Laserfiche WebLink
3. Minutes. <br /> <br />Minutes as such are being regarded as less and less significant, and certainly less and less <br />official. It is recognized that minutes are an interpretation of the person taking the minutes, <br />and for any legal action, a transcription of the audio tapes will be called for. It may be more <br />honest to label the minutes differently, such as a summary of actions or a report for the City <br />Council, and state that the complete record are on audio tape. <br /> <br />4. Findings. <br /> <br />In a 1991 case, a Board of County Commissioners denied a permit for a senior day care <br />center, and stated that such a facility was neither needed or wanted in their county. The <br />severity of the court judgment drew national attention to the case. <br /> <br />The importance of findings and basing a decision on the public record, has always been <br />strongly emphasized. Now there is an indication that the courts are less and less amused at <br />decisions that are arbitrary and capricious, and not based on findings. <br /> <br />5. Insurance. <br /> <br />Most governmental entities have insurance for errors and omissions, but it may be important to <br />obtain in writing from the insurance carrier, assurance that the policy covers violations of civil <br />fights. <br /> <br />At the beginning of March, a community in Virginia sponsored a meeting for visioning for the <br />future. One member of the community came in with two hand guns and a shotgun, and told <br />the person running the meeting that if he mentioned the word "vision," he and others would <br />be wiped out. Fortunately, a Sheriffs deputy came quickly and was able to handle the <br />situation. <br /> <br />There is, however, an increasing concern over mentally deranged people with guns. Many <br />larger communities have a uniformed and armed officer at all meetings, and several of the <br />smaller communities have a "panic button" to summon help from the police when needed. <br /> <br />Many larger communities expressed some total dissatisfaction with their local coverage of <br />planning commission meetings in the press. This is mostly the case in cities with daily <br />newspapers. They complain that reporters assigned to planning commission meetings are the <br />most inexperienced, and the night editors who write the headlines and condense the copy are <br /> <br /> <br />