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Allegany County commissioners acknowledge Open Meetings Act violations, vow procedural fixes
Summary
An Open Meetings Compliance Board found the Allegany County commissioners violated the Open Meetings Act for improperly advertising and exceeding closed-session scope; commissioners acknowledged the findings and agreed to update notice practices and meeting minutes procedures.
The Allegany County Board of Commissioners acknowledged a finding by the Open Meetings Compliance Board that the county violated the state Open Meetings Act in two closed sessions held June 13 and July 11.
Attorney Beeman summarized the compliance board’s decision, citing three problems: the county advertised the sessions as closed instead of as open meetings subject to closure, discussed matters outside the permissible closed-session exceptions, and failed to include the required closed-session statement in the public minutes afterward. "The county commissioners have acknowledged violating the Open Meetings Act," Beeman said as he read parts of the decision.
Administrator Bennett told commissioners the county has begun correcting procedures, including changing how meetings are advertised and making sure closed-session statements are incorporated into agendas and minutes going forward. Bennett also asked commissioners to sign the compliance board decision for return to the board.
Why it matters: The compliance board’s official finding requires the county to document corrective steps and makes public how the commissioners handled closed sessions. Commissioners said the changes are intended to strengthen transparency and avoid similar findings in future meetings.
What the commissioners said: The presiding commissioner read the compliance board’s decision aloud and asked for signatures on the decision document. Attorney Beeman told the panel the county has moved to fix advertising and minutes practices and will adhere more closely to the statute’s permitted exceptions.
Next steps: Commissioners agreed to continue updating meeting procedures and to circulate corrected agendas and supporting documents in advance when feasible. The commission did not take further formal action beyond accepting the compliance board’s decision and signing it for return.
