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Kanosh receives harassment and open-meetings training as new council settles in
Summary
Mr. Wavin delivered extended training for newly seated council members on Robert's Rules, harassment prevention and Utah's Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA), stressing documentation, limits on closed sessions and the need to post agendas 24 hours ahead.
Mr. Wavin, a training presenter who led the evening's instructional sessions, spent much of the meeting reviewing basic parliamentary procedure, workplace harassment rules and Utah's Open Public Meeting Act. He opened the segment with a blunt guideline for harassment prevention: "Don't do it," and then explained the steps employees and elected officials should take if they believe harassment has occurred.
Wavin described harassment as conduct of a sex- or gender-based nature that is "demeaning, ridiculing, or derisive, and results in a hostile, abusive, or unwelcome work environment" and walked the council through the recommended supervisory response: tell the person to stop, document the episode, escalate the complaint up the chain of command if needed, and, where appropriate, use written warnings or administrative leave during an investigation.
The presenter also reviewed OPMA (the Open Public Meeting Act), citing it as the governing statute for public meetings under Title 52, Chapter 4. He told the council that agendas must be posted at least 24 hours in advance, that the body must identify the legal basis when it goes into a closed session, and that roll-call votes are required for certain actions. He cautioned against informal decision-making outside of noticed meetings (including group texts during a meeting that direct votes) and emphasized that records and electronic communications used for town business can be subject to GRAMA requests or subpoenas.
Wavin used examples to illustrate the potential consequences of mishandling closed sessions or failing to document action: a judge can order sealed recordings opened if a court finds closed-session discussion exceeded the stated reasons, and that can lead to significant legal and reputational exposure. He advised appointing a mayor pro tem and keeping separate recordings for closed-session material that is not to be released.
The training included practical tips for record-keeping, avoiding conflicts of interest, and ensuring council members understand the limits of their authority. No formal action was taken on the training itself; council members thanked the presenter and moved forward with the meeting agenda.
