Dale Harrison, an adjunct associate professor and assistant director of the Sunshine Center of the North Carolina Open Government Coalition, was quoted in a Fayetteville Observer editorial on Sept. 25 in which the newspaper explained how local politicians were "skirting the letter of the state’s Open Meeting Law, but most certainly violating its spirit."
Openmeeting laws vary from state to state but generally codify the rightscitizens have to observe their leaders in person when a certain numbergather in one place to discuss public business.
According tothe editorial, which can be read by clicking on the link to the rightof this page, both the City Council and the Board of Commissioners hadmembers meeting in small groups, thereby avoiding the quorum necessaryfor a meeting to be considered open to the public.
Elon University is home to the Sunshine Center.