Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Open Meetings topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Port Orchard council debates neighborhood 'town hall' plan, legal counsel clarifies quorum rules
Summary
Councilors clashed over a proposed neighborhood town-hall series at McCormick Woods that some said was announced without full-council coordination. The city attorney reminded members that if a quorum of councilors attends and city business is discussed, the event must be publicly noticed under the Open Public Meetings Act.
A planned series of neighborhood meetings announced by a subset of council members prompted a lengthy exchange on Dec. 16 over transparency, perceived exclusion and legal noticing requirements.
Several council members objected that the McCormick Woods event had been publicized as a quarterly town hall without first informing or coordinating with the full council; others said neighborhood outreach by individual council members is an appropriate constituent service. Council members expressed concern that selective announcements could be divisive and urged broader inclusion.
City attorney Miss Archer provided legal guidance: if a quorum of the council is present and city business is discussed, the event must be noticed under the Washington Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA). Archer suggested that if the council intended neighborhood-specific events, the body could pre-declare those events as off-limits for a quorum or otherwise coordinate attendance to avoid triggering OPMA notice requirements.
Council members debated practical implications and whether such neighborhood events should be considered formal city programs; the exchange ended with staff guidance to coordinate and notice events when a quorum will be present or city business is to be discussed.
