Date: Sun, 5 Jun 2011 10:44:59 -0400
From: Caroline Siverson
Subject: Recent comments on CCEC
In chat list post number 4052, Mr. West asked, “When did CCEC become an environmental group?” He also declared, “CCEC has always been known as a liberal political action group.” As a member of the CCEC Board of Directors, I welcome the opportunity to respond to his question and comment.
Chatham Citizens for Effective Communities (CCEC) is an advocacy organization that monitors the actions of our county government and stays abreast of critical issues that impact the quality of life in Chatham County. We are proactive and speak out about issues that threaten the well being of Chatham citizens.
We believe that local government should oversee sound planning that balances development and growth with crucial sustainable management of natural resources, while preserving the culture and rural charm that makes Chatham unique. To this end, CCEC sometimes coordinates with other citizen action groups when we share their concerns and positions on current issues. This includes environmental matters.
CCEC-Institute, Inc. is the educational arm of CCEC. It provides education to citizens about how Chatham County government and its various departments work. This is done primarily through Citizens
College, which has been providing annual educational sessions about local government for the last 6 years. The CCEC Director of Citizens College works very closely with Chatham County staff to provide a
concise, impartial overview of the county’s operations.
Both CCEC and CCEC Institute are issue-oriented and do not endorse candidates for political office; neither is a political action group (PAC). CCEC is concerned with issues and decisions that affect the
quality of life in Chatham, not with partisan loyalties. We seek to comment civilly on the actions and decisions of public officials and authorities — whatever their political stripes may be — as they relate to the overall welfare of the community. It is not the party connected to one’s name, but the outcomes connected to one’s decisions that matter to us.
CCEC is a not-for-profit organization under Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code. CCEC-Institute, Inc. is a not-for-profit, tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.