Sunday, November 16, 2008

South Ogden City Council Agenda - Missing - Violation of Utah Code?

In reading the Standard this morning, I was looking forward to seeing the full agenda of this Tuesday's meeting.  I was surprised to see there was no agenda posted, (See Here.)  It looks as though every major city, including Fruit Heights has posted their agenda in the Standard except our fair South Ogden City.  Did the city council forget the Utah Code regarding public meetings?

According to the "Utah Open and Public Meetings Act", South Ogden city has to post an agenda and announcement of a public meetinig with in 24 hours of the meeting.  (See Utah Code here)

The Utah Code states:

3) (a) Public notice shall be satisfied by:
     (i) posting written notice:
     (A) at the principal office of the public body, or if no principal office exists, at the building where the meeting is to be held; and
     (B) beginning October 1, 2008 and except as provided in Subsection (3)(b), on the Utah Public Notice Website created under Section 
63F-1-701; and
     (ii) providing notice to:
     (A) at least one newspaper of general circulation within the geographic jurisdiction of the public body; or
     (B) a local media correspondent.


In addition it states:

(6) (a) A public notice that is required to include an agenda under Subsection (1) shall provide reasonable specificity to notify the public as to the topics to be considered at the meeting. Each topic shall be listed under an agenda item on the meeting agenda.

So where is our agenda?  Well it has been posted to the Utah Public Notice Website, (See Agenda Here), but how many of us check this site. That is why it should be posted in a newspaper.  Granted the meeting in on Tuesday; therefore South Ogden City Council needs to have this agenda in tomorrows paper to be in compliance with Utah State Code.  

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