Under the Connecticut Freedom of Information Act, a state law passed in 1975, every meeting of every public agency in Connecticut must be open to the public. This covers every East Hampton board, commission, and committee. The only exception is executive session, a closed portion of a meeting permitted only for specific legal purposes described later in this series.
- Read Part One: “Know Your Rights“
- Read Part Two: How to Find Out What Is Happening Before It Happens
You do not need to be a registered voter to attend a public meeting. Often you will be asked to provide your name and address to make a public comment, but this is not required by law. You cannot be required to sign in as a condition of attending and you have the right to record the meeting on your phone or any device, as long as you do it quietly and without disrupting the proceedings. Many of these meetings are recorded by the town and available on YouTube if you are unable to attend in person.
Public Comment
Connecticut law does not require boards to accept public comment, but it is within the spirit of the Freedom of Information Act for public agencies to be open to the concerns and opinions of the people. East Hampton’s Town Council and most of its boards permit public comment as a regular part of their meetings. Agendas are legally required to be finalized 24 hours in advance and often include public comment as a scheduled item.
The chairperson of the meeting controls the floor and can set time limits on individual speakers. The chair can redirect or stop a speaker for disruptive conduct or for going over the allotted time, which is often three minutes per speaker. The chair cannot stop a speaker simply because the content of the comment is critical of the board or board member.
If you plan to speak, arrive before the meeting starts and sign up on the speakers list if one is provided. State your name and address for the record. Keep your remarks factual and specific. While best to come with a prepared statement, on the fly remarks are valued. It is okay to get emotional; we are advocating for ourselves in a town we love, but always stick to the subject on the agenda and be respectful. If you have documents to submit, bring copies for each board member.
What to Do If You Are Excluded
If a board refuses to let you attend a meeting that is not a lawfully convened executive session, or if a meeting is held without proper public notice, you have the right to file a complaint with the Connecticut Freedom of Information Commission. The FOIC is an independent state agency that investigates these complaints at no cost to you.
Appeal deadlines are 30 days from the date of the violation. Do not wait.
The lesson from March 2026
One of the clearest lessons from the WPCA controversy is that minimum legal notice is not the same as practical notice.
Connecticut law requires that agendas for regular meetings be posted 24 hours in advance. A legal notice published in a newspaper satisfies the publication requirement, even if most residents never see it.
Residents who attended the March 2026 Town Council meeting said they had been raising concerns since 2024 without being heard. A major infrastructure project moved through multiple public board meetings over more than a year before it became a public controversy.
The only reliable way to know what is on an agenda before a meeting is to sign up for email alerts on our town’s website or to check agendas at easthamptonct.gov/agendacenter as a regular habit.
Connecticut Freedom of Information Commission
The FOIC administers and enforces Connecticut’s open meetings and public records laws.
Phone: (860) 566-5682
Russell Blair is the director of information and communities at the FOIC. He is available to answer your questions about the law, and he also provides free training for towns that request it. To arrange a speaking engagement, call Russell at (860) 566-5682 or email him at russell.blair@ct.gov.
The FOIC also offers a free ombudsman service to help mediate disputes before a formal complaint is needed.
Complaints about open meetings violations must be filed within 30 days of the alleged violation.
Next Up: How to request public records from the Town of East Hampton, step by step.