City attorney briefs Bend housing advisory committee on public meetings law, public records and conflict-of-interest rules

Summary

City Attorney staff explained that the Bend committee is a governing body under state law; quorum-based deliberations and most decision-making must occur in public meetings, members should avoid serial communications that create a quorum, and potential financial conflicts should be declared on the record when relevant.

Ian Lighthizer of the City Attorney’s Office briefed the Bend Housing Advisory Committee on public meetings, public records and ethics obligations, emphasizing transparency rules that govern committee deliberations and how members should handle potential conflicts of interest.

“Because you're a governing body of a public body, you essentially have to do your work, essentially, all of it as a group in these public meetings,” Lighthizer said, explaining that state law treats the group as a public governing body because it is empowered to give recommendations to the City Council. He told members to expect the city code and the council resolution that established the committee to be primary reference documents if procedural questions arise.

Key points Lighthizer and his colleague Elizabeth Oshiel covered: - Quorum and meeting conduct: The committee…

City attorney briefs Bend housing advisory committee on public meetings law, public records and conflict-of-interest rules

Summary

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