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ECIA proposes open-meetings training for newly elected officials; supervisors press for clarity on enforcement
Summary
ECIA told the board it is exploring offering an open-meetings training curriculum for newly elected officials (required within 90 days under new law), pending approval by the Iowa Public Information Board; supervisors asked how compliance would be tracked and who would enforce the requirement.
May Hinton told the Jackson County Board that a new law requires newly elected officials to complete open-meetings training within 90 days and said ECIA is exploring developing a curriculum and offering training to member counties and cities.
"All new elected officials have to have the open meetings trainings within 90 days," Hinton said. She added that ECIA has reached out to the Iowa Public Information Board (IPIB) to understand curriculum approval and that the IPIB has sample materials but must approve any submitted curriculum.
Supervisors raised practical questions about the scope and enforcement of the new requirement—whether township trustees and clerks or appointed replacements would be covered and who would be responsible for monitoring compliance. Hinton said the required training must be more than one hour but less than two and that the method for policing or tracking compliance remained an open question she planned to pursue with counsel and the IPIB.
Hinton asked whether Jackson County would be interested in ECIA offering the training locally; supervisors indicated interest if it avoids the need to travel and makes compliance more convenient for newly elected officials.
