Open Meetings Archives - Page 13 of 30 - Tennessee Coalition for Open Government

30 Mar, 2020

TN County Services Association and TN Municipal League urge maintaining transparency during COVID-19

By Deborah Fisher|2020-05-09T13:21:55-05:00March 30, 2020|Categories: Open Meetings, Tennessee Coalition for Open Government|Tags: COVID-19, electronic meetings, Tennessee County Services Association, Tennessee Municipal League|0 Comments

Two of the largest government associations in Tennessee last week issued guidance and suggestions to its members, urging them to maintain government openness and transparency during the COVID-19 crisis. The Tennessee County Services Association and Tennessee Municipal League in its letter explained the Governor's Executive Order. No. 16 allowing for electronic meetings. David Connor, executive director of Tennessee County Services Association. Chad Jenkins, deputy director, Tennessee Municipal League The letter from the government associations encouraged cities and counties "to make every effort to allow the public some way to access the meeting through a live audio or video stream" but if not able to do this, to make sure a [...]

24 Mar, 2020

Governing bodies across Tennessee begin Facebook Live, Zoom, live broadcasts

By Deborah Fisher|2020-05-09T13:23:35-05:00March 24, 2020|Categories: Open Meetings|Tags: COVID-19, electronic meetings|1 Comment

Hickman County Mayor Mark Bentley welcomed all viewers on Facebook Live and promised to have the video taped and available on the website the next day, which it was. Governing bodies across Tennessee are entering into a week of meetings and business regarding the COVID-19 emergency with a new challenge. They are allowed by the Governor's Executive Order 16 to meet electronically, so long as they provide electronic access to the public. TCOG is getting reports of various approaches. The Knoxville City Council, for example, plans to meet today using Zoom, where all members of the Council can connect from home with their computer audio and video. They haven't yet [...]

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 [...]