Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Ex Parte topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Borough attorney trains Planning Board on ex parte contacts, independent fact‑finding and conflicts
Summary
Nick from the Matanuska-Susitna Borough Attorney's Office led a training for the planning board on rules that govern ex parte contacts, independent investigations and conflicts of interest, urging members to disclose private communications and to avoid outside fact‑finding in quasi‑judicial matters.
Nick, an attorney in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough Attorney's Office, told the Planning Board at a July training that the board routinely deals with quasi‑judicial matters and must guard both the fairness of proceedings and their appearance. "Ex parte means one side only," he said, explaining that private communications or information taken by a single party without the opposing side present can taint hearings and lead to appeals.
The presentation outlined the legal framework for quasi‑judicial decisions, including notice, meaningful opportunity to be heard, and the right to appeal. Nick emphasized that those rules exist to protect due process and urged members to disclose any off‑record contacts and forward unsolicited materials to staff for inclusion in the public packet. "Always disclose it," he said, when discussing private contacts and emails that arrive between meetings.
