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Avondale council receives Open Meeting Law refresher from city attorney
Summary
City Attorney Nicole Harris gave Avondale council a detailed refresher on ArizonaOpen Meeting Law, covering what constitutes a meeting, limits on electronic communication, agenda and notice rules, executive sessions and enforcement penalties; several council members asked procedural questions about adding items to agendas.
Avondale City Attorney Nicole Harris delivered an extended refresher on ArizonaOpen Meeting Law at the Feb. 10, 2025, City Council meeting, reviewing when a gathering becomes a public "meeting," how electronic communications can create a quorum, agenda and notice requirements, and possible enforcement remedies.
Harris told the council the law is codified in Title 38 of the Arizona Revised Statutes and said the statute "is 10 statutes. It's located in Title 38. It's a pretty easy read." She emphasized that a "meeting" includes in-person gatherings and electronic exchanges among a quorum of members and warned that a sequence of one-on-one contacts that result in a quorum can create a prohibited "walking quorum." Harris also reviewed the limits on email and text exchanges, saying they can become meetings when they "discuss, propose, or take legal action,"…
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