Open Meetings: Asset Or Albatross

On April 10, 2015, about 150 state and local government officials attended the state Freedom of Information Commission’s annual conference, an educational program featuring a number of panel discussions on various aspects of our state FOI law.  The theme of this year’s conference was “Open Meetings: Asset or Albatross.”  I had the honor and pleasure to moderate a panel discussion concerning the benefits (and costs) of requiring government to conduct its business in public.  I had the support of three terrific panelists: WNPR’s Jeff Cohen, Durham First Selectman Laura Francis, and Stamford Assistant Corporation Counsel (and former FOIC Commissioner) Amy LiVolsi.  CT-N taped the conference.  The panel discussion I moderated starts at approximately 2:31:00 into the program.