Trainer reviews Open and Public Meetings Act requirements for Fountain Green officials

Trainer (Speaker 2) told attendees at a regional R6 training for Fountain Green that the Open and Public Meetings Act (state code) sets binding rules for how local public bodies must conduct business. "I'm not an attorney," the trainer said, but he told participants the session counts toward required annual training and summarized key compliance steps: agendas must list anything the body may act on and recordings and pending minutes must be made available within statutory timelines.

Why it matters: Following the act is necessary to ensure council actions are legally defensible and public records requests can be fulfilled. The trainer said, "You can't take action on anything unless it's on an agenda," underscoring that topics not on the posted agenda generally must be deferred to a subsequent meeting before formal action.

Key guidance and specifics: The trainer reviewed how to determine when an assembly becomes a public meeting, offering practical cautions for small towns where informal gatherings can trigger notice obligations. He described quorum issues for Fountain Green's six-member form of government (discussed and clarified during the session) and explained that the mayor typically does not vote. Recording rules were stressed: recordings "have to be made available to the public within 3 days," must include date/time/place, and communities should not edit recordings; closed sessions require statutory authorization and typically a two-thirds vote to enter. The trainer also warned that communications among council members during meetings (texts, emails) may be subject to GRAMA requests and advised avoiding such exchanges about public business while a meeting is in progress.

What officials asked and next steps: Participants asked practical questions about field situations (for example, whether church or park gatherings count as meetings) and were advised to either notice gatherings when three or more members will attend or avoid discussing public business. The trainer noted that the presiding officer (the mayor or commission chair) is responsible for ensuring members receive the required annual training, and minutes from this session can substitute for the state's certificate when the state accepts meeting minutes in lieu of the online video.

The training closed with a reminder to consult the municipality's adopted electronic meetings ordinance before conducting remote voting and to follow local code and state statute when calling closed or emergency meetings.