Trainer: avoid 'walking meetings' and majority group texts that could breach open-meetings rules

Christian Reiner told councilors that transparency is the core purpose of Oklahoma’s Open Meetings Act and that private coordination among a majority risks violating the law.

"So a member of the governing body may not lawfully meet separately with other members to obtain signatures of a majority or to take action that would otherwise require consideration and vote in open meeting," Reiner said, referencing an attorney-general opinion. He discussed examples such as councilors attending a high-school football game together and 'walking meetings' where members privately solicit support for a vote.

Reiner also warned that group texts or majority electronic conversations can create legal exposure; such messages are often subject to open-records requests and have led to public controversies in other Oklahoma cities.