Wednesday, February 09, 2005
Phill Kline, Conservative Majority Violate Kansas Open Meeting Act
From the Associated Press: "Kline met Tuesday with the six members of the board’s conservative majority in two groups of three, which moderate board member Sue Gamble said violated the spirit of the state’s open meetings law. The law requires meetings of six or more board members—a quorum—be held in public. Kline did not immediately return a message seeking comment about the meetings law.The board’s four moderate members were not included in the meetings, Gamble said. " Link
Clearly, Kline and the board majority tried to skirt the Kansas Open Meetings Law (KOMA). It's Kline's job -- presumably he took an oath of office to that effect -- to enforce the open meetings law.
A look at the law clearly shows, that holding meetings with "two groups of three" on Tuesday constitutes serial communications, which the law construes as a meeting that is covered by the act. Here it is: " ...Serial communications between a majority of a quorum of a public body, the purpose of which is to discuss a common topic of business or affairs of that body by the members, constitutes a meeting. Such communications may occur through calling trees, e-mail or an agent of the body."
In case you're confused about a "quorum of the majority," here's how the law defines it: "'Quorum' means a simple majority of the membership of a body; the number greater than one-half of the total." That would be what, six?
Here, once again, is the link to KOMA on our boy, Phill Kline's, online office site.
Clearly, Kline and the board majority tried to skirt the Kansas Open Meetings Law (KOMA). It's Kline's job -- presumably he took an oath of office to that effect -- to enforce the open meetings law.
A look at the law clearly shows, that holding meetings with "two groups of three" on Tuesday constitutes serial communications, which the law construes as a meeting that is covered by the act. Here it is: " ...Serial communications between a majority of a quorum of a public body, the purpose of which is to discuss a common topic of business or affairs of that body by the members, constitutes a meeting. Such communications may occur through calling trees, e-mail or an agent of the body."
In case you're confused about a "quorum of the majority," here's how the law defines it: "'Quorum' means a simple majority of the membership of a body; the number greater than one-half of the total." That would be what, six?
Here, once again, is the link to KOMA on our boy, Phill Kline's, online office site.
