City-contracted attorneys train advisory bodies on Brown Act limits, social media rules

Deepa Sharma, an attorney with Burke, Williams and Sorensen who provides legal services to the city, led a midday Brown Act training for local advisory committee members and staff. The session began at 12:03 p.m. and covered when gatherings count as meetings, how to avoid impermissible "serial" contacts, and the limits on member interactions on public-facing social media.

"A direct quote from the Brown Act is that it is the intent of the law that the actions be that actions be taken openly and their deliberations be conducted openly, so that the public is aware of how you arrived at your decision," Sharma told attendees, summarizing the law’s purpose. She and a colleague encouraged members to use the training to issue-spot and to consult the city attorney’s office or their staff liaison when in doubt.

Trainers emphasized two scenarios that commonly create violations: the…