I believe the decision reported in the latest Northern Islander by ESA to eliminate open meetings of their committees may result in meetings that violate the Open Meetings Act. I am not a lawyer, and this is not legal advice, so check your attorney and ask him/her to explain this excerpt from the book, â??Michigan Municipal Law.â? Section 5.8 (on-line version)
â??Subquorum committees of a public body having been delegated authority to make recommendations regarding public policy are also required to comply with the OMAâ??s public meeting requirement. Schmiedicke v Clare Sch Bd, 228 Mich App 259, 577 NW2d 706 (1998). In Schmiedicke, the seven-member school board established a personnel and policy committee consisting of three of its members. The school board delegated to the committee the tasks of reviewing current methods of evaluating school administrators as well as the length of the administratorâ??s employment contracts. Although the committee ultimately recommended no changes from the existing practices, its meetings were not open to the public. The court recognized that the primary purpose of the OMA is to ensure that public bodies conduct their decision-making activities in open meetings and not simply hold open meetings at which they rubber-stamp decisions previously made behind closed doors. Id. at 264. The court concluded that the school boardâ??s referral to the committee for a recommendation on the current practices was a delegation of authority and that the committee failed to openly deliberate the issues. Id.â?
The act intends to have all discussion and deliberation in public, not just final votes. This is the only way to avoid or least make it harder to have â??backroom dealsâ?.
Bob Yager
Search found 22 matches
- Tue Mar 20, 2018 2:06 am
- Forum: Main Beaver Island Open Discussion Forum
- Topic: ESA Committees
- Replies: 20
- Views: 4923
- Thu Feb 15, 2018 7:34 am
- Forum: Main Beaver Island Open Discussion Forum
- Topic: Correlation to Consolidation
- Replies: 17
- Views: 4038
Hugh Moore
I look forward to each post by Mr. Hugh Moore of Whiskey Island. This, I am told is the Pirate's real fake name. As in "Hugh Moore" has left the Island for the winter.
- Mon Feb 12, 2018 5:45 pm
- Forum: Main Beaver Island Open Discussion Forum
- Topic: Ultimate Solution To Consolidation
- Replies: 12
- Views: 3717
Pirate for King
Pirate has many insightful observations. I suggest we appoint him King of Beaver Island Archipelago. We had James Strang in 1850's. Pirate would do a good job and end any strife. Plus, pirating may be our economic niche. There must be a lot of boats to plunder.
Hiding behind my userame.
Hiding behind my userame.
- Fri Feb 02, 2018 3:40 pm
- Forum: Main Beaver Island Open Discussion Forum
- Topic: Island Drama Discouraging Potential New Residents
- Replies: 13
- Views: 4954
I can testify that residents are generally very friendly. We've made two visits. On the first in 2016 we were without a rental car due to my poor planning and eating at Daddy Frank's. Bill Detwiler and his wife, whom we had never met before, saw our plight and gave Barbara and me a 3 hour personal t...
- Thu Feb 01, 2018 11:32 pm
- Forum: Main Beaver Island Open Discussion Forum
- Topic: 2017 State of the Great Lakes Report
- Replies: 3
- Views: 1185
Pirating a practical career?
I have been considering pirating as a career. Blacksmithing does not pay that well. Are there enough ships to support an additional pirate to the islands area or is it too crowded?
- Mon Jan 29, 2018 10:37 am
- Forum: Main Beaver Island Open Discussion Forum
- Topic: Maple Syrup
- Replies: 6
- Views: 2475
My Name
You will find my name in other posts. Forgot to post it on the maple syrup post.
Bob Yager
Bob Yager
- Sun Jan 28, 2018 12:47 am
- Forum: Main Beaver Island Open Discussion Forum
- Topic: Maple Syrup
- Replies: 6
- Views: 2475
Maple Syrup
Is anyone making maple syrup on Beaver Island? I was thinking of doing so on my new 10 acres, but do not want to infringe on any activities now controlled by "Islanders" as I have been advised that is unhealthy. It is not "moonshine" but who knows, "don't step on toes."...
- Sun Jan 21, 2018 1:05 pm
- Forum: Main Beaver Island Open Discussion Forum
- Topic: BIRHC Strategic Plan
- Replies: 10
- Views: 3842
Minutes Should be on the Web
I am a new non-resident undeveloped property owner. I want to see minutes of all public bodies on the appropriate website. I will only be convinced that Beaver Island has a stable enough government to warrant investing $$$ in a cottage, etc. if I can follow local issues on the internet, not by a two...
- Wed Jan 17, 2018 1:21 pm
- Forum: Main Beaver Island Open Discussion Forum
- Topic: HAM Radio Club?
- Replies: 14
- Views: 4555
HAM Radio Club?
When Barbara and I bought our 10 acres in August on West Side Drive about a mile north of Tara's Meadow, we realized there was no cell phone coverage. So I got a Amateur Extra HAM radio license last fall (KE8HSH) with the idea that if we there on a visit, we could use a portable HAM radio to communi...
- Wed Jan 17, 2018 10:55 am
- Forum: Main Beaver Island Open Discussion Forum
- Topic: Does Beaver Island Have a HandyMan/HandyPerson?
- Replies: 3
- Views: 1912
Does Beaver Island Have a HandyMan/HandyPerson?
That's my question.
- Tue Jan 16, 2018 12:57 pm
- Forum: Main Beaver Island Open Discussion Forum
- Topic: Best place to store a car?
- Replies: 2
- Views: 1452
Best place to store a car?
I plan to leave a car on Beaver Island to get to my new acres on West Side Drive. Any opinions on the best place to store it?
Bob Yager
Bob Yager
- Thu Jan 11, 2018 11:01 pm
- Forum: Main Beaver Island Open Discussion Forum
- Topic: Michigan Natural Resource Trust Fund Grants Since 1976
- Replies: 0
- Views: 995
Michigan Natural Resource Trust Fund Grants Since 1976
Total all of Michigan - $1,116,773,600. Yes over 1 Billions dollars Charlevoix County - $11,119.180 ( about 1% of above) Beaver Island - $250,601 ( about 2.5% of Charlevoix County) Source: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/dnr/MNRTF_Grant_Projects_Awarded_564902_7.pdf Bob Yager New raw land owner on...
- Wed Jan 10, 2018 12:49 pm
- Forum: Main Beaver Island Open Discussion Forum
- Topic: Public Input Session for St. James Township Recreation Plan
- Replies: 54
- Views: 20760
Grants
It is a common misunderstanding that grants are all from taxes. Michigan has many of its outstanding recreational facilities due to the Michigan Natural Resource Trust Fund that was written into the State Constitution to protect it. My home community of Oakland Township MI has received many grants f...
- Fri Jan 05, 2018 7:29 pm
- Forum: Main Beaver Island Open Discussion Forum
- Topic: Public Input Session for St. James Township Recreation Plan
- Replies: 54
- Views: 20760
Beaver Island Planning
It seems odd to have two townships for such a small population making separate plans. What have been the barriers to combining the two townships, or at least doing planning jointly?
Bob Yager
New Property Owner on West Side Drive as of 8/2017
Bob Yager
New Property Owner on West Side Drive as of 8/2017
- Tue Nov 07, 2017 12:49 am
- Forum: Main Beaver Island Open Discussion Forum
- Topic: Muzzleloading Deer Season
- Replies: 0
- Views: 1169
Muzzleloading Deer Season
I may come for muzzleloading deer hunting season. So if you see a stranger hiking down West Side Road with backpack and rifle in early December it is just me going to my new 10 acre property. No reason for alarm.
Bob Yager
Bob Yager