Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
City attorney updates council on Public Records Act and Open Public Meetings Act obligations
Summary
City Attorney Kelly Cogswig presented annual training on the Public Records Act (PRA) and Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA), emphasizing that public records include electronic communications, that campaign materials may or may not be exempt depending on content, and that council members should avoid using personal accounts for city business.
City Attorney Kelly Cogswig provided the council Jan. 21 with the annual Public Records Act and Open Public Meetings Act training, reviewing obligations and practical steps for elected officials and staff.
On the Public Records Act, Cogswig said courts interpret "public record" broadly: any writing that relates to government conduct and is prepared, owned, used or retained by an agency can be a public record. The definition includes electronic communications, such as emails, text messages, social-media posts, and security video. Cogswig warned that documents on personal devices or personal email accounts can still be public…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
