Vineyard Special Session Welcomes in 2025
- Julie Fullmer
- Jan 15
- 5 min read
Updated: Jan 19
In November, we welcomed a new council member, Brett Clawson, to fulfill the rest of Amber Rasmussen's term. He has undergone several trainings and onboarding and will join the rest of the council as they go through their annual training.
Every January, the Vineyard City Council participates in essential training on the Open and Public Meetings Act (OPMA), the Government Records Access and Management Act (GRAMA), and Ethics.
This year, after discussing the goals for the training with the council, we enhanced our training session by introducing a discussion on a new Code of Conduct for council members, boards, committees, and commissions.
According to my responsibility, I had our legal team prepare a document for the council's review. To ensure the Code of Conduct reflects best practices, our legal team prepared a draft after reviewing state codes and similar documents from other cities.
We knew it would take a lot of discussion to get it right, and we made sure to host it during a time when there were a few things on the agenda. City Council members sent in revisions before the presentation on the 14th, and we determined a subcommittee would be an excellent opportunity to get the wording we all hoped to see during the discussion.
I created a subcommittee, appointing Councilmen Jacob Holdaway and Brett Clawson to take a closer look at the document and report revisions to the council. The Document will be brought before the public again on January 29th, 2025.
Additionally, the council was informed about the new updates to disclosers that would be sent to them for completion according to Vineyard Policy and State Code.
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The meeting began with the Open and Public Meetings Act, Government Records Access and Management Act, and Ethics training by Vineyard's City Attorney Jayme Blakesley. The City Council is required to attend these trainings and receive a certificate of completion.
OPMA Training: Ensures transparency by mandating open meetings and clear agendas.
GRAMA Training: Teaches proper management of public records and promotes access while balancing privacy.
Ethics Training: Reinforces integrity and helps council members avoid conflicts of interest.
Together, these trainings ensure the council upholds trust, accountability, and effective governance.
The Open and Public Meetings Act (OPMA) and ethics training are essential for ensuring transparency, accountability, and trust in local government. Here’s why these requirements are in place and why they benefit our community:
The Open and Public Meetings Act mandates that governmental decisions and actions be conducted openly. By attending training, council members learn the rules and best practices for ensuring meetings are accessible to the public, agendas are clear, and decisions are made transparently.
Open and Public Meetings Act (OPMA) Training
Who must complete it: All public governing body members
Time frame for completion: Yearly
Who provides it: Anyone the presiding officer deems appropriate
Who tracks it: Presiding officer, in conjunction with records officer
Who enforces it: Office of the Attorney General and County Attorney
Statute: Utah Code 52-4-104
How to complete: Any method the presiding officer deems sufficient, but it must comply with Title 63G, Chapter 22, State Training and Certification Requirements (see Utah Code 52-4-104).
The Office recommends that the presiding officer and records officer ensure the training event and those present were recorded in the meeting minutes.
Why It Matters:
Residents have a right to know how their elected officials conduct city business.
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GRAMA Training:
Government Records Access and Management Act is a Utah state law that governs how public records are created, stored, accessed, and disclosed. GRAMA training ensures that government officials and employees understand their responsibilities regarding records management and transparency.
What Does GRAMA Training Do?
Educates About Public Records
Defines what constitutes a public record.
Explains which records are accessible to the public and which are protected or restricted (e.g., confidential or private records).
Ensures Transparency
Provides guidelines for responding to public requests for records.
Reinforces the importance of open access to government information while protecting sensitive data.
Clarifies Legal Requirements
Outlines timelines and procedures for responding to records requests.
Explains penalties for noncompliance with GRAMA.
Teaches Record Management
Covers proper record creation, storage, and retention.
Explains how to handle electronic records, emails, and other forms of communication.
Balances Access and Privacy
Helps officials balance the public's right to know with individuals’ rights to privacy and the government’s need for confidentiality in specific cases.
Prepares for Appeals and Disputes
Explains the process for handling appeals if a records request is denied.
Provides information on resolving disputes regarding records access.
Supports Good Governance
Reinforces the principles of transparency, accountability, and public trust.
Ensures that government entities operate in accordance with state laws.
Why GRAMA Training Matters
For Officials and Employees: Ensures compliance with the law and minimizes the risk of legal challenges.
For Citizens: Promotes confidence in government transparency and their right to access public information.
For the Community: Builds trust through ethical and lawful records management practices.
GRAMA training is an essential tool for fostering transparency and accountability in government operations, ensuring that records are managed responsibly and made available to the public as required by law.
Government Records Access and Management Act (GRAMA) Training
Who must complete it: All governmental entity and political subdivision records officers
Time frame for completion: Yearly
Who provides it: Utah Division of Archives and Records Service
Who tracks it: Utah Division of Archives and Records Service
Who enforces it: Entity Chief Administrative Officer (CAO); State Records Committee; Any district court
How to complete: Complete the Records Officer Certification test found at: archives.utah.gov/rim/certification.html.
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Ethics Training:
Ethics training teaches council members how to avoid conflicts of interest, maintain integrity, and make decisions that prioritize the community’s best interests.
Why It Matters:
Ethics training ensures council members act with integrity, avoid conflicts of interest, and prioritize the public good. Ethical governance builds trust between the City Council and the public. Additionally, it meets the Fraud Risk Assessment Questionnaire Training ethics portion.
Who must complete it: All governing body members desiring that their entity receives 20 points on Question 5 of the Fraud Risk Assessment Questionnaire
Time frame for completion: Within four years of term appointment/election date
Who provides it: State Auditor
Who tracks it: State Auditor
Who enforces it: State Auditor
Statute: Utah Code 67-3-1(4)(a)
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Good leaders embrace accountability, transparency, and ethical governance. Signing a Code of Conduct is more than a formality—it’s a commitment to uphold the values that build trust, foster collaboration, and serve the best interests of our community. Our goal is to get it right and ensure the voice of the people is strengthened through our representation.
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The City Council, according to Utah Code 52-4-205, went into a closed
session for the purpose of discussing the character, professional competence, or physical or mental health of an individual.
Minutes: Not yet posted
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