The Oneida County Board last February had a training session on Wisconsin's open meetings law but the board chair says more work needs to be done.
During a meeting this week, Board Chair David Hintz said the board must be careful with the open meetings law and they are working toward clearer agendas...
"...we've had some issues with what I call traditional items being on our agenda for the full county board, things like 'other business'. In reviewing the county code, other business is mentioned, also some dangerous things like 'unfinished business'. which is too ambiguous for a meeting agenda...."
Hintz says one step is to always make motions after a closed session is completed, so the public can hear what action is decided upon from the session where the public is legally barred.
Hintz says Corporation Counsel Brian Desmond has rewritten the county code to bring the county into compliance with state open meeting laws. That draft will be reviewed at the an upcoming committee meeting and is likely to come before the board next month.
