Chapter Four –Legal Matters (Cont.)
limited to in-person discussions, by phone, or by email. The preferred course of action for members needing information should be through contact with City staff. 4.1.3 Email Communications between Commission Members Because email communications can ultimately lead to the exchange of information intended to, or which may, create collective concurrence among a quorum of commission/committee members, email communications between commission/committee members relative to commission/ committee business should be avoided. While three members of a seven- member board, for example, may appropriately communicate with one another by way of email, the “forwarding” of such an email message to a fourth member could result in a Brown Act violation. 4.1.4 Communications with the Public Outside of Meetings The Brown Act does not limit a commission or committee member acting on his or her own outside public meetings. This exception recognizes the right to confer with constituents, advocates, consultants, the media, or City staff. However, members of commissions and committees should exercise care and good judgment with respect to information learned as a result of such contacts. Decisions at public meetings should be based on consideration of the information, testimony, and documents that have been presented to all members at or in connection with the meeting, and not on private discussions or transmittals (which are sometimes referred to as ex parte communications). 4.1.5 Adjournment or Continuance A legislative body may adjourn or continue any regular, adjourned regular, special, or adjourned special meeting to a time and place specified in the adjournment or continuance notice. A copy of the adjournment or continuance notice shall be conspicuously posted on or near the door where the meeting was held within twenty-four (24) hours after the time of adjournment or continuance. If the matter is continued to a time less than twenty-four (24) hours after the adjournment, a copy of the continuance notice shall be posted immediately following the meeting that was continued. 4.2 Conflict of Interest/Statements of Economic Interests Form 700 The Political Reform Act (PRA) was adopted by the voters of California as an initiative (Proposition 9) in 1974. The Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) is the enforcement agency for the Political Reform Act. One of the PRA’s main purposes is to prevent financial conflicts of interest on the part of public officials. The PRA requires public officials to disclose all financial interests including but not limited to investments and interests in real estate or sources of income which the official may possibly affect by the exercise of his or her official duties. If a public official has a
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