Open Meetings Archives - Page 12 of 28 - Tennessee Coalition for Open Government

22 Mar, 2020

Now is the time for governing bodies to quickly implement technology to provide the public better meeting access

By Deborah Fisher|2020-05-09T13:24:11-05:00March 22, 2020|Categories: Open Meetings|Tags: adequate public notice, COVID-19, electronic meetings|0 Comments

An example of a New Jersey City Council holding a meeting via a Zoom video conference, streaming it live on its Facebook page, and allowing the public to submit testimony via email. (https://hudsonreporter.com/2020/03/21/hoboken-city-council-meets-virtually-to-conduct-city-business/) Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee issued an executive order on Friday that gave much-needed relief and guidance on how governing bodies may conduct meetings electronically in light of a need to contain the spread of coronavirus. The order contained key provisions TCOG sought, including that governing bodies be allowed to conduct "essential business," make reasonable efforts to provide live electronic access to the public and provide the public with better notice of the meeting agenda and how the [...]

13 Mar, 2020

Open meetings during an outbreak: We must preserve transparency

By Deborah Fisher|2020-03-13T14:06:26-05:00March 13, 2020|Categories: Open Meetings, Tennessee Coalition for Open Government|Tags: COVID-19, open meetings|0 Comments

The chief justice of the Tennessee Supreme Court announced today that all Tennessee courts would be suspending in-person judicial proceedings through March 30 because of the coronavirus outbreak. There are some exceptions. Business must go on for some essential and critical proceedings. In those cases, the court said the proceedings will be limited to attorneys, parties, witnesses, security officers and “necessary persons” as determined by the trial judge. Also this week, the Shelby County Board of Commissioners announced it will host “virtual meetings for at least the next two weeks.” “These virtual meetings will take place in the 1st Floor Chambers to ensure that residents and employees may view the [...]

20 Jan, 2020

Newspapers continue to play a vital role in public notice

By Deborah Fisher|2020-01-20T14:41:18-06:00January 20, 2020|Categories: adequate public notice, Tennessee Coalition for Open Government|Tags: adequate public notice, Tennessee Press Association|1 Comment

When I talk with citizen groups in Tennessee about open government, people tell me they want more information about what their government is doing, not less. An informed citizenry results in better and more accountable government. But in plain language, people just want to know what’s going on, particularly when it affects their lives directly. How do people get informed? How does information about what government is doing flow to the public? And in this day and age, what methods are reliable, trustworthy and accurate? One reliable way is through the public notice laws. Government entities in Tennessee are required by law to publish public notices in local newspapers about [...]

13 Aug, 2019

Montgomery County Commission bans citizens from livestreaming meetings

By Deborah Fisher|2019-08-14T08:54:31-05:00August 13, 2019|Categories: Open Meetings|Tags: cameras, livestreaming, Montgomery County, open meetings, Tennessee Constitution|0 Comments

The Montgomery County Commission voted this week to prohibit live broadcasts, or livestreaming, from within the commission chambers during meetings despite advice that such a prohibition could be unconstitutional. The purpose of the amended rules, which also included other new restrictions, stated they were “to preserve the function, dignity and order of the proceedings.” But the county sheriff also told commissioners during the meeting that allowing live broadcasts created a security concern. The sheriff said he could not discuss details about the security problem caused by live broadcasts because that in itself would cause a security issue. County provides video on YouTube Montgomery County Commissioner Jason Knight argued that just [...]

9 Jul, 2019

Chancellor puts Ridgetop BOMA under permanent court order to not violate open meetings act again

By Deborah Fisher|2019-07-09T12:33:09-05:00July 9, 2019|Categories: adequate public notice, open meetings lawsuits|Tags: adequate notice, Chancellor Lauren McMillan Jr., open meetings act enforcement, Ridgetop|0 Comments

Chancellor Laurence McMillan Jr. has permanently enjoined the Ridgetop's Board of Mayor and Aldermen from violating the Tennessee Open Meetings Act again in an action that should help ensure that the board's future decision-making is done in public. Robertson County Chancellor Laurence M. McMillan Jr. signed an injunction voiding a June 10 decision to eliminate the Ridgetop Police Department, and placed the town's Board of Mayor and Aldermen under permanent court order to not violate the Open Meetings Act again. The order states that the BOMA violated the Open Meetings Act by not providing adequate notice of the June 10 meeting as required by law. Ridgetop's BOMA dissolved the five-officer [...]