2023
Serial Meetings and Oregon Government Ethics Commission Oversight
Did you think public meeting hazards couldn’t get stickier? Think again!
The 2023 Legislature adopted House Bill (HB) 2805, which amends Oregon’s
public meetings law in four ways.
Ordinances, Resolutions, Motions, and Orders
In law school, one of my professors encouraged students to review familiar rules (Rules
of Civil Procedures or Trial Court Rules) no less than annually to avoid complacency in
our knowledge and understanding of them. This is a practice...
Tis the Season for Bargaining
What does the Holiday Season mean to you? Gathering with family and friends?
Lots of good food? Lots of shopping? Getting ready to ring in a New Year?
Gearing up for bargaining season? Yes! In the world of public sector government,
the approach of the...
Public Records Requests for Notes, Drafts, and Preliminary Documents
How does your public entity respond if it receives a public records request for “all” documents for a particular matter? Does everything in a file need to be released, even if it is not a complete or final version?
Many public bodies may think that only a final...
Prevailing wage and public works and BOLI, oh my!
The core legal obligations related to the payment of prevailing wages on public works projects have not changed recently. Nonetheless, with construction season upon us, now is a good time to review the key prevailing wage requirements in order...
Donations: A Play in Three Acts
At the end of 2022, our office received some good questions regarding donations. This
article is a toe-dip into the vastness of this topic. As such, please consider this general
information and not legal advice. Please call our office if you have your own donation
scenario you’d like to discuss. Okay, let’s dig in!
Paid Leave Oregon
As most of you know, the Oregon legislature enacted what has come to be known as Paid Leave Oregon (PLO).
PLO is a new program/legislative scheme that allows employees in Oregon to take paid time off for some situations that impact their need to be away from work. It covers family-related...
Tipping Public Employees
Though perhaps not a common occurrence, there are situations in which public employees may be offered a tip for services performed in connection with their jobs. While there is no Oregon law that expressly forbids public employees from accepting tips, the acceptance of tips could violate Oregon’s government ethics laws.
The Budget Process in Four Simple Steps
It’s hard to believe that it’s already the end of March and budget season is upon us. For many of you, you’re off and running. This letter explains the budget process in four simple steps.
