What is the ruling on whether an individual who is the subject of an ethics complaint can request the meeting of the ethics committee be held in public?
In Watertown we have a city councilman who has had a complaint filed against him by the mayor.
There is a meeting scheduled. The agenda has an executive session on it. The councilman has requested the meeting be held in public.
Ethics boards typically discuss complaints in an executive session in part to protect the privacy rights of individuals who are the subject of a complaint.
Ethics Boards as stated in the opinions below do not have to conduct their business in an executive session but can choose to do so.
If the Councilman who is the subject of the complaint wants to have it addressed in public the Ethics Board can do so if they desire.
