Date: Mon, 29 Apr 2019 14:03:28 +0000
From: Raymond Gastwaite
Subject: Commissioner closed meetings on the monument
The April 25 Chatham News + Record reports that the county board of commissioners are ‘most likely’ going to discuss county attorney recommendations in Closed Session.
Does any one else think this feels funny, that the board which very publicly requested a way to move the monument, and very publicly expressed a request to the county attorney for how to do that, would now discuss options away from public and media view in a closed session?
What do our commissioners not want the voters to hear? We already know that the four remaining commissioners want to remove the monument. Regardless of how one feels about the monument’s fate, closed commission meetings (unless very narrowly discussing personnel or claims against the county) have NO place in a democratic society.
If you feel strongly about open participation in an open government, urge the commissioners to NOT hold this meeting behind closed doors.
I don’t like Politics at any level, especially those on such a small, local level where the possibility of personal offenses and misunderstandings seem to have a greater possibility of occurring. There is enough division due to personal styles and tastes as it is, and not one more sensitive issue will make my life or the life of my community one whit richer.
Having said that, I too have plans for holding secret meetings, so secret in fact that the subject matter of said meetings have yet to be determined.
As Local Government, you can do what you will and bar a public audience if you like. I really don’t mind. You’re not invited to my meetings. I think it only fair that you close your doors to me as well.