Tuesday, January 4, 2011

BREAKING: County Councilor Carl Weimer Requests Meeting Postponement

The correspondence is posted here in its entirety.

From: Carl Weimer
To: Barbara Brenner ; Bill Knutzen ; Kathy Kershner ; Ken Mann ; Sam Crawford ; Tony Larson
Cc: Shannon Parsons; Jared Paben ; Herald Newsroom ; Sam ; Arden Landry ; Carl Weimer ; Dewey Desler ; Frank Abart ; Jill Nixon ; Jennifer Paulson ; Karen Frakes ; Martha Blakely ; Marina Engels ; Nadean Hanson ; Pete Kremen ; Randall Watts
Sent: Tue, January 4, 2011 5:39:39 AM
Subject: Request Postponement of Special COTW meeting

Hi all,

Greetings from Fort Worth Texas.

I had no idea there was a plan to have a special meeting to discuss the GMHB decision today until I received this notice when I checked into my hotel here at 4 PM yesterday. I really would like to be a part of this meeting so I request that the meeting be cancelled and rescheduled for Thursday morning when I will be back. If that can not be done I request that the meeting be recorded (including any executive session) so I can review the discussion when I return.

I have not received any information from the Prosecutor's Office or the Administration regarding the implications of this ruling or what our options are. It seems that discussion of those very basic facts and concerns have no "adverse legal or financial consequence" to the County so such discussions should take place in an open session so the public can also understand these issues. I hope the Council, the Prosecutor or the Administration will not try to hide such discussions behind a veil of executive session because the people have a right to understand this as well as we do. Since I have received many emails since I arrived here with concerns about this being discussed in a closed door session, and there seems to be an understanding that the entire discussion will be in executive session, this seems to be another good reason to postpone the meeting till Thursday morning. This would allow us to re-advertise the meeting making it clear that we will be having this discussion in an open session so the people can also be informed. This is clearly the Council's policy intent as stated in WWC 2.02.040 Meetings (A).

Thanks for your consideration.

Carl


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3 comments:

  1. AdministratorJanuary 4, 2011 at 10:40 AM

    Carl,

    I hope the County defers to your request to reschedule the meeting and hold it publicly.

    It's always been good public policy to open the meetings of city, county, and special district governing bodies to the public, even when it is uncertain or doubtful that the Act applies to them.

    Secrecy in government is rarely warranted, and the Open Meeting Act's basic intent is not overly onerous. The Act's basic intent is that the actions of government bodies be taken openly and that their deliberations be conducted openly, for the public to view. After all, the government is conducting the people's business, not its own.

    Thank you, Carl, for supporting transparency and open government!

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousJanuary 4, 2011 at 11:46 AM

    Crawford should resign given his numerous conflicts and money grubbing with crooked developers.

    He joins a long list of previous Council members who have stained themselves through greed and self service while in public office.

    BTW Where is Pete Kremen? Hiding behind his quivering mustache? He should be calling B.S. on executive sessions.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousJanuary 4, 2011 at 4:30 PM

    You should see the blazing response I got from Barbara (my council rep) when I requested this be discused in open meetings! How dare I be so brash. Thank goodness for the good folks like Carl Weimer.

    Shannon Parsons

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