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Politics & Government

City of Half Moon Bay Pledges Transparency

Despite the suspension of the Brown Act, the City will continue notifying residents of meetings.


The state legislature suspended the Brown Act mandate that local jurisdictions—including cities—post meeting agendas for the public. The suspension also allows local jurisdictions to forgo reporting to the public about actions taken during closed-session meetings.

The City of Half Moon Bay wants to reassure residents that it will continue to do both. When Patch contacted the City Manager's Office, this statement was provided through Public Relations firm Barbary Coast Consulting--

Regardless of the State’s decision to suspend certain requirements of the open meetings law, the City of Half Moon Bay has announced that it will continue to post agendas and disclose decisions made in closed sessions in order to effectively inform the public. The city’s current notification process will not be modified in any way.

"The open meetings law is significant and we believe that our residents deserve to know what their local government is doing," stated City Manager Laura Snideman. "While it is unfortunate that the State has chosen to reverse course when it comes to this important public function, we are committed to continuing this practice on our own in Half Moon Bay."

Find out what's happening in Half Moon Baywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The shift is a cost cutting maneuver that will free the State from its obligation to reimburse cities and counties for carrying out certain requirements of the Brown Act. The exact annual figure it will cost Half Moon Bay to carry out these tasks has yet to be determined.

"Without question, we could use these resources for other important city objectives, but informing the community should always be a vital function of government," added Snideman.

Find out what's happening in Half Moon Baywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The State expects to save $96 million through the suspension of these requirements.

 

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