What are the rules for open meetings of municipal governing bodies?

In New York, municipal governing bodies that make decisions that affect the public must hold open meetings. This means that members of the public can attend the meetings and observe, as well as submit comments and ask questions. Each municipality in New York must have a formal policy in place regarding open meetings. Generally, the policy will specify the time, place, and procedure for meetings, as well as who has the authority to call a meeting and the time period before a meeting that public notice must be given. The municipality may also specify the periods of time when a meeting may be closed to the public, such as for discussions of confidential matters or labor relations. During closed meetings, no members of the public can be present. For open meetings, all decisions must be made formally and in public. No decisions can be made informally or by telephone or mail. All vote tallies for each motion must be recorded and made available to the public upon request. To ensure public participation, all municipal governing bodies must provide a reasonable opportunity for the public to comment. When comments are limited, a written record must be maintained. The municipality must also allow for public access to any records of the governing body, such as board minutes and other documents related to their decisions. All documents must be made available upon request.

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What are the rules for open meetings of municipal governing bodies?

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