Missouri Housing Development Committee violates Sunshine Law
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Missouri Housing Development Committee violates Sunshine Law

Date: December 2, 2010
By: Michael Langenberg
State Capitol Bureau

Intro: 
The Director of the Missouri Housing Development Commission says her subcommittee violated Sunshine Law Wednesday. Michael Langenberg has more from Jefferson City.
RunTime:  0:46
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: Missouri's Housing Development Commission will have to vote again on changes to its former employee conduct policies.

This is because the agency's director Margaret Lineberry says the vote should've been held in public.

Actuality:  LINE4.WAV
Run Time:  00:11
Description: "The closed session should have reverted to an open session at the time that the policy committee voted to make the clarifications to our standards of conduct policy."

The beginning of the meeting was closed to the community to discuss a lawsuit regarding a former employee.

Lineberry says the decision on the proposed policy changes were made in response to talks about the lawsuit.

She says the commission doesn't allow former members to influence housing developments within a year of leaving their position.

From the state Capitol, I'm Michael Langenberg.

Intro: 
The Missouri Press Association's attorney says the reason for the state's Housing Development Commission meeting to be closed on Wednesday isn't justified. Michael Langenberg has more from Jefferson City.
RunTime:  0:41
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: The Missouri Housing Development Commission's subcommittee held a closed meeting Wednesday to discuss an ethics policy lawsuit against a former employee.

Missouri Press Association Attorney Jean Maneke (Man-eh-key) says that's legal under state Sunshine Law.

But denying the public access from talks on policy change because of the lawsuit isn't.

Actuality:  MANEKE1.WAV
Run Time:  00:11
Description: "It would seem to me that that doesn't fit under the exception that allows you to close the meeting because it isn't a discussion that's directly related to settling potential litigation."
The commission's director says policy discussion should've been public and talks will resume publicly later this month.

From the state Capitol, I'm Michael Langenberg.