Meetings and Technology:

Finding the Right Balance

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ILG Mission:

• Promoting good government at the local level

• Practical, impartial and easy-to-use materials

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Resource Areas

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1. How technology and meetings intersect

2. Flag legal and policy issues

Objectives

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About the Handout

•Covers all the issues tonight +

•Includes references

•Marked “draft”– Your suggestions welcome!– Contact information at end

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Technology and Meetings:What’s the “Right” Balance?

•Assessed against the goals of the meeting

•One size doesn’t fit all

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Purposes of Meeting

•Consider staff analysis & recommendations

•Hear public input

•Make a decision

•Explain the reasons underlying decision

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Technology and Meetings: Three Stages

1.Before the meeting

2.During the meeting

3.After the meeting

Pre-Meeting Technology Issues

• Electronic agendas

• Use of agency equipment

• Technology and public engagement

• Pre-meeting communications

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Electronic Agendas

•Can result in savings of resources

•Can also make multi-layered information easier to navigate

•Caveats: – Need for paper copies won’t totally go away– Closed session materials typically in hard copy

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Agency-Issued Equipment

•Can ease transition to electronic agendas– Factor into the cost/benefit equation

•Be mindful of :– Obligation to only use for agency business– Public records obligations

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Using Technology to Enhance Public Input

•E-comment/discussion functions

•Keypad polling at public engagement events

•Social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Blogs)– First amendment issues– Open meetings issues for decision-makers

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Decision-MakerE-Communications Caveats

•If involves a quorum of decision-making body = violation of open meeting law

•Be aware of bias issues on quasi-judicial matters

Technology IssuesDuring Meeting

• Attention to proceedings

• Messaging during meetings

• Transparency enhancements

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Attention Issues

•Special fair process rules for quasi-judicial proceedings

– Disclosure of ex parte (outside) information– “He who decides must hear”

•Attention to proceedings

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Technology Should Not Be A Distraction

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Emailing, Texting and OtherCommunications

Distraction/transparency Issues:

•Communications with fellow decision-makers (open meeting laws)

•Communications with others

•Response: Policies prohibiting messaging during meetings

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Using Technology to Enhance Transparency

•Translation equipment at meetings

•Streaming video/audio– During and after meeting

•After the Meeting:– Minutes on website – Web content in general (www.ca-ilg.org/TransparencyStrategies)

Questions or Comments?