Public meetings are primarily called to discuss and develop public policy. Under the Open Meetings Act, Kentucky cities (and all governmental units within the commonwealth) are required to open their meetings to the public. This means that any official business of the city -- with a few specific exceptions -- should be open to the public both in person and through recorded minutes.
No conditions may be put on attendance of public meetings. Meetings must take place within the jurisdiction of the governmental unit (i.e. city limits for cities) and at a time and place convenient for the public to attend. Advance notice of the meeting’s time and place must be given.
The Open Meetings Act exempts 13 very specific categories of meetings from being held in an open session. If an exception to the Open Meetings Act applies, the public agency may go into closed (executive) session to conduct the meeting as long as it follows the required procedure within the Open Meetings Act. City officials should seek legal advice from their city attorney to ensure compliance with the Open Meetings Act.
The Kentucky League of Cities serves as the united voice of cities by supporting community innovation, effective leadership and quality governance.
