Procedures for Submitting a Notice of an Open Meeting Law Violation

1. Provide the Harwood Unified Union School District school board with a written notice that alleges a specific violation and requests a specific cure of the violation.
2. Upon receiving the notice, the Harwood Unified Union School District school board has 10 calendar days to respond publicly by either:
   1. acknowledging the violation and stating an intent to cure it within 14 calendar days; or
   2. denying that any violation occurred and thus no cure is necessary.
3. If the Harwood Unified Union School District school board does not respond within 10 calendar days, it is considered a denial of the violation for purposes of enforcement.
4. If the Harwood Unified Union School District school board acknowledges the violation, they must correct it within 14 calendar days in an open meeting by:
   1. Either ratifying, or declaring as void, any action taken at or resulting from:
      1. A meeting that was not noticed in accordance with subsection 312(c) of the open meeting law; or
      2. A meeting that a person or the public was wrongfully excluded from attending; or
      3. An executive session or portion thereof not authorized under subdivisions 313(a)(1)-(10) of this title; and
   2. adopting specific measures that actually prevent future violations.
5. After either acknowledging or denying a violation, or after the 14-day cure period has passed for acknowledged violations, the Attorney General or anyone affected by the violation can file a lawsuit in the Civil Division of the Superior Court. This lawsuit can seek injunctions or declaratory judgments. Such lawsuits must be filed within one year of the meeting where the violation occurred.

To view the full text of the statute, see 16 V.S.A §314 Penalty and Enforcement.