Public Access Opinion 13-016

Duty to inform the public of the nature of the business under consideration prior to taking final action

A public body’s motion “to approve the recommendation for dismissal of Employee A due to performance concerns” was insufficient to inform the public of the nature of the business under consideration prior to taking final action. The Public Access Counselor found that failing to identify the employee by name in the motion violated OMA. School boards should consult their attorneys for guidance about how to manage compliance with OMA while balancing an employee’s privacy interests.