In this editorial from today’s Bee the meeting of the Reclamation Board, threatened by an environmental organization, is kept closed, and contrary to the editorial’s take, probably a good thing, (and probably within the law) given the record of environmental organizations suing government organizations.
Here is an excerpt.
Editorial: Open meeting sham
Reclamation Board skirts law
Published 12:01 am PDT Thursday, June 15, 2006
As noted above, the state Reclamation Board acted hastily -- and possibly illegally -- in approving permits for the River Islands development in April. Now we learn the board plans to discuss its possible violation of open meetings law tomorrow -- in closed session.
Huh?
State boards can go into closed session to discuss personnel matters, purchase of real estate and other specified subjects, such as pending litigation. In the case of River Islands, however, no litigation has been filed. The Natural Resources Defense Council has written a letter warning the board about its actions, but that doesn't qualify as pending litigation.
Reclamation Board President Ben Carter offered this justification for closing part of the meeting: "There's been enough activity with the NRDC's letter, the articles that have appeared in the press, that it's appropriate for legal staff to brief the board on the situation and options. That typically is done in closed session."
