Gilroy Municipal Code Art. I Findings and Purpose

On behalf of the people of the City of Gilroy, the city council declares:

(1) Whereas, transparency in decision making is a cornerstone of democracy;

(2) Whereas, elected officials, commissions, boards, task forces, and other agencies of the city undertake the people’s business and in so doing commit themselves to the highest principles of transparency so that every citizen can know and participate in democracy at the local level;

(3) Whereas, California has a long tradition of laws designed to protect the public’s access to the workings of government, and each generation of elected officials and municipal employees should commit themselves to the principles of transparency and seek to implement new approaches that keep the public informed about policy decisions. Experience teaches that as government evolves, so must the laws designed to ensure that the workings of local government remain visible to all;

(4) Whereas, transparency in governmental policy decisions is paramount and only in rare and unusual circumstances should decisions made on behalf of the people take place out of public view. Those circumstances should be carefully and narrowly defined;

(5) Whereas, public accountability for all decisions made on behalf of the people will protect the public’s interest in open government;

(6) The city council enacts this chapter to assure that the people of the city remain in control of the government they have created;

(7) Private entities, individuals, employees and officials of Gilroy have rights to privacy that must be respected. However, when a person or entity is before a policy body, that person, and the public, has the right to an open and public process.

(Ord. No. 2008-11, 11-17-2008)

This chapter may be cited as “the Gilroy open government ordinance.”

(Ord. No. 2008-11, 11-17-2008)