The yearly meeting schedule in New Jersey: what a public body posts within 7 days of reorganizing
Short answer
Every New Jersey public body posts a schedule of its regular meetings for the coming year, mails it to the two newspapers it designates and submits it to the clerk or clerks it files notices with. This is done within 7 days after the body's annual organization or reorganization meeting, or by January 10 if it holds none. The schedule gives the time, date and location of each meeting, and a revision goes out the same way within 7 days.(N.J.S.A. 10:4-18)
Where this fits in your meeting cycle: Clarivis is software that helps a board follow these steps: it counts the notice deadline for each special meeting, suggests a notice time for each regular meeting and drafts the minutes for your board to correct and approve; it does not post the notice, notify the newspapers or file it with the clerk for you.
See how Clarivis helpsQuestions on this page
What is the yearly meeting schedule?
It is the list of the dates, times and locations of a body's regular meetings for the coming year. A regular meeting is one a body holds on a set schedule, as opposed to a special meeting, which is called separately. The duty falls on every public body the Act covers (N.J.S.A. 10:4-8(a)), from the governing body to a planning board or board of education.
When does it go out, and to whom?
Statute text
“At least once each year, within 7 days following the annual organization or reorganization meeting of a public body, or if there be no such organization or reorganization meeting in the year, then by not later than January 10 of such year, every public body shall post and maintain posted throughout the year in the place described in subsection 3. d. (1), mail to the newspapers described in subsection 3. d. (2), submit to the persons described in subsection 3. d. (3), for the purpose of public inspection a schedule of the regular meetings of the public body to be held during the succeeding year.”
In plain terms, three steps, all within the deadline:
- Post the schedule in the public place set aside for notices, and keep it posted all year.
- Mail it to the two newspapers the body has designated.
- Submit it to the clerk or clerks the body files its notices with. A body whose area is one municipality files with the municipal clerk; one county, with the county clerk; statewide, with the Secretary of State; any other body, with its own clerk or chief administrative officer and the clerk of each municipality or county it covers.
The deadline is 7 days after the reorganization meeting, or January 10 if the body holds none. The sentence says "mail" to the newspapers; whether email counts is not settled (see below).
What does it say?
Statute text
“Such schedule shall contain the location of each meeting to the extent it is known, and the time and date of each meeting.”
Give the time, date and location of each meeting. The Act asks for the location only "to the extent it is known". A regular meeting is covered without further notice only if the schedule gives its location (see "Does it replace the notice for a meeting?" below).
What if the schedule changes during the year?
The same text covers a change:
Statute text
“In the event that such schedule is thereafter revised, the public body, within 7 days following such revision, shall post, mail and submit such revision in the manner described above.”
So a moved or added regular meeting is posted, mailed and submitted within 7 days after the change is made. Whether that revision is enough for a rescheduled meeting, or the meeting still needs the 48 hours' notice, is not settled (see below).
Does it replace the notice for a meeting?
For a regular meeting on the schedule, mostly yes. The Act's definition of adequate notice ends:
Statute text
“Where annual notice or revisions thereof in compliance with section 13 of this act set forth the location of any meeting, no further notice shall be required for such meeting.”
A special meeting, and a regular meeting that is on neither the schedule nor a revision of it, are not covered this way and need the notice described in the meeting notice guide. Whether a rescheduled regular meeting is covered once its revision goes out within 7 days is not settled (see below); the safe course is to give it 48 hours' notice as well. Sending the agenda ahead of every regular meeting is good practice, not a rule the Act states.
Checklist
Within 7 days after the annual organization or reorganization meeting (or by January 10 if there is none)
- The year's regular meetings are listed, each with its time, date and location.
- The schedule is posted in the public place set aside for notices.
- The schedule is mailed to the two designated newspapers.
- The schedule is submitted to the clerk or clerks the body files notices with.
Whenever the schedule changes
- The revision is posted, mailed and submitted the same way within 7 days after it is made.
Throughout the year
- The schedule stays posted.
- A meeting not on the schedule gets the notice in the meeting notice guide.
What the law does not settle
Questions to take to your attorney; this guide does not answer them.
- Whether a rescheduled regular meeting is covered once the revision goes out within 7 days, or always needs 48 hours' notice.
- Whether a regular meeting at a different start time than the schedule gives, in the same place, is still covered.
- Whether a regular meeting on the schedule still needs an agenda sent ahead.
- Whether sending the schedule to the newspapers by email counts as mailing.
- How a body created partway through the year schedules its first meetings.
How Clarivis helps
Clarivis does not prepare, post, mail or submit the yearly schedule; your body does.
- Keeps each committee's regular schedule. A Committee Admin sets how often the committee meets, on which day and at what time, once, in Settings.
- Lists your next two meetings. It reads them from the committee's regular schedule, as suggestions you confirm; nothing is scheduled until you do.
- Names the duty on each regular meeting. The meeting's Compliance step lists the yearly schedule among the duties Clarivis does not check.
- Does not know which meetings your schedule lists, so it never flags a regular meeting's notice as late.
Related guides
- New Jersey meeting notice: the yearly schedule, the 48-hour notice and where it goesThe yearly schedule, 48 hours' notice, posting, two newspapers and the clerk
- New Jersey meeting minutes: what they must show and when they must be availableContents, each member's vote, promptly available
- Closed session in New Jersey: the nine matters, the resolution, and the minutesThe nine matters, the resolution, disclosure
- What counts as a meeting in New Jersey: effective majority, phone and video, and what is left outEffective majority, phone and video, and what the law leaves out
- Online and phone meetings in New Jersey: what the law says in an emergency and what it leaves openAllowed in a declared emergency; advice, not a rule, the rest of the time
This guide for other states
Sources
- N.J.S.A. 10:4-18, Schedule of regular meetings of public body: lis.njleg.state.nj.us/nxt/gateway.dll/statutes/1/7555/7588
- N.J.S.A. 10:4-8, Definitions (Open Public Meetings Act): lis.njleg.state.nj.us/nxt/gateway.dll/statutes/1/7555/7575