Hello I’m Alex Starr, a member of the League of Women Voters of Fremont, Newark and Union City. Recognizing Sunshine week, March 11-17, 2007, the League, would like to thank you, the Fremont Unified District School board, for supporting Open Government.

All across the country leagues are recognizing Sunshine Week as a time for governmental and non-governmental organizations to focus on the importance that openness in government plays in ensuring a strong democracy and the liberty we all cherish. James Madison once said: "The advancement and diffusion of knowledge is the only guardian of true liberty." 

We ask you to continue to advance and diffuse the knowledge we the citizens of Fremont need by continuing to adhere to California’s Brown Act that governs meetings conducted by local legislative bodies. We applaud you for your commitment to facilitate public participation in our local government. We specifically acknowledge information on your web site relating to the importance of the Brown Act. Your web site is an example of excellence for other public entities to emulate. Information to the Public about your meetings is clear and presented before the agenda. Clear and easy access to this information also seems to be a priority for you. More detailed information about both Open and Closed Meetings is also available to the public in your board policies sections 9320 through 9321. 

We trust that you will continue facilitating public participation in local government by ensuring dates and times of all meetings are noticed, agendas including a brief description of all agenda items be posted at least 72 hours prior to a regular meeting, allow public comment on each agenda item, and publish minutes of meetings in a timely manner. 

And though the act provides for closed-session meetings we encourage all legislative bodies to keep closed session meetings to a minimum adhering to the legislative intended bias in favor or open meetings. 

Again, we thank you for your continued support for open government.

On behalf of the League I would like to present you with this poster commemorating Sunshine Week.

Hello, I’m Kay Emanuele, a member of the League of Women Voters of Fremont, Newark and Union City. Recognizing Sunshine week we, the League, would like to thank you, Washington Hospital board for supporting Open Government.

Sunshine Week is a time for governmental and non-governmental organizations across the country to focus on the importance openness in government plays in ensuring a strong democracy and the liberty we all cherish. James Madison once said: "The advancement and diffusion of knowledge is the only guardian of true liberty." 

We ask you to continue to discuss and share the knowledge the constituents of the hospital district need by adherence to California’s Brown Act which governs meetings conducted by local legislative bodies. We commend you for your commitment to facilitate public participation in our local government. We specifically acknowledge the hospital’s cable channel that runs informative programs an also re-runs of the board meetings.

We ask you to continue to discuss and share knowledge and transparency of governance with the residents served by Washington Hospital by supporting public participation in your decision making process and ensuring that:

• dates and times of all meetings are noticed on your web site, in the local newspaper and as before on the hospital grounds,
• agendas including a generally understood description of each agenda item be posted at least 72 hours prior to the meetings and be available for the public to view on your web site
• public comments are allowed on each agenda item, 
• complete minutes of all meetings are published in a timely manner,
• all supporting documentation presented to the board be available to the public at the time of the meeting, as required by open government laws
• posting the complete file of board policy on the web site

Though the Brown Act provides for closed-session meetings, we encourage all legislative bodies to keep closed session meetings to a minimum adhering to the legislative intended bias in favor or open meetings. 

Again, we thank you, our elected hospital board, for your continued support for open government.

Hello I’m Alex Starr, a member of the League of Women Voters of Fremont, Newark and Union City. Recognizing Sunshine week, March 11-17, 2007, the League, would like to thank you, the Ohlone College Board, for supporting Open Government.

Leagues all across the country have chosen Sunshine Week as a time for governmental and non-governmental organizations to focus on the importance that openness in government plays in ensuring a strong democracy and the liberty we all cherish. James Madison once said: "The advancement and diffusion of knowledge is the only guardian of true liberty." 

We ask you to continue to advance and diffuse the knowledge we the citizens of Fremont, Newark, and Union City need by adherence to California’s Brown Act that governs meetings conducted by local legislative bodies. We specifically acknowledge your taping of board meetings and replaying them on your cable channel as a good example of open government.

In October we offered testimony to you on board procedures during an official meeting. It went something like this:

• In an orderly meeting, public comments are linked to agenda items or the public can address non agenda items in the time assigned in the agenda. When members of the public have completed their testimony, the time for public comment is closed by the chair. The Board usually decides on a time limit for each speaker depending on the number of requests to speak that have been submitted. Currently your board policy assigns 5 minutes to each speaker. Your policy also states that, "Each speaker coming before the Board is limited to one presentation per specific agenda item before the Board, and to one presentation per meeting on non-agenda matters." (Section 2350 Speakers)
• After all speakers have completed their testimony the time for public input is over. 
• The board may not address the speakers if presentations are made by members of the public during the period allotted for non agenda items.

We ask you and all other public agencies to:

• ensuring dates and times of all meetings are noticed, 
• agendas including a brief description of all agenda items be posted at least 72 hours prior to a regular meeting, 
• allow public comment on each agenda item, and 
• publish minutes of meetings in a timely manner. 
• And though the act provides for closed-session meetings we encourage all legislative bodies to keep closed session meetings to a minimum adhering to the legislative intended bias in favor or open meetings. 

On behalf of our League I want to present you with this poster commemorating Sunshine Week.