A recent ruling from Maryland's Open Meetings Compliance Board holds that a series of communications, even one-to-one, may create the fabric of a meeting, and trigger the state's "open meetings" laws. In a recent opinion, the State's Open Meetings Compliance Board reviewed actions by the Talbot County Council (a charter county that does not have an elected Executive, leaving the Council to nominally serve in a dual capacity as legislative and executive branches, much like…

Common Cause MD has introduced their new Executive Director, Joanne Antoine. The "good government" organization Common Cause Maryland has announced its new Executive Director, Joanne Antoine. Antoine comes to the job with a wealth of experience working both within the organization as State Outreach and Engagement Manager, and with multiple campaigns and community organizations. From the Common Cause MD press release: “I am excited to continue Common Cause Maryland’s work here in the state,” commented…

The Maryland State Archives and the Department of General Services are offering a free “Records Management 101” training session for records officers and administrative staff who assist with records management. The training session will review the processes of successful records management, including: Roles and Definitions of Records Management Retention Schedules Inventories Special Collections Transfer and Disposal The training will be offered on the following dates and at the following locations: Friday, June 7, 2019, at…

The Baltimore City Council will consider multiple possible changes to its ethics laws, including potential charter amendments. The Baltimore City Council is expected to receive and consider a range of ethics reform proposals, ranging from additional financial disclosures for City officials and employees, to altering the structure of the City Ethics Board. From coverage in the Baltimore Sun: The first round of legislation, sponsored by Councilman Ryan Dorsey, will be introduced at Monday evening’s council…