Madison County’s Industrial Development Authority was given an update on new open meetings and records laws by authority attorney Victor Johnson May 21.
Johnson spoke at length about the new state rules, reviewing a seven-page summary of the legislation provided by the Georgia Municipal Association.
The new guidelines increase penalties on officials who violate open meetings or open records laws. Potential criminal penalties have been increased from $500 to $1,000. Civil penalties can also be assessed at $1,000, with penalties increasing to $2,500 for subsequent violations in the same calendar year.
Johnson noted that under the law, minutes of closed sessions must be kept, but are confidential unless reviewed by a court in chambers. The industrial authority already keeps minutes of its closed sessions, according to IDA executive director Marvin White.
Johnson said that if a non-exempt topic is brought up in a closed session, the mayor or chairman of a group must immediately rule the discussion out of order. If the discussion continues, he must adjourn the meeting. A governing group can also require that all members of that body, not just the chairman, sign an affidavit verifying that all subjects discussed were allowed by the open meetings laws.
Government bodies have three days to respond to open records requests. That time period begins as soon as the designated open records officer gets the request. Records must be provided at 10 cents a copy, down from 25 cents.
Johnson noted that electronic data — such as emails between authority members — is also subject to open records requests.
The attorney also said a quorum of a group gathering for official business constitutes a meeting that must meet open meetings guidelines. However, he said a quorum of board or council members can meet in certain instances, provided no official business is discussed. For instance, the law allows for a quorum to gather to inspect facilities or property, attend statewide or regional meetings, meet with federal legislative or executive officials where no official action is taken, travel together — as long as no business is discussed — and attend social, civic, ceremonial or religious events.
In other matters May 21, White said he expects the Cooper Road/Russell Drive paving project near Columbia Feed Mill off Hwy. 72 to get started in June.
