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Local publisher urges board to favor openness, flags vague closed‑session agenda wording
Summary
Amanda Mendes, publisher of the local paper, told the board she distributes tens of thousands of print and digital copies and urged the board to interpret Missouri’s Sunshine Law in favor of open meetings, saying agendas for closed session items are often too vague to inform the public about the reasons for closure.
During the meeting’s public‑comment period Amanda Mendes identified herself as the publisher and co‑owner of the local newspaper and urged the board to favor transparency when deciding whether items belong in closed session.
Mendes cited guidance from the Missouri Attorney General’s Sunshine Law booklet and emphasized two principles: that the presumption is openness and that the list of closed‑session exceptions is exclusive. She said vague agenda language for closed sessions prevents the press and public from assessing whether a claimed exception applies and asked the board to err on the side of open session where reasonable. Mendes also described her work on a statewide commission that explores press, judicial and bar coordination on access issues and said she would consult the Missouri Press Association’s attorney on unclear questions.
Board reaction: The board acknowledged her remarks and did not move to revisit any specific agenda item based on the comment during the meeting.
What happens next: Mendes asked the board to provide clearer agenda language for closed‑session items and to default to open session except where a statute plainly authorizes closure.
