“Nearly all of a municipal board’s work is performed in meetings or hearings that are open to the public. Such meetings are subject to several state and local procedural requirements, as well as the political climate of the locality. Taken together, these requirements can confuse, intimidate and stymie even the most experienced of boards. For this reason, it is the intent of this publication to educate and refresh municipal officials on several of the procedures governing public meetings and hearings. Only with a working knowledge of state procedural requirements will municipal officials be free to focus on the current issues and political needs of their communities.”
read the handbook PDF
New York Department of State 2012.