By Ryan Duey

The Kansas Attorney General’s Office has chosen not to pursue formal enforcement action regarding technical violations of the Kansas Open Meetings Act (KOMA) by a former Junction City Commission.

However, in a letter to City Attorney Britain Stites, they have requested remedial action to address the violations. The AG’s Office determined that the commission’s failure to adhere to statutory requirements for executive session motions, particularly the absence of the subject to be discussed in a March 1, 2022, motion, constituted technical violations that did not significantly impact the public’s rights.

Nonetheless, a pattern of deficient motions highlights the necessity for remedial measures. Remedial actions include: Completing a KOMA training within 90 days, providing copies of meeting minutes that reflect the training, and establishing a process to ensure the commission meets all requirements for recessing into executive session. The Commission must provide a written report within 30 days describing their efforts to complete these trainings.