Parent alleges district violated Open Meetings Law; board says counsel finds it compliant

A public commenter told the Granville Central School District board that she contacted the New York State Coalition for Open Meetings and received a reply from a senior state attorney stating meeting documents should be posted online 24 hours before a meeting. "In fact, the Granville Board of Education is violating New York State law by not posting this information online," she said, and asked when the board would begin posting documents.

The board's presiding official responded that the district had forwarded the question to its legal counsel, who advised the board it is "fully in compliance." The official said the board would not continue the discussion at the meeting and suggested the commenter pursue the matter through legal channels if she wished.

Why it matters: Public-access requirements determine what materials must be available to residents ahead of meetings. The commenter said she provided the board with a state attorney's email; the board said it relied on its retained counsel. The meeting record shows the disagreement was raised during public comment but not resolved at the table.

What the record shows: The materials in question were not posted during the public comment period, according to the commenter; the district said it responded via email and provided the requested documents upon request. The board did not vote on any policy change related to posting timelines at the meeting.

Next steps: The board indicated it would not re-litigate the matter during that session; the commenter was told she could take the complaint to the next level outside the meeting.