Council receives annual Open and Public Meetings Act training; clerical practices and posting timelines emphasized
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Summary
At Leamington's March meeting, staff provided annual training on OPMA requirements including public meetings definition, closed-meeting limits, agenda posting timelines, and minutes/audio posting rules.
Leamington Town Council members received their annual Open and Public Meetings Act (OPMA) training during the March 12 meeting, covering members' duty to conduct business publicly, limits on closed sessions and required notice and records practices.
Why it matters: OPMA sets rules for public bodies about how meetings, votes and decisions must be conducted and documented. Council members were reminded of timelines and common compliance issues identified by the state auditor's office.
Key points presented at the meeting included:
- Definition of a meeting: Training material noted a meeting occurs when a public body convenes to discuss, receive public comment or act on a relevant matter, whether in person or electronically. Speakers said workshops and executive sessions fall under the definition if they involve deliberation on public business.
- Closed meetings: The presenter summarized that closed meetings are permitted only for specified reasons (for example, pending litigation or property negotiations) and cited the statutory list as "52-4-205". The presenter emphasized that no final votes may be taken in closed sessions except to close the meeting.
- Notice and minutes: The council was reminded to post a meeting agenda on the public notice website at least 24 hours in advance and to be reasonably specific about items that may result in motions. Draft minutes should be posted within 30 days; approved minutes should be posted or made available within three business days. Audio recordings should be made available within three business days as well, or the council should make them available on request when file-size limits prevent posting.
- Enforcement and remedies: The presenter noted enforcement avenues include private citizens, county attorneys and the state attorney general. Remedies for a procedural violation can include voiding a motion; many complaints must be filed within 90 days (with some types limited to 30 days), the presenter said.
Council housekeeping advised during the training included using roll-call votes for ordinances and resolutions, publicly noting council member attendance (including remote presence), avoiding texting during deliberations and annual refresher training. The presenter encouraged transparency in borderline cases and consulting legal counsel when uncertain.
No formal action was taken on OPMA itself; the training was informational.