Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Borough attorney urges caution on Open Meetings Act compliance and conflicts of interest
Summary
Kenai Peninsula Borough Attorney Sean Kelly and Clerk Michelle Turner reviewed Open Meetings Act rules, teleconferencing, serial communications and conflict-of-interest procedures for assembly members.
Borough Attorney Sean Kelly told new assembly members that the Open Meetings Act requires openness and warned that certain informal interactions can trigger violations if they involve more than three members and discussion of a matter the assembly could act upon.
Kelly said the law intends transparency so the public can know the "who, what, when, why and how" of actions taken by the assembly and described common pitfalls such as serial communications, replying-all to email chains and private group social media exchanges.
"You can certainly be in the same place at the same time, but you just can't start talking about, you know, an ordinance or…
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
