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  • From: Terri Buckner <tbuckner AT ibiblio.org>
  • To: Chapel Hill Information Technology Advisory Committee <chtechcomm AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [Chtechcomm] Question Regarding Official Meeting Threshold
  • Date: Thu, 21 Jul 2005 09:08:49 -0400

For some reason, a message from Steve Irving to the list was bounced by the server. I'm copying it here and providing the reference he requests.

Terri,

During Tuesday’s meeting I asked a question regarding the number of members of a committee or subcommittee required to be present (or otherwise participating) to constitute an official meeting. You responded quite authoritatively that the threshhold is two members.

I’d like to understand this issue more fully and was wondering if you can provide a reference to your source for this information.

Thanks,

Steve

***********************

Steve, Based on further reading since Tuesday's meeting, I was wrong. I was confusing the definition of a 'public body' with a 'meeting.' It takes only 2 people to constitute a public body. It takes a majority of the public body "deliberating" to constitute a meeting. To deliberate was explained by the AG's office as:

"to examine, weigh, and reflect upon the reasons for or against a possible decision, if a board receives a briefing regarding an item that amounts to deliberating as well because it connotes not only a collective discussion but also a collective acquiring of information on the basis of which it will later act."

He further wrote: "It is ok to use the listserv to send materials. For example sharing a news article or materials that will be used during the official meeting. If the materials that are being sent are in the form of a briefing, that is if it going to be used a part of the "deliberative" or "substantive" discussion, then the body should convene an official meeting to receive that briefing."

The full transcript of that discussion is posted at:
http://localecology.blogspot.com/2005/07/open-meetings-questions-and-answers.html

Terri



  • [Chtechcomm] Question Regarding Official Meeting Threshold, Terri Buckner, 07/21/2005

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