Maricopa County Supervisors Hid Ten Meetings From Public | The Locally Times
Public notice for ten special and executive sessions, held between January and March, was released on April 2, 2026 — *after* all meetings had already taken place, denying residents timely insight into critical county decisions.
Maricopa County residents were kept in the dark as supervisors and associated boards held ten special and executive meetings between January and March 2026. Public notice for these critical sessions was only released on April 2, 2026 — *after* all meetings had concluded, effectively preventing residents from accessing agendas at least 24 hours in advance, a standard county policy requirement. ## Public Notice Arrives Too Late Ten meetings, classified as 'Special' or 'Special/Exec,' were convened by the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors and its associated boards (including the Flood Control, Library, Improvement Districts, and Board of Deposit) between January 5 and March 17, 2026. An additional 'Emergency Executive Session' was held on March 9. These sessions took place across various county locations, from the Sullivan Conference Room to the Supervisors’ Auditorium. However, the official 'Special Meeting notice,' dated March 13, 2026, and prepared in compliance with Arizona Revised Statutes, was not published until April 2, 2026. ## What Was Discussed Behind Closed Doors? While Arizona Revised Statutes (§38-431.03) permit executive sessions for specific matters like personnel, legal advice, litigation, contract negotiations, and real property transactions, the public remains unaware of the precise topics discussed during these January, February, and March 2026 sessions. The Maricopa County notice vaguely states that executive sessions are always preceded by an open meeting, but it fails to specify *which* personnel matters, legal advice, or contract negotiations were addressed. The public record offers no further detail on these closed-door proceedings, a fact underscored by the Maricopa County Department of Public Health. ## Eroding Public Oversight Maricopa County policy mandates that agendas for scheduled meetings be available at least 24 hours in advance, both online and at the Clerk of the Board’s Customer Service Desk. The April 2, 2026, publication of the 'Special Meeting notice' for sessions that concluded weeks earlier directly violated this policy, denying residents any opportunity to review agendas within the required timeframe. Decisions made in these executive sessions, which can involve critical areas like real property transactions or major contract negotiations, directly shape county services, policies, and finances.