

- Open meetings and notice: Regular meeting agendas must be published at least 72 hours before the meeting; special meeting notices require at least 24 hours. Items not on the agenda…