For Immediate Release	Contact:	Kevin Smith
May 28, 2004		619-236-6616

Right to Know Committee Holds First Meeting

Councilmember Frye chairs committee dedicated to reforming open meeting requirements

San Diego, CA - On Thursday, May 27, 2004, at 202 C St., in the 12th floor City Council Chambers at 6:00 pm, Councilmember Donna Frye, Deputy Mayor Toni Atkins and Councilmember Jim Madaffer held the first meeting of the Right To Know Committee.

The Right To Know Committee was formed by the San Diego City Council to review a temporary rule put forward by Councilmember Frye and Deputy Mayor Atkins and passed by the Council on March 29, 2004. Once the committee has reviewed the temporary rule, it will forward its recommendation on to the City Council Rules, Finance and Intergovernmental Relations committee and ultimately the full City Council for adoption as a permanent rule. The purpose of this rule is to increase government transparency in the City of San Diego. These new rules for conduct by the City Council include:

- Giving the public more information about items coming before the Council in closed session

- Reporting the results of actions taken in closed session

- Giving the public an opportunity to directly address the City Council on any closed session item on the agenda

- Giving the Council an opportunity to discuss the basis for convening into closed session, ask questions and respond to questions from the public

- A transcription of all closed session meetings

- Making available to the Council and the public a weekly litigation log listing all litigation filed against or by the City

These changes to the open meeting rules of the City Council will help to reduce the many concerns about the noticing and conduct of the closed session meetings.

Councilmember Frye, expressing strong feelings on the issue closed session meetings said, "The ultimate goal is to ensure that closed sessions are the exception to the open meeting requirements, not the rule." Frye added that, "I encourage any member of the public to speak at any our meetings as we discuss a number of issues that will improve public access to government decisions."

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