Nearly three weeks after four members of York County Council were seen eating dinner at a restaurant by a local reporter following a public budget workshop, one man seeking a seat on council is contending council members are holding, “secret, after hours meetings,” — and says they need to stop.
Andrew Kiel | WRHI.com[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Blackwell said Thursday that he and the other council members in question did not break state law, because they weren’t discussing county business.
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Williams said that Blackwell is saying one thing — and doing another — when it comes to openness. “Transparency is and will always be the taxpayers’ best defense against and corrupt and inefficient government,” Williams said.
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Blackwell said that May 9 meeting isn’t the first time that council members have ever met in a private setting.
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
State Freedom of Information Laws state that any meeting that constitutes a quorum — in this case four members — must be advertised to the public and the press.
The law specifically states that any social gatherings outside of public meetings may not be used to circumvent the state statute.
