Chatham Chatlist Highlights

Date: Wed, 19 Sep 2007 12:18:29 EDT
From: Ed Williams
Subject: Open government in Chatham County?

The September 19 issue of the Chapel Hill News, to my surprise, published a lead editorial criticizing Chatham County’s problem with open government. The lead sentence is:”For reasons we cannot fathom, Chatham County seems to have an inordinately hard time fully embracing the concept of open government.”

It goes on to discuss “the latest escapade” – county attorney Whiteheart’s draft policy on public documents. Though it does not use any of the appropriate adjectives, like “dishonest” or “misleading”, it certainly conveys the correct impression of this draft, highlighting its conflicts with state law. In summing up, it avoids using such apt terms as “hypocrites” to describe the ruling commissioners, but it certainly makes that point by saying:- “…the policy stands in stark contrast to the spirit of open government that was part of the campaign platform of several commissioners elected last year”.

Well said!

I’m looking forward to seeing letters to the Chapel Hill News from comrades of the New New Left in Chatham County denouncing this editorial.