Open Meeting Hand Book as Published by the State of Michigan Attorney General

Attorney General Bill Schuette

The Michigan Open Meeting Act (OMA) law  dates back to 1976 It's intentions were and are to make  local government  open and transparent  to you the tax paying Citizens of of the State of Michigan. Essentially  OMA says you have the right to attend almost all of Michigan Government meetings and that  all governing decisions requiring  and vote be done at public meetings.

Recently  the office of the state's Attorney General published on line an eminently readable guide book to the Open Meetings Act. This not  legal   mumbo  jumbo but a listing of what your rights as a Citizen are  and the Government's obligation to you. It pertains all governing bodies from local libraries, to  committees formed by a City Commission to, the Governor and State legislator.

You pay your taxes  to the State  and  the City so you should know what you your rights  are regards to what to do about what such governing bodies  may decide.

You don't have to care if you don't want to but ignorance to some who govern is licence and you don't want to go to sleep, only  to discover  that  have you inadvertently awaken, in second coming of the late great East Germany.

To read the above 21 page handbook  Click here.

The above presentation by  Sue Jeffers and the Michigan Municipal League is even more readable in that it uses big type and colors. It also highlights  areas of  responsibilities that were once considered grey areas. No pun intended. To read the 32 page presentation click here

  In the Current issue of  the Hills Highlights,  the official news letter of the City of  Bloomfield Hills, newly elected City Commissioner Susan McCarthy describes,  aYou won, now what training she received from the MML. Two bullet pointed topics she mentioned in her article  are a review of the  of the Michigan Open Meeting Act Oma  and the better known Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)  pronounced "Foyah".