BISMARCK, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem has issued his opinion on if the New Rockford-Sheyenne Public School Board violated the open meetings law by failing to properly post notice of its committee meetings.

The New Rockford-Sheyenne Public School Board has a standing Building Committee, which does not publish a schedule of annual meetings but meets as needed. Stenehjem says all meetings of the Building Committee are considered special meetings that must comply with the laws governing special meetings. In addition to the regular meeting notice requirements, the law requires the notice of a special meeting be provided to the official newspaper.

The Building Committee met on November 8 and 13, 2017, and again on February 6, 2018. The Building Committee properly posted and provided public notice of its meetings on November 8, 2017, and February 6, 2018, in compliance with the law. The meeting notice and agenda for the November 13, 2017, special meeting was posted on the school’s bulletin board but was not provided to the county auditor or to the official newspaper.

“The School board violated the law when it failed to post notice of its November 13, 2017, meeting in substantial compliance with the law,” Stenehjem concluded.