The Vermont Open Meeting Law is a state law that basically ensures that most meetings of public bodies or agencies, as well as any boards, councils, and commissions are open to the public to view. Any meeting where, for example, including discussions or other steps in the process towards the meeting of a quorum of such public bodies. This in effect ensures that no one-off steps in the decision-making process are “taken behind closed doors,” so to speak.

There are numerous issues to understand surrounding both the basic purpose of the Vermont Open Meeting Law, and its function, and you can find a full article of its specifics here at Vermont Open Meeting Law. But another broad application of it, is what it means in terms of most community actions, forums, events, and gatherings.

For example, most locations include a pool in the center of activity, and many events are held poolside by a community association of a neighborhood, apartment complex, or other residential community in providing residents’ activities for the summer and year-round. These events could appeal to everyone from boys and girls clubs to tanning enthusiasts who eagerly await that call for an event in their community over the summer. These types of events obviously require major planning, from considering potential liability to which types of extensive permits will be required in advance.

Many community activities and events held in the outdoor space are under the jurisdiction of public open meeting laws, so careful planning must ensure enough discussion occurs in these meetings to meet the requirements of the law, and not fall in with the possibility of unexpected legal consequences if they are considered behind-closed-door meetings that are not as inclusive of all members of the public.

Thanks to the open meeting laws, residents in a town for instance who do not receive an invitation to a purely optional event by their homeowner’s association, such as a sandlot movie screening or a beach event that’s described as “bring your own snacks,” could easily seek a way to contest the exclusion.

These and any other collective events or activities of a community, neighborhood, or other type of joint ownership require both understanding and organization in ensuring requirements of the open meeting law are met and that no complications arise legally in the future.

This is also in addition to the basic requirement of posting for and requiring 24-hours notice to any member of the general public who requests information regarding such events. Any fine or replacement of fees incurred from the lack of advance notice is an additional negative consequence of failing to meet the standards of the Vermont open meeting law.

The public’s right to know about such events can be enhanced, and the appearance of any attempted “closed door” proceedings lessened, by advertising such gatherings at local businesses, schools, and nearby gathering places to further inform the local community of what is happening. This could even allow for additional funding from those businesses interested in taking advantage of the opportunity of sponsoring some community activities including the chance to appear in ads in printed materials and otherwise.

Open meeting laws have a positive influence on the way in which community pools and their activities are managed and residents even seek additional opportunities to use their facilities. The fact that basically any event where one-third or more of a local community actively participates via planned or ad hoc attendance requires some level of advanced notice to the public fosters better organized activities and responsibilities from the organizers.

Hassle-free poolside fun is a possibility, when the Vermont open meeting law is observed by the responsible parties.

For more information on public meeting laws, you can visit Wikipedia.