Commissioners claim to want policy on prompt release of closed session minutes

Posted Tuesday, June 19, 2007

 E-mail this page    Printer-friendly page

Pittsboro, NC - On Monday, June 18, the Chatham County Board of Commissioners asked County Attorney Kevin Whiteheart to draft a policy regarding the prompt release of closed session minutes. Monday’s meeting was the first commissioners meeting held since the News and Observer asked for the release of closed session minutes concerning the moratorium ordinance.

“We believe that county government and its public records and meetings should be as transparent as possible,” explained Chairman Carl Thompson. “Unless the law prevents us from releasing the minutes, such as discussions involving the privacy of personnel, or unless the county is threatened with legal action, closed session minutes should be released as soon as is practical. We also believe that drafts of proposed ordinances should be made available to the public as they occur. We will do our best to implement new policies that will make this administration the most open in Chatham County history,” Thompson said.

Recent requests to release a draft of a proposed moratorium ordinance and closed session minutes on the County Commissioners’ discussion of the ordinance prompted the Board of Commissioners to examine this issue. The new policy is designed to address the process of preparing, reviewing, and approving closed session minutes. With this new policy, the county commissioners believe they will be able to release minutes more quickly, while ensuring that attorney-client privilege is maintained.

Whiteheart was asked to present a draft policy on closed session minutes to the Board as soon as possible.