Council Member Valentine urged the St. Marys City Council to change how committee minutes are handled so the public receives timely notice of committee deliberations.

"I would be to have a draft of the minutes prepared by the next council meeting after the committee meeting has held its deliberations so that it is included in the minutes of council," Valentine said, arguing that months-long delays in publishing minutes mean "issues are already passed or determined prior to the public having full knowledge of what happened at that committee meeting." He added that discussions answered outside public meetings "gives you information that is not recorded publicly, other than through minutes, which may take 6 months or even better than a year to be uncovered."

A fellow council member noted existing practice that committee chairs report to the full council at the subsequent meeting: "the chairs do actually give a report that's part of that council meeting." The chair said the council would take Valentine's comments under consideration and asked chairs to continue current practice until the law director issues an opinion.

Valentine proposed publishing draft committee minutes or committee reports earlier so that citizens can participate 'either by being here or by being a part of it through the Internet or through the minutes of council meetings.' The council did not take a formal vote on a change in process at the meeting; the item is expected to be revisited after the law director's guidance and after the current budget season.