As part of a conversation at last week's Parks Committee meeting, Rancho Murieta Association Director Mike Martel, an RMA representative to the committee, asked whether the Parks Committee is required to let the public watch it in action.

Given its hybrid foundation -- with membership from the RMA, Community Services District and development community -- Martel asked, "Does (the committee) fall under the Brown or the Stirling act? Or can we meet anyplace and meet in private in discussion? Can we exclude residents from participating and other people?"

As long as public notice is given, Martel wondered whether the committee, which administers a fund built of contributions from developers and RMA dues, could meet "any time, any place, anywhere."

He brought up the question of RanchoMurieta.com's presence at the meeting -- the only representative of the public there -- as part of a larger conversation about public involvement and disagreements with some RanchoMurieta.com coverage.

Taking part in the conversation were Martel, RanchoMurieta.com editor Karen Muldoon, Community Services Director Ed Crouse, RMA Architectural Manager Mark Parsons, CSD Director Dick Taylor and RMA Director Paul Gumbinger.

Here's a transcript:

Mike Martel: Karen (Muldoon) is a resident and she runs a business. And her business opinion may be different than her personal opinion, but we have no control over what she writes or how she interprets our dialogue or that kind of stuff there. A couple times I think she's writing her opinion and it's not accurate. But the question I'm asking the committee is, has she got entitlements here or anyone?

Karen Muldoon: Are you asking if it's a public meeting or not?

Martel: Yeah.

Muldoon: But this is public funds.

Martel: But if the Parks Committee is a separate entity somebody needs to explain. ... That's why I'm asking how does one conduct these meetings and who gets the chance to sit and participate and to observe?

Ed Crouse: Well, I can tell you since 1994 that I've been involved, everybody and anybody that's wanted to come to these meetings as an RMA member could come to these meetings.

Mark Parsons: That is correct.

Crouse: It's just as a courtesy. It's not that we're trying to exclude anybody but we're trying to embrace anybody that has an interest.

Dick Taylor: My feeling would be there could only possibly be two exclusions. There couldn't be more than two CSD board members, otherwise, under those things that control us, we would represent a quorum of our board. We can't do that.

Mike Martel: "There's all kinds of meetings that go on in this community with different organizations and different groups that may or may not invite the public to participate."

Dick Taylor: "They certainly don't involve public money like this one does."

Martel: I don't think the Parks Committee can tell each board member they can't. That's a separate... (crosstalk)

Taylor: I'm saying that would be a restriction on us. And I would think the same thing would be true on the RMA board if there were than three of you participating and expressing yourselves in these meetings, that too would be a problem for the RMA, since it would also represent exceeding a quorum.

Martel: We just have a notice issue. I think all we have to do is notice, and we have different time limits.

Crouse: We have the same thing. If we have two or less board members, we don't have to notice, but if we want to have three, four or five, then (indecipherable)...

Martel: The thing is, if we're going to get involved in the working document I think that falls under different rules and different (indecipherable) ...

Muldoon: Are you saying you want this to be private, a closed meeting?

Martel: No, I'm asking how the committee should operate, Karen. I don't agree with your opinion and sometimes your opinion tries to sway or influence other people in the community.

Muldoon: I represent the public. I'm reporting on these for the public. You're welcome to contest anything that I write.

Martel: I'm not just thinking about you. This is about how the committee acts, and what's the committee's authority and who gets a seat, and what's their obligation.

Muldoon: Well, I represent the public, and this is of concern to the public.

Martel: There's all kinds of meetings that go on in this community with different organizations and different groups that may or may not invite the public to participate.

Taylor: They certainly don't involve public money like this one does.

Martel: You're talking about RMA's contribution to the parks fund?

Taylor: I'm talking about the total park fund being public money.

Martel: There's no public money being inserted, there's no public money that has been contributed to the parks fund.

Taylor: I'm saying it becomes public money.

Martel: I think people should have the right to ask where the money is, and how much money's there, and how much money's been spent.

Taylor: Well, that's been one of the big problems.

(Chuckling is heard on the recording.)

Crouse: I think that's what Karen's saying is that she's providing a benefit to the people that want to keep track of it, be abreast of it, instead of coming down by themselves she's providing that service. Other than that, I think that's all we've always allowed Karen or the River Valley Times to come in.

Paul Gumbinger: Just as long as the reporting is fair and accurate and doesn't represent an opinion, a private opinion.

Taylor: Based on whose judgment?

Martel: Karen's. Or River Valley Times. Or anybody else. The RMA or the CSD.