The City Law Department has prepared a training program and PowerPoint presentation on the specifics of the state Open Meetings Act, or "Sunshine Law." The City's staff attorneys will be presenting the training to dozens of boards, committees, commissions and agencies. 

"Transparency and openness are critical to City government working well," Mayor Madeline Rogero said. "That's why I asked our Law Department to develop strategies and implement steps to strengthen the City's embracing of Tennessee's Sunshine Law.

"Generally, these training sessions will amount to a refresher course for our experienced citizens who have lengthy service on boards and commissions. But we're constantly appointing new people to serve on boards as terms of service end and more senior members rotate off those boards. It's just a good idea to make sure newcomers know all the ins and outs of adhering completely with both the spirit and the legal requirements of the Open Meetings Act." 

The Law Department started by preparing two lists of boards and other bodies that are subject to the requirements of the Sunshine Law. 

The first group consists of boards, committees, commissions and agencies created by the City of Knoxville. Examples include the Beer Board, the Board of Zoning Appeals, the City Tree Board and the Wrecker Services Commission. 

The second list is composed of boards and other bodies created by other organizations that are not governed by the City, but to which the City appoints certain members. Examples: the Development Corp. of Knox County, the Knox County Air Pollution Control Board, and the E-911 Board. 

For all City of Knoxville boards and commissions subject to the Open Meetings Act, their meeting agendas will include a reminder that all business to be conducted is public and subject to the provisions of the Act. 

All members of boards subject to the Open Meetings Act will be asked to sign a document, acknowledging their understanding and agreement that the board to which they've been appointed or elected is governed by the Act. 

Finally, the training and PowerPoint presentation have been designed to provide information to citizens about what the Open Meetings Act requires and what it prohibits. The practical information is intended to assist members of boards and other bodies in complying with the Act and avoiding inadvertent violations. 

The City's lawyers will be providing the training to all City boards and commissions that are subject to the Open Meetings Act. The lawyers will also make the training available upon request to other non-City boards and bodies, such as those to which the City appoints members. 

"As needed, the training will be updated or refreshed in order to continue to make citizens involved in the governing process sensitive to the need to adhere to the public policy of the State of Tennessee, which provides that the formulation of public policy and decisions is public business and must not be conducted in secret," City Law Director Charles Swanson said. 

Boards, committees, commissions and agencies created by the City of Knoxville that will be included in the training: 

Animal Control Board
Beer Board
Better Building Board
Board of Adjustments & Appeals
Board of Electrical Examinations and Review
Board of Environmental Appeals
Board of Zoning Appeals
Central Business Improvement District (CBID)
City Council
City Tree Board
Civil Service Merit Board
Downtown Design Review Board
Food Policy Council
Historic Zoning Commission
Industrial Development Board(s)
Infill Housing Overlay District
KAT Community Advisory Committee
Knoxville Transportation Authority
Knoxville's Community Development Corp.
Mayor's Council on Disability Issues
Mechanical/Gas Board of Examination, Review, Adjustments and Appeals
Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority Board of Commissioners
Neighborhood Advisory Council
Pension Board
Plumbing Examination & Review Board
Police Advisory & Review Committee
Public Arts Committee
Public Assembly Facilities Board
Public Property Naming Committee
Sign Task Force
Solicitations Board
Visit Knoxville 
Wrecker Services Commission

Boards with City appointees created by other organizations that are not governed by the City, and to which the Open Meetings Act training will be available: 

Community Television of Knoxville
Development Corp. of Knox County
Knox County Solid Waste Advisory Board
Knox County Tax Equalization Board
Knox County Air Pollution Control Board
Knoxville-Knox County Emergency Communications District (E-911)
Knoxville Utilities Board
Metropolitan Planning Commission
Public Building Authority

Click here to view the Open Meetings Act presentation by the Law Department.