What if three or more council members inadvertently show up at city hall at the same time?
A quorum of council members just showing up at City Hall at the same time in and of itself is not a “meeting” subject to the Open Meetings Law. However, an Open Meetings Act violation, or a perceived Open Meetings Act violation, could easily occur if any city business or other public matters are discussed by or in the presence of the council members when one or more of the Open Meetings Act requirements is not met. If three or more council members arrange to meet at a local restaurant, without giving any proper notice, to discuss city business, is there an open meetings violation if no final action is taken? Yes. This would be considered a “meeting” for purposes of the Open Meetings Act, although no final or official action was taken and despite the fact that it did not occur in a city facility. Because it was scheduled and because city business was discussed, it is a meeting subject to the open meetings law. Can a quorum of council members arrange for a telephone conference “meeting”
