Voice of OC (https://voiceofoc.org/tag/ralph-m-brown-act/)
Residents in the audience voiced concerns about the budget item not being made public to them until the meeting, and some cited possible Brown Act violations committed by the city. Public commenters called for transparency on the dais. The Brown Act is California’s government open meeting law.
Following a systematic attack on public comment, the Orange County Board of Supervisors triggers a First Amendment lawsuit from the ACLU. It’s the second time in recent years that county supervisors have fumbled taxpayers into court — landing in federal court last year over civil rights violations involving the homeless.
Irvine residents now will have 12 days to study regular agendas for the City Council, Planning Commission and other city bodies after the Council voted Tuesday to strengthen its transparency ordinance.
The Continuum of Care board voted unanimously Sept. 26 to close committee meetings to the public. Meetings of the full 15-member board, which the county says isn’t subject to state open meeting laws, and a separate meeting for homeless providers, will remain public.
“The public gets very suspect, and sometimes rightfully so, that…the board is formulating policy behind closed doors,” said Supervisor Todd Spitzer.
Newport Beach City Council members began interviewing three finalists for a new city manager at a special meeting Monday morning, sparking concern from some residents about the transparency of the selection process.
Orange County supervisors were planning to privately discuss Tuesday whether to explore using county-owned land for a veterans cemetery, but changed their agenda after Voice of OC questioned its legality.
Will the Newport Beach City Council meet in closed session Tuesday to discuss the process for hiring a new city manager?
The council also may ask voters to change the city charter to add punishments for a mayor if he or she doesn’t sign ordinances and resolutions approved by a majority of the seven-member council.
The Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA) board of directors changed its public comment procedures without public notice or a vote by the entire board, which County Supervisor Todd Spitzer, who sits on the board, and others said could be a violation of California open meeting laws.