Education of Officials on Open Meeting Laws Urged
City commissioners should receive training to familiarize them with state open meeting laws to ensure that decisions made by the panels are legally sound, Los Angeles City Councilwoman Joy Picus said Wednesday.
Council members were angered earlier this month when they learned that the city Police Commission’s decision to place Chief Daryl F. Gates on 60-day paid leave was actually made during a private meeting in Commissioner Sam Williams’ office the night before the commission took formal action. The council voted to counteract the decision and put Gates back in office, and a Superior Court judge later issued a temporary restraining order to allow the chief to return to work.
Picus, in a motion, said commissioners need to be aware of open meeting laws to prevent future violations of the Brown Act, which requires virtually all deliberations and decisions to be made in public.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
