City Attorney Chris Callahan told the Salinas Public Art Commission at its meeting that the seven‑member advisory body is a legislative body subject to the Ralph M. Brown Act and must conduct its business in agendized, public meetings. "You can't talk about commission business at Starbucks among 4 of you. That's a meeting, and it needs to be agendized," Callahan said, urging commissioners to avoid off‑record deliberations.

Callahan reviewed practical obligations: agendas should be posted 72 hours in advance (24 hours in the case of an emergency), votes should be taken by roll call, a quorum for the seven‑member commission is four, and commissioners must meet a 75% attendance threshold or risk removal by City Council. He also warned that emails, texts and other writings that relate to city business are public records: "If you don't want it in public, don't put it in writing," Callahan said.

The attorney gave a concrete social‑media example to illustrate how violations happen: a commissioner posts about an upcoming mural, three other commissioners "like" the post, and that collective interaction can be treated as a meeting under the Brown Act. Callahan said commissioners may promote meetings individually but should avoid interacting with one another's posts about commission business.

Callahan described available resources and sanctions: Rosenberg's Rules of Order (a condensed parliamentary guide) was recommended for day‑to‑day motions; Brown Act violations can carry misdemeanor penalties and civil remedies requiring agencies to cure procedural lapses. He also reviewed conflict‑of‑interest procedures, explaining that commissioners may recuse themselves and that recusals change quorum and voting thresholds (a majority of the quorum is required to take action).

The presentation closed with practical reminders about the city seal and logo (both trademarked; the seal is not to be used under any circumstances and the logo requires authorization) and an offer by Callahan to answer follow‑up questions via email or City Hall.

Votes at a glance: The commission approved the minutes of Aug. 18, 2025 during the meeting by roll call.