REPOST from September 2011. Open Meetings and the FOI

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Open Meetings and the FOI

So now you really want to get involved in how emergency management practices are being conducted in your jurisdiction using your subject matter expertise, and concern for your community.

            What public meetings am I able to attend?


             Can I be restricted from attending?


             What if I have question to put before the meeting, if 
              the meeting is open for question or comments?

The first two question will be answered by the information provided below hopefully.
The third question shall have to be answered in an upcoming blog.


    

http://www.openmeetinglaws.com/

If an informed citizenry is to meaningfully participate in government or at least understand why government acts affecting their daily lives are taken, the process of decision making as well as the end results must be conducted in full view of the governed.

Oklahoma Ass’n of Municipal Attorneys v. State, 577 P.2d 1310, 1313-14 (Okla. 1978)

The Open Meeting Law Reference for all 50 States
Open Meeting Laws 2d
by  Ann Taylor Schwing

The publication of Open Meetings Laws 2d is sponsored by
International Municipal Lawyers Association (IMLA)

Open meeting laws apply principally to public, collegial, deliberative bodies, that is, bodies that meet as a group for deliberation and decision making. A key consideration in determining whether an entity is subject to the law is the public nature of the work it does.

Additional considerations include the extent to which the entity is supported by public funds and the extent to which the entity has the power to bind the State or a political subdivision of the State. As a general rule, a public body cannot escape open meeting requirements by delegating duties or powers to other entities or persons.

Open meeting laws may be applied to private entities when necessary to further the public policies of the open meeting laws.

Examples include:

State Commissions	Local Governments
School Boards	Hospital Boards
Local Commissions	Committees
Nonprofit Organizations	Advisory Committees

Are you READY FOR ROUND TWO? How Small Business Are Preparing for a Potential Second COVID-19 Shutdown. October 2020

Are you ready for the upcoming COVID-19 combined with the annual flu season between October 2020 to May 2021 or even longer?

Community members, those within the public health and emergency management arena prepare to address the same failures and system stressors encountered during the initial onset of the COVID-19 crisis.  Failures not by design, but by stressors and trauma each of us individually, in the community, at work, and globally across the board.

Continue to care for your mental and physical health, and for your family and those close to you.

Continue to care for those vulnerable in our communities.  Those less fortunate without the resources to survive and be sustainable.

Be prepared, be safe, stay healthy.

BEMA International

How Small Business Are Preparing for a Potential Second COVID-19 Shutdown by Sandra Beckwith         updated September 17, 2020 Take stock of what you've learned from the first coronavirus shutdown to help prevent problems and surprises during future crises. Should you expect a second small business shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic? It depends on whom you ask, but Robert Redfield, MD, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is concerned that trouble's ahead. In an August video interview with WebMD, Redfield said that, with COVID-19 still prevalent during the traditional flu season, this could be the "worst fall" the U.S. has ever seen. That's why many small businesses are anticipating another serious disruption to their operations. Here's what some are doing to reduce the type of trauma they experienced during the first shutdown. Learning From the First Shutdown Companies that were caught off guard during the first wave are vowing "never again." They're reviewing what they learned from that experience and using it to plan for the next one.  As business brokerage Hilton Smythe evaluates how well the firm navigated the country's first full lockdown, CEO Gareth Smyth is soliciting employee input, as well. "We actively asked for feedback and opinions from our employees and have encouraged them to play a part in developing our strategy moving forward," he says. After wellness products manufacturer NuLeaf Naturals experienced a distribution-chain disruption the first time, the company knew it needed to minimize future problems. "We are ramping up our e-commerce game so that we cansustain sales even if many of our retailers close during the lockdown," says Ian Kelly, NuLeaf's vice president of operations. Keeping Workers Remote Concerned about employee welfare in an ever-changing environment, some businesses still haven't returned employees to the workplace—and won't for a while. At training company Shapiro Negotiations Institute (SNI), both office workers and trainers who normally travel to client sites will continue to work from home indefinitely. For now, the company is offering only virtual training, even though that means turning down opportunities to present in-person in regions where the COVID-19 infection rate is low. "We feel that while we do somewhat limit ourselves, it is not only worth it to protect our team but, by having this mindset, we can continue to improve our online offerings," says Andres Lares, SNI's managing partner. Understanding Customer Behavior To keep staff employed as the situation has evolved in recent months, digital marketing agency 201 Creative LLC has been analyzing changing consumer behaviors and using what it discovers to serve clients better. That work will continue if a second shutdown occurs.  By leveraging tools such as Google Trends to identify what people are searching for, the firm is helping clients adapt their products and services to the current marketplace.  For example, using this approach for a local church, the agency discovered that "online sermon" spiked during the first lockdown. "In anticipation of a second shutdown, we've been working with this church to publish all of its sermons online," says Jared Bauman, CEO of 201 Creative. Staff at health products retail and review site Discuss Diets noticed that customers' health needs changed during the first shutdown when they were confined to home. The company is using that information to create an offshoot that will allow users to get customized suggestions. "We will essentially guide our customers through the process of setting up a health and wellness routine for their continued quarantine," says Rex Freiberger, Discuss Diets' CEO. Tightening Budgets and Spending You might have reduced spending during the first go-round, but eased up a bit when the situation improved. The potential for a second shutdown of small businesses means it's time to review finances again to identify what you can cut as well as where you should keep spending. Small business lender Clarify Capital is spending less on image advertising to focus on measurable inbound marketing tactics. "Being able to objectively measure the success of our marketing efforts is critical during a time of economic uncertainty," says Nishank Khanna, Clarify Capital's chief marketing officer. David Garcia, CEO of background check company ScoutLogic, keeps a close watch on receivables, determines which investments the company needs rather than wants, and ensures the firm has a line of credit for any short-term cash issues. "We have been growing and don't want to dial back any of the investments that are driving our success," Garcia says. By learning from their experiences the first time and using that information to plan for the future, companies are optimistic that a second shutdown will be less stressful than the first. https://www.legalzoom.com/articles/how-small-business-are-preparing-for-a-potential-second-covid-19-shutdown?cta&utm_medium=email&utm_sourc%E2%80%A6

 

VIRTUAL Veterans Networking Event. University of Maryland. Thursday, Oct. 15th, 2020 | 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM

It's time for our next Veterans Networking Event, and this time we are going virtual! Our community is strong and growing! Join us as we kick off the evening with an introduction from the UMD Career Center as they discuss issues, concerns, and strategies when going on the job market during the pandemic. Then, we will move through breakout rooms for some of those smaller discussions that

make these events so meaningful. If you haven't been to one yet, now is the time. Grab some food and a drink. Put on your comfy pajama pants. Talk to some people. Have a great time. If we never take time, we will never have time. Current Student Veterans, Alumni, Campus Partners, Employers, Veterans, and Veteran Supporters are all welcome. Please share.

Veterans Networking Social Event
Thursday, Oct. 15th, 2020 | 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
Virtual via Zoom (Link available when form is submitted)
RSVP @ stamp.umd.edu/vetnetworking
Attire: Business casual (at least from the waist up!)

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If you are a current student veteran, this is your chance to meet other veterans working in your desired industry and employers from various companies, agencies, and departments. Find out information from recent alumni on the steps they took to get that first or second position following graduation. Practice your personal story and figure out your professional persona in a supportive environment.

If you are a veteran alum of UMD, come and support current student veterans and make connections that will support your next step.

If you represent a company, agency, or organization that is looking to recruit veterans, come out and meet our current and former student veterans here at UMD! Meet and speak with veterans in a relaxed, comfortable environment that promotes genuine discussions.

If you are UMD Faculty or Staff, we want you here, too! Get to know our student veterans here at UMD. You just might meet your next student hire for your department or get your next research assistant!

No matter what, you will be supporting our student veterans. Come network with us as we work to build the bonds that support successful transitions.

 

Thanks to our sponsor, Leidos!

 

David M. Reese

Pronouns: he, him, his

Coordinator, Veteran Student Life

Engagement Office - 0110H

Adele H. Stamp Student Union - Center for Campus Life

Division of Student Affairs | University of Maryland

0110 STAMP | 3972 Campus Drive | College Park, MD 20742

dmreese@umd.edu | 301-314-0073 | stamp.umd.edu | @thestampumd

U.S. Army veteran

Book a meeting with me