VIEWPOINT | South Dakota's open meetings laws couldn't be wimpier
Guest column by Tonchi Weaver
I read an article in The Dakota Scout about the Watertown City Council casting votes behind closed doors and my blood began to boil. This rang very familiar to me because the practice is so common for local governments, and it is done with impunity.
In November of 2021, South Dakota Citizens for Liberty filed a suit against the Rapid City Area School District for open meeting law violations. One of the exhibits was clear documentation that the RCAS board had cast votes in executive session to fill a vacancy on the board. Letters of rejection were sent to the unsuccessful applicants in the same executive session. SDCL 1-25-2 forbids any official action behind closed doors. Those votes should have been cast in full public view.
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