GET INVOLVED · TRANSPARENCY PLEDGE

Transparency Pledge

Ten best-practice commitments for local officials that go beyond what the law requires. Download the pledge, share it, and ask your board to sign it.

OUR COMMITMENT TO TRANSPARENCY

Advance Meeting Notices Notice of all meetings at least one week ahead, posted on the website and emailed to the media and the public.
Agendas and Documents Meeting agendas and related documents posted at least 48 hours before meetings and archived online.
Timely Minutes Meeting minutes posted online within two weeks of each meeting.
Public Participation The public may speak before votes, on agenda and non-agenda items, in person or remotely.
Live-Streaming and Video Meetings live-streamed and recordings posted online. If not yet in place, committed to as soon as possible.
Limited Executive Sessions Private sessions only in rare cases and in compliance with the law, entered by a two-thirds vote rather than a simple majority.
Financial Transparency Elected officials complete an annual financial disclosure form, posted publicly, just as state officials do.
No Private Caucus Meetings Legal, but they serve no valid purpose at the local level for discussing public business. We will not hold them.
FOIL Compliance FOIL information displayed prominently, as much public information as possible posted proactively, and a user-friendly online request form.
FOIL Processing and Reporting Timely responses to requests, with quarterly status reports on pending FOIL requests.

We encourage every government entity to adopt these best practices for a more open and accountable democracy.