The Florida Times-Union by Editorial Board
March 10, 2018
Citizens in Florida have a right to be involved in their government like no others in the nation.
Florida’s culture of openness dates to the early 1900s. It has been expanded through law, constitutional amendments and culture through the years.
So when the Times-Union Editorial Board blasted previous City Councils for a culture of corruption when it came to openness, it lead to a scathing grand jury report and a culture of “noticed meetings” at City Hall.
That means when two or more members of public board plan to speak about business that might come before them, they must take a few steps:
They must post a notice and a description of the meeting.
The meeting place must be at a place reasonably accessible to the public. City Hall or a library come immediately to mind.
Minutes must be taken of the meeting. Recordings are not required by law though they often are made.
If citizens miss a meeting, they often can check a city government website to view minutes, copies of handouts and recordings.
Many meetings are streamed online, so citizens do not have to physically attend a meeting. [READ MORE]