County attorney briefs work group on Robert's Rules, quorum and Open Meetings Act limits

A county attorney briefed members on procedural rules governing the work group's operations, including quorum, voting and public‑meeting requirements.

The attorney said: "Regarding quorum, you have 9 members. A quorum for this task force will be 5... If quorum is lost before the vote can be taken, members should not attempt to conduct the vote through an exchange email," and cautioned that email exchanges about formal action may violate the Open Meetings Act. She added that meetings without a quorum may proceed for informational purposes but cannot take formal votes.

Members acknowledged the constraint and asked staff to ensure votes, subgroups and any required decisions are scheduled with quorum present, and to capture minutes and materials to preserve transparency for the Dec. 1 report.